In a spirit of gratitude, there comes a time in all enduring communities that we put aside the tasks of the day and honour those who led us forward, passed on their wisdom and laid the foundation that has made our lives richer.
That time has come for the PGA of Ontario.
“It is with great pride that the association of golf professionals in Ontario announces the establishment of the PGA of Ontario Hall of Fame,” said PGA of Ontario President Simon Bevan.
Our Charter Class of the Hall of Fame will be inducted in the Fall of 2020.
“The game of golf is strong in Ontario because of the tradition and standards established by PGA professionals upon whose shoulders we stand, so it’s imperative that we show our deep appreciation by honouring their exceptional contribution to the game in Ontario and to the PGA of Ontario,” Bevan said.
The Hall of Fame will be housed on the Internet, accessible via the PGA of Ontario website.
Establishment of the Hall of Fame culminates a two-and-a-half-year process and the work of a 12-member Founder’s Committee led by PGA of Ontario Master Professional, Life Member, and Canadian PGA Hall of Fame inductee, Michael Schurman. The committee conducted two years of research and consulted with every golf association in Canada, as well as golf associations and Halls of Fame in the United States and around the world.
“We were driven as much by our hearts as by our desire to honour and document the contributions of our fellow PGA members,” Schurman said.
“Every time one of these great professionals dies, their memories, their wisdom and the important details that made them special are gone forever. Through the Hall of Fame, we will capture the stories told about our professional colleagues who enriched our Association and golf in Ontario.”
The Hall of Fame is restricted to PGA of Ontario members who earned the minimum membership category of Class A for 20 years and meet other criteria. All voting members of the Selection Committee must have a minimum of 10 years as a Class A member of the PGA of Ontario.
Inductees to the Hall of Fame will be not be enshrined in any particular category.
“If your peers believe you merit entry into the Hall, you will be enshrined,” Schurman said. “Our Founder’s Committee believes there are no criteria that could possibly cover the entire range and variety of each person’s contributions.”
The Selection Committee will consider career accomplishments of PGA of Ontario members that include acting as a golf professional, teacher, player, builder, a contributor, and philanthropic or media work.
“The Hall of Fame provides us with the opportunity to officially pay homage to PGA of Ontario members who have contributed significantly to golf in Ontario” Schurman said.
Each inductee to the Hall of Fame will have a web page that includes a photo and a story.
Friends and family members are encouraged to contribute memories to the PGA of Ontario, which will post these stories to a space entitled ‘About the Inductee: Things I Remember’.
The induction of Charter Class Members in the Fall of 2020 will include deceased members of the PGA of Ontario. No posthumous awards will be provided unless requested within one year of the Charter Class induction ceremony. Requests can be made by living family members or by a facility.
“We’re doing our best to maintain the standards set by professionals who have been gone for up to 50 years,” Bevan said. “Enshrining these departed members allows us to honour the enormous contribution that our predecessors have made.”
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, office staff, and PGA of Ontario members, I would like to personally recognize and thank Mr. Michael Schurman and the Hall of Fame Founder’s Committee for their hard work and dedication in the development of the PGA of Ontario’s very own golf Hall of Fame,” said PGA of Ontario President, Mr. Simon Bevan.
The Selection Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Hall of Fame induction. Nominations must be submitted no later than May 1st on any given year. Please see the PGA of Ontario website for more details.
