It was another special night at Niakwa Country Club as the golf community gathered to celebrate the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

The festivities had been on hold due to COVID, however those in attendance were honoured and welcomed with open arms.

The 2021 Class included Donna Brownridge, Derrick Chlopecki, Gerald Morrissey, and the 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team Champions.

In the Athlete category, Brownridge finished 3^rd in the Manitoba Amateur in 2001 and qualified for the interprovincial Women’s Amateur Team in 2001 (alternate), 2002 and 2003. She qualified for the Western Amateur Team in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 while also qualifying for the Manitoba Women’s Senior Team in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012. In 2003, Team Manitoba finished in 3^rd place. Brownridge was a member of the winning Nassau League team representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1986, 1987, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2014. She was a member of the winning team in the Manitoba Ladies Interclub Championship representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1976, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990. Her resume includes twice winning the Tamarack women’s match play along with twice winning the Elmhurst Club Championship and won the Elmhurst Ladies’ Open.

In addition to her playing record, Donna had a long history of club volunteerism acting as captain of the Elmhurst Ladies Nassau Team from 2003-2006 and 2011-2013. She was also the Nassau League President in 2014-15. Brownridge also served for 12 years on the Elmhurst Board of Governors and become the first (and only) female president in the club’s 114-year history (as of April 2020).  Brownridge was also the researcher and author of the golf history book “Elmhurst – The Home of Champions” that was completed in 2014.

Donna Brownridge passed away on December 18, 2020.

In the Builders Catagory, Chlopecki started his career in the golf industry in 1987 as the Equipment Technician at the Rossmere Country Club. In 1991 he assumed the role of Superintendent.  Derrick was hired in 1993 as Superintendent at the Pine Ridge Golf Club, a position that he still holds to this day.  During his 29 years at Pine Ridge, Derrick has consistently delivered exceptional course conditions for its membership and has hosted numerous club, provincial, national and professional events including an impressive 22 years as the host Superintendent of the Manitoba Open.  Derrick has been the host Superintendent 23% of all Manitoba Opens hosted in the events 100+ year history.

Chlopecki, a long-time member of the Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association, was named Superintendent of the Year by his peers in 2017.

Morrissey joins the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Athletes Category following his time as the head golf professional at the Rossmere Country Club from 1958 to 1991. “Moose” as his peers would call him, lived his 34-year golf career by playing and promoting the sport to which he devoted so much to.  During his tenure, he amassed an impressive playing record including two-time PGA of Manitoba Zone Senior Champion, 4-time Kenora Open champion, 3-time Falcon Beach Open champion, 2-time Pine Falls Open champion, 2 Brandon Western Open Championships, won the PGA of Canada Team Pro-am at Disney World in Florida, 3 top-ten finishes in the Manitoba Open in addition to numerous PGA of Manitoba Zone events and pro-am victories.  In 1991, he was awarded the PGA of Manitoba Zone Club Professional Award.

Morrisey was also an avid promoter of the sport where he taught golf lessons at the Y.M.C.A, and local schools.  He also organized indoor golf lessons and numerous golf tours and trips for his members and students to within Canada, the South Pacific, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.

A 62-year member of the PGA of Canada, Morrissey served as the president of the PGA of Manitoba Zone in 1967-68, was a member of the Board of Directors for the PGA of Canada from 1966-68 and was vice-captain of the PGA of Canada in 1968.  In 1997 and at the PGA of Canada Annual Meeting, he was awarded Life Membership status.

The 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team of Raina Best, Brionie Brown, Angela Daykin and Christine Power entered the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Team Catagory.

They finished in first place, on home soil, by shooting a 36-hole team score of 500 and six shots clear of second place Team Alberta (506).  The team championship was conducted during the first two days of 1991 Canadian Junior Girls Championship that was held August 21-24 at the Pine Ridge Golf Club in Sunnyside, Manitoba.

To view the photo gallery from the 2021 induction ceremony, please click here.

