Golf Does Good: Industry Steps Up

This will be short, as I’m heading off in less than an hour for a fundraiser at Hidden Lake, a golf course near Burlington. The fundraiser is for John Parker, the superintendent at Scenic Woods Golf Club, who recently suffered a brain aneurysm and is expected to have a long period of recovery. I don’t know John, but I was approached about participating and did so without a second thought.

Unfortunately John isn’t the only one of the Canadian golf biz to suffer from a debilitating illness. Dave Kemp, vice-president at RJ Burnside, which does a lot of infrastructure project for golf courses (at places like Otter Creek, Bond Head, etc.), was struck down by a spinal aneurysm a couple of weeks ago that has changed his life. Next Friday there is fundraiser for Dave, someone I’ve had the good fortune to play golf with and an avid student of golf design. Dave is — and I’m hoping will be — a regular at our occasional Golfclubatlas.com gatherings in Toronto. His fundraiser is next week at Bradford Highlands, and I’m buying a spot even though I cannot attend. I’m hoping to do something more to help Dave out — with the assistance of others in the golf community — and will let you know as soon as those plans come together.

While I find these two situations saddening, I also am thrilled to see the golf community rallying around both cases. Not surprising, I’m sure, but reassuring nonetheless.

If anyone has any questions or interest in supporting either event, please drop me a note at robertthompson8@sympatico.ca.