Last Sunday, while conducting a junior golf session, using the wonderful CN FUTURE LINKS format, I asked the kids to name a “Canadian Golf Hero”. Other than their parents, none came up with a name (and I even had a name-tag on). And one of them could have mentioned his Mom (Lisa Long Ball Wooslyck)! So next Sunday I will provide them with my list and ask them to Google the names (I teach 5 year olds who Google!). Earlier the same day during a proshop discussion with a couple thirty somethings from Victoria, I had said that I thought Stan Leonard was slightly better than Bobby Cox as BC’s best male professional golfer, rated slightly higher than Jim Nelford or Richard Zokol. They’d never heard of anyone other than Zokol, and couldn’t tell me anything about Zokol! Maybe we need to discuss our heroes more, now that the War of 1812 fever has died down.
So, my list of Canadian Golfing Heroes starts as follows, although to me there is quite a difference between being a hero and being famous so my list will mostly be famous Canadian golfers. Maybe only famous to some of us.
Gary’s List in no special order
Stanley Thompson (my Dad actually worked with him at Royal York GC)
Moe Norman, Al Balding, Sandy Somerville, Pat Fletcher, Gordon Brydson, Dick Grimm (altho a US citizen), Gary Cowan, Murray Tucker, Mike Weir, Nick Weslock, Dan Halderson, Doug Silverberg, George Clifton, Jimmie Johnston, Bob Wylie, Frank Locke, Peter Kananaskis Lougheed, Keith Alexander, Jim Nelford, Bob Cox, Richard Zokol and Henry Martell.
Sandra Post, Marlene Streit, Ada MacKenzie, Lorie Kane, Gayle Borthwick, Rae Simpson
Lorne Rubenstein, Jack Marks, Dick Beddoes
We have some great comers on the PGA TOURS right now, also some super Juniors and “Amateurs” in the pipeline. And we even have a Guru now too! Canadian golf is on a roll ! Let’s hope it quits raining soon!
1969 CDN TOUR
add mary-jane hall
Moe Norman is more a treasure than a hero.
George Knudson belongs on your list. We can only imagine what he would have done on the Champions Tour. So glad to hear that you are working with the kids. You’ll have some fun with that. I’m thinking of you while watching some of the flood coverage and hope you’re not effected too much.
Harp: sorry I forgot George Knudson, he got bumped when I kept putting Moe Norman in. George is also a treasure, great Masters record, always had time to play in Canadian events, and you are spot on, HE WOULD HAVE CLEANED UP ON THE CHAMPIONS TOUR!
That flood is really big, Canada doesn’t really know the whole story yet, in fact neither does Calgary! A lot of people are suffering and will for some time. Good thing there’s oil money that may become available. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill experience is helping here, Alberta is certainly quick to respond.
Peter, why Mary Jane Hall ? I used to nominate Frank Mann as Pro of the Year every year, cause he was a male pro at the Ladies Club! Fraught with danger.