About the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. – The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. was formed to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments made by Manitobans as competitors, both amateur and professional, builders and course superintendents to the game of golf.  It is a tripartite organization, the partners being Golf Manitoba, Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Manitoba. The annual induction ceremony is sponsored by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Individual members and member clubs wishing to nominate an individual (amateur or professional golfers, superintendents, builders, media, etc.) for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame may obtain nomination forms through any of the three member organizations or at manitobagolfhalloffame.com.

Team Manitoba gathered at Southwood Golf & Country Club this past weekend gearing up for the 2023 season. It was the first time both the boys and girls teams had a chance to work together outdoors after a long winter indoors.

As the college golf season starts to wind down south of the border, Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz catches up with Winnipeg’s Braxton Kuntz

General registration for most Golf Manitoba championships is now open.

To be eligible to compete in all Golf Manitoba competitions, players must be an active Golf Manitoba/Canada member and must also hold a current Golf Canada Handicap Index.

Players who do not have an active Golf Manitoba/Canada membership through a member club or league can click HERE to learn more and join.

The championship registration process is easier, less time consuming and accessible through Golf Canada’s Score Centre.

To enter all Golf Manitoba events, you must first log into your Golf Canada Score Centre profile using a web browser and select the competitions tab found under the user menu on the top right-hand side of the web page.

Registration is open for the following:

• Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre
• Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Qualifier
• Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier
• Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation
• Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation
• Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship
• Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championship
• Hodson Financial Men’s Senior Championship

Registration for our final six championships will be announced at a later date.

Please note that personal Golf Genius accounts that are active at the club level will not permit you to register for any Golf Manitoba Championship. 

New for 2023, entry deadlines for most events will now close 14 days prior to the start of the championship.

If you have any questions regarding registration, please do not hesitate to contact Amy at amy@golfmb.ca.

You can view the 2023 championship schedule and register HERE.

Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk is pleased to announce 12 Junior Boys and 13 Junior Girls have been named to the 2023 Team Manitoba roster.

These junior golfers will train and compete in various tournaments throughout the season representing our province under the guidance of Junior Boys Head Coach Sean Murray and Junior Girls Head Coach Bri-Ann Tokariwski.

The Junior Boys Gold Team roster features Jackson Delaurier of Dauphin Lake Golf Club, Kaleb Lambert and Jacob Taweel of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, Brayden Boge of Pine Ridge Golf Club, Portage Golf Club’s Carson Inman, Payne Wood of St. Boniface Golf Club, St. Charles Country Club members Grady Chuback and Jack Taylor, Spence Mott of Shilo Golf & Country Club, Southwood Golf & Country Club’s Terence Rafferty and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club members Adam Blair and Hudson Hunnie.

“The team is filled with talent from top to bottom” said Junior Boys Head Coach Sean Murray. “This roster with Grady Chubak who finished second at the 2022 Junior Championship shooting under par for the tournament, Jack Taylor who may hit further than anyone else in the province, Carson Inman who really had a break out year and may of had the most consistent season in 2022 and then to round it out with 3 Juniors under 15 who have loads of potential being, Brayden Boge, Hudson Hunnie and Adam Blair. With the resources provided to these Juniors from Golf Manitoba, I am very excited to see how much they can grow through the upcoming season.”

The Junior Girls will be divided into two teams.

The Gold Team roster features India Young of the Carman Golf & Country Club, Glendale Golf & Country Club member Payton Oakden, Elmhurst’s Armaan Dhillon, Addison Kartusch of St. Charles, Swan River Golf & Country Club’s Crystal Zamzow and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club members Jenna King and Cala Korman.

The Black Team roster includes Kiera Krahn of Carman, Niakwa’s Annika Russell and Gracie McMillian of Pine Ridge along with Erin Nowicki and Maisy Shewchuk.

“The team is filled great depth this upcoming season aged 10 to 18 from across the province” said Junior Girls Head Coach Bri-Ann Tokariwski. “The majority of our teams feature returning players however we are excited about some new hungry additions. The team consists of provincial championships, MJT winners and some who have competed across the country. The girls are hungry to work on their game while getting stronger.”

