Kyle Kellgren, Superintendent at Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre in Cochin, Saskatchewan and President of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association was in Toronto, Ontario from July 22nd to 24th to attend CGSA related events and meetings in conjunction with the RBC Canadian Open.
Thursday July 23, Kyle attended an event hosted by the Georgian Bay Golf Superintendents Association at the Midland Golf and Country Club in Midland, Ontario approximately two hours north of Toronto on Georgian Bay. Kyle was joined by the President of the Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association, John McLinden. On Wednesday, Kyle paid a visit to the Toronto Golf Club and superintendent Al Schwemler. The Toronto Golf Club is the 3rd oldest club in North America. It boasts a superb 18-hole, Harry S. Colt-designed course as well as a nine-hole, 2400-yard, par 33 practice course designed by Howard Watson.
The National Allied Golf Associations met on Friday morning to conduct its Annual General Meeting and to meet with the Presidents of the six national golf associations that make up NAGA. As part of the NAGA Presidents’ meeting, Kellgren received updates on the organization’s strategic plan, three year budget estimates, national tax fairness lobby status and the activities of the other five national golf organizations.
Kyle then hosted a media conference in the Shaw media centre to present the CGSA National Tournament Program plaque to Angus Glen Golf Club superintendent Andrew Gyba to recognize his work in hosting our national men’s Open Championship.
The NTP is a CGSA initiative which recognizes member superintendents who host tournaments of national significance. Recognition of the profession and its members is a key component of the CGSA’s mandate.
Earlier in July, Kellgren had represented the CGSA at the John Deere Classic in Moline, Illinois. There he had the chance to experience a PGA Tour Pro Am when he joined a team of Canadian superintendents and Canadian PGA Tour pro Roger Sloan to take part in the pro-am event. Kellgren was able to reconnect with Sloan in Oakville at the Angus Glen venue and follow him for a few holes on Friday afternoon.
Kellgren’s next official duty will be to chair the mid-term meeting of the CGSA in Jasper, Alberta in September when the Board of Directors will be meeting with consultant Don Barclay to discuss plans for a redesign of the national superintendent association.
