A little while back Owen Rigg contacted me with some information about the local and Northern Ontario golf scene. If you are a golfer then you know who Owen is. If you are involved in hockey you know who he is also. But that is for another column for another day.
For any sport to thrive in our community it requires the dedication and experience of a core group of individuals promoting, maintaining, growing and servicing that sport. Without their contributions and tireless efforts, local sports would be a wasteland.
Owen is one of the key individuals overseeing golf in our area and making sure that along with others that golf has a solid foundation and future growth opportunities.
Here is an interview I conducted with Owen that I know you will enjoy.
When and how did you become involved with the Golf Association of Ontario?
I've been involved with golf most of my life. I have been a member of the board of directors with the Northern Golf Association since 2009. I worked closely with our group to re-establish a positive working relationship with Golf Ontario. In 2017 Golf Ontario and the NGA signed a memorandum of understanding to work in collaboration with each other to grow the sport in Northern Ontario. This has been a very positive outcome for both parties and has led to success and growth in the sport in our region. I have volunteered with Golf Ontario as a course rater and tournament volunteer to name a few.
What is your current role with GAO?
In 2023, Golf Ontario hired me as the regional manager for Northern Ontario. This role has allowed me to support growth in the sport by delivering servicing to the 24-plus member clubs we currently support. Golf Ontario has established a regional support strategy which is in place to help member facilities grow in their own back yard by offering programming that helps grow the sport. I have been fortunate to be a part of the team for a few seasons now and I am also fortunate to have an outstanding intern (Riley Bridge) out of Sudbury that helps me deliver programming and support across the region.
Tell us a little about how old you were when you started golfing
I started playing golf at seven years old. My father, Dean, was participating in the sport with his friends when I was a kid and as most boys, you always want to be like your father, and I showed an interest in the sport at an early age. My dad and mom signed me up for junior lessons at the old Hollinger Golf Club with Phil Ferrari and Norm Clare on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer months. I fell in love with the game and have been a part of it for over 30 years. Both Norm and Phil were great role models to me at an early age and gave me lots of opportunities to get better in the game over time. By the time I was 14 years old, I was starting to play well enough to compete in the region and was fortunate to have a pretty good junior golf career at the time. I was fortunate to represent Spruce Needles Golf Club during that time and had fantastic guidance from Mace Soroko and throughout my high school years from John Elliott.
You left Timmins to play golf at an elite level. Can you tell us a little about that journey?
I was very fortunate to have John Elliott as a coach and mentor throughout my high school golf years. John spent countless hours with me helping me develop my skills in the game. He really helped me develop the mental side of the game that allowed me to be successful. I was fortunate to have a very good team around me that pushed me to get better every day. Our high school team at Timmins High was a dominate program for a 10-plus year stretch and I was on five years of those teams. I was fortunate to win many individual and team championships in NEOAA golf. During that time, I was lucky to participate in multiple provincial high school championships prior to OFSAA recognizing golf as a viable high school sport. My last season of high school golf I finished T-9 individually and T-4 as a team, which was a major accomplishment for us at Timmins High. That championship got me some notice at the next level. A couple of key people in my life during those years (age 16-19) really gave me a lot of confidence that I could have a future in the sport and potentially play in college. Ed Jackson (Gardner Webb University D2 Golf Team) was from Manitoulin Island that worked at the Hollinger Golf Club in those days. He’s an outstanding player that allowed me to follow him around and complete against him on a regular basis. Ed was a huge influence on me and in my development and encouraged me to try to make it to college golf as he said I had the ability to play at the next level. Thanks to my mother, Leata, and for some great support from Vital Shank, we learned about what it would take to get to the next level. I studied for the SATs and my mother mailed countless athletic departments at universities across the US. Luckily, we received some interest in some schools at the time and prior to graduation from Timmins High, I signed a letter of intent to join Missouri Valley College (NAIA) in Marshall Missouri in 2005. After one year at the school, I came home for a year as it wasn't the best environment at the time. In 2007, I transferred to Long Island University (D1 NCAA) on a full scholarship where I competed for three additional seasons until my eligibility ran out. It was a thrill of a lifetime to have been able to do that and I can't thank all the people in my circle for helping me achieve that goal.
You have played a ton of golf in your life. Can you point out some memorable moments you experienced?