Looking into the future, eight Junior Boys and five Junior Girls have been recognized for their potential and named to Team Manitoba’s Blue practice squad rosters.

The Junior Boys roster includes Aris Mercury, Owen Conrad, Hunter Oakden, Xavier Delaquis, Brayden Gregg, Chance Gregg, Austin Tutkaluk and Forest Wiebe.

Honing their skills for the future are Junior Girls Angelina Sitarz, Sadie Blazeiko, Bree Farmer, Annika Gording and Lily MacGregor.

“As an association, we are excited to see the future of golf continuing to grow” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk. “Looking back to players like Aaron Cockerill, Bobbi Uhl and Braxton Kuntz, just to name a few, this year’s 2023 Team Manitoba roster can learn anything is possible when you create the right routine and work habits”. 

Team Manitoba will once again benefit greatly from the generosity of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation while also receiving support from the Integrated Support Team at Sport Manitoba Performance that will help enhance the athletes’ skills through fitness, nutrition, and development of the mental side of the game.

Stay up to date with Team Manitoba online at www.golfmb.ca.

About Team Manitoba: The Team Manitoba program provides enhanced training, development, and competitive opportunities for both aspiring and accomplished junior female and male athletes from the Golf Manitoba region.

The program encompasses fitness, sports psychology, nutrition, technique, equipment management and regional, multi-sport, and national level competition.

For more, please visit golfmb.ca/team-manitoba.

Friends, family and members of the local golf scene gathered this week inside the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame to celebrate the life of Peggy Colonello.

Colonello, a member of the Manitoba Sports and Golf Halls of Fame, passed away on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at the age of 97.

Those in attendance spoke of her impact on women’s and junior golf in our province and across the country as an administrator. 

“As a junior golfer in Manitoba, I was fortunate enough to develop my game in many great ways thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Colonello” said Jacob Armstrong, of the Golf Manitoba program and now a student at the University of Fraser Valley. “Of many things, I got to attend multiple national championships with the help of the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation. These experiences truly grew my love for the game. I am beyond grateful for the outstanding support Mrs. Colonello has always given Junior golf in Manitoba. Thank you Mrs. Colonello”. 

Peggy’s volunteerism spanned decades and started in 1974 where she served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association until 1976. Peggy continued her administrative work in golf serving a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy, for her contributions to the sport, was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.

The Colonello name was well known in golf and not only for Peggy’s contributions. Her husband Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941. In 1973, Alex purchased and become president of the Bay Bronze company and eventually acquired the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Bayco golf ball washers can still be found on the tee boxes of golf courses all over the world. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.

In 2018 and at the age of 94, Peggy Colonello established the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation established an unprecedented endowment of $3 million dollars that supports the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming. Since 2019, the Foundation has supported junior golf programs including the Golf in Schools initiative, provincial junior team development and the University of Manitoba Bisons golf program. The annual induction ceremony for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is also sponsored by the Foundation.

To read Mrs. Colonello’s obituary, please click here.

A celebration of the life of Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame inductee Mrs. Peggy Colonello, will be held on Monday, August 8, 2022 from 6 to 8pm at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame at 145 Pacific Avenue. Guests wishing to attend the come and go celebration, are asked to RSVP with the Golf Manitoba office by contact Amy Coggan at amy@golfmb.ca.

Peggy Colonello made a huge impact on women’s golf in Manitoba and Canada as an administrator.  Her volunteerism spanned decades and started in 1974 where she served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association until 1976. Peggy continued her administrative work in golf serving a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy, for her contributions to the sport, was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.

The Colonello name was well known in golf and not only for Peggy’s contributions. Her husband Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941. In 1973, Alex purchased and become president of the Bay Bronze company and eventually acquired the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Bayco golf ball washers can still be found on the tee boxes of golf courses all over the world. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.

In 2018 and at the age of 94, Peggy Colonello established the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation established an unprecedented endowment of $3 million dollars that supports the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming. Since 2019, the Foundation has supported junior golf programs including the Golf in Schools initiative, provincial junior team development and the University of Manitoba Bisons golf program. The annual induction ceremony for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is also sponsored by the Foundation.

Peggy Colonello passed away on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at the age of 97. To read Mrs. Colonello’s obituary, please click here.

Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend Country shot an 8 under par 64 in his final round to win the 100th Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Kuntz finished the three day event at St. Charles Country Club with a 203 total, good for an 11 stroke victory over Grady Chuback of the host course.

Kuntz also wins the 17 & 17 age group by 13 strokes over Elmhurst Golf & Country Club’s Ryan Blair.

Chuback earned a 12 stroke victory in the 15 & 16 age group over Portage Golf Club’s Carson Inman.

Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Adam Blair carded an 81 in his final round to claim the 13 & 14 age group over Brayden Boge of Pine Ridge Golf Club.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Boys leaderboard, click here.

Addison Kartusch, of the host course, shot a final round 76 earning a 13 stroke victory in the 81st Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Kartusch finished the event at 225 while Crystal Zamzow of Swan River Golf & Country Club placed second with an 84 and 238 tournament total.

Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Clara Peake won the 17 & 18 age group by five strokes over Whitewater Golf Club’s Reese Keating.

Jewel Lafleche of Clear Lake Golf Course finished first in the 12 & under age group.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Girls leaderboard, click here.

Golf Manitoba would like to thank our Official Performance Partners:

adidas Golf Canada – Paige Lawrence, Territory Manager

Manitoba Blue Cross

Taylormade Canada – Eric Johnson, Sales & Marketing Territory Manager

We appreciate the time and effort of the host club, St. Charles Country Club led by COO Cory Kartusch, Head Professional Craig Strand, Superintendent Brayden Gilbert, their staff, club members and volunteers for their warm welcome.

Grady Chuback, of the host St. Charles Country Club, shot a 2 under par 70 Thursday and is tied with first round leader Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend Country Club at 5 under par 139 going into Friday’s final round of the 100th Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Kuntz shot even par 72 in his second round.

In the 17 & 18 age group, Kuntz has a five stroke lead on Elmhurst Golf & Country Club’s Ryan Blair, who had the low round Thursday at 4 under par 68.

Chuback leads the 15 & 16 age group by 13 strokes over Portage Golf Club’s Carson Inman.

In the 13 & 14 age group, Hudson Hunnie has a one stroke lead over Brayden Boge of Pine Ridge Golf Club.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross leaderboard, click here.

For Friday’s final round tee times, click here.

In the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, St. Charles’ Addison Kartusch has a five stroke lead over Crystal Zamzow of Swan River Golf & Country Club.

Both players shot a 1 over par 73 in their second round.

Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Clara Peake leads the 17 & 18 age group by two strokes over Whitewater Golf Club’s Reese Keating.

Jewel Lafleche leads the 12 & under age group.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross leaderboard, click here.

For Friday’s final round tee times, click here.

Defending Champion Braxton Kuntz, of Breezy Bend Country, made five birdies in his opening round of the 100th Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Kuntz’s 67 was two strokes better than Brady Chuback of the host, St. Charles Country Club. Chuback also carded five birdies. They were the only two players to shoot below par.

Kuntz also leads the 17 & 18 year old age group by six strokes over Bel Acres Golf & Country Club’s Noah Fiks.

Chubak has a seven stroke lead over Kaleb Lambert of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club in the 15 & 16 age group.

Hudson Hunnie, a Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member leads the 13 & 14 age group by six strokes over Pine Ridge Golf Club’s Brayden Boge, St. Boniface Golf Club’s Ryan Tuck and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Max Boese.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Boys leaderboard, click here.

For Thursday’s second round tee times, click here.

St. Charles’ Addison Kartusch has a one stroke lead over Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Cala Korman and a two stroke advantage on Clara Peake, also a Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member, and Whitewater Golf Club’s Reese Keating in the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Kartusch made back to back birdies to open her round shooting a four over par 76.

Peake, who is the defending champion, and Keating share the lead in the 17 & 18 age group by 10 strokes over Armaan Dhillon of Elmhurst.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Girls leaderboard, click here.

For Thursday’s second round tee times, click here.