There are a few to choose from for sure. Winning the 2005 Northern Ontario Junior at the Hollinger was special for me, winning at home was a thrill and helped propel me to college golf. It helped me believe I can win. Winning the Spruce Needles Amateur in 2009 was a major achievement for me. It was 10 years to the day that John Elliott had won it in 1999. So that was very special to do it on that anniversary. In 2010, I won the Men's Northern Ontario Amateur in Elliott Lake at Stone Ridge. The history behind that championship is a special one for me because so many Northern Ontario Legends in the game have held that title. I respect so many of those past champions. It is just a thrill to have my name on that trophy along with players like Steve Polyblank (Majors U18AAA HC), Bruce Helbig (multiple time winner), Jimmy Lamongtang to name a few. The other noteworthy piece on that was it was 50 years of no one from Timmins holding that title. So, that was cool to break that drought for Timmins golfers.
Other than your family, who has provided guidance or had an influence on you as it pertains to golf?
My parents, for sure, gave me every opportunity to excel in the sport. In the sport of golf there is lots of guidance and influence that shapes your game. John Elliott has had a huge role in both the game and in life in general. He has been a constant for me and always has been their when I need him. I would not be there without that support. Phil Ferrari, Norm Clare, Mace Soroko in those early years were there for me to develop. Ed Jackson was so good to me and helped me become a better player. Dr. Steve Coutts has been there forever for me and taught me so much. Local Legends like Bob Chasse, David Macinnes and Rick Cybalsky taught me how to compete against the men when I was boy. It would be wrong of me not to include Archie Berube (Timmins Sports Heritage Hall of Fame) as a major influence in how we grow administer golf in the north. Archie has been amazing and has taught me so much about the history of Northern Golf and how we move it forward. All these people have had such a major impact in one form or the other.
Locally we have seen an uptick in high level golf events being held here. Is there any particular reason why that seems to be evolving?
Few things, I think there is a care in the community for putting on events like this. We have amazing support by the local golf community and by corporate sponsorship. I think the desire of the members of the NGA to push golf forward and break barriers with Golf Ontario has allowed us to push for opportunities provincially and nationally. I do believe having a seat at the table to influence opportunities helps to some degree. Our group has a desire to showcase our clubs and our communities. So, it is not a surprise to me we are having success in hosting and developing regional talent.
Can you tell us about some of the upcoming events that Timmins will be hosting?
Timmins is hosting two major provincial events this upcoming season. The 2024 Golf Ontario U17 Boys and Girls Championships are at the Hollinger GC Aug. 18-21. Timmins is also hosting the 2024 OFSAA Boy's High School Golf Championships at the Hollinger Golf Club Oct. 14-16.
Is the area golf scene growing, staying the same or in decline?
Golf is seeing many positive gains. Lots of growth in women's and junior golf at the moment. Membership at both Spruce and Hollinger has seen steady increases year over year since COVID-19.
Are there active elements taking place here to attract new golfers?
Yes, lots of good programming has been delivered and will continue at the clubs moving forward. This is making it appealable to many new people into the game. It is a huge step in the right direction for the game locally. Golf Ontario is also running First Tee programming locally with elementary schools in the area. This summer Women's Try Golf Events will be run regionally to get first-timers out for a golf experience. Making people feel welcomed is a major driver. If you feel like you belong, then you will want to belong to a club.
Besides yourself, who are some of the people who are key contributors to the local competitive golf scene?
John Elliott, Archie Berube, Marcus Richard, Mike Bilodeau, David Macinnes, and Jamie Lamothe, to name a few.
How has the community responded to sponsorship or assistance requests?
Sponsorship has never been an issue. Especially when it comes to the provincial and national level events. Companies get behind them and want to see them do well. Highlighting the good stuff about our community. Volunteerism in Timmins is next to none. We have tremendous support. When we hosted the 2021 Golf Canada NextGen Fall Series East Championship, we had over 70 volunteers. It was a tremendous success because of that support. We expect the same for both major events this season.
Will you be recruiting volunteers for any of the upcoming events you will be hosting?
Yes, we will be reaching out to our volunteers from the 2021 event. We will also have information available for folks who are interested in contributing to the events this season. We expect tremendous support again.
How important is community support in continuing to provide opportunities to local youth in regards to regional/provincial and national events?
I think it is an absolute must if you are trying to have your community be visible provincially and nationally from a sporting prospective. Timmins is a sporting community. It always has been, not just hockey either. From a quality of life prospective, having opportunities for our youth is imperative to having healthy habits.
Back in my days of using Fred Flintstone clubs as a kid, we had access to a bunch of clinics, or instructional sessions. Is there still anything like that today?
Yes, as mentioned previously, First Tee Ontario programming out of the Hollinger GC this season will target new golfers into the sport. Golf in Schools, which is part of that programming, will be going on at multiple schools this spring to encourage youth into the sport. Both Spruce Needles and Hollinger offer outstanding junior golf clinics during the season.
You can see via this interview the passion that Owen brings to golf.
Owen is one of those people who truly appreciates and recognizes the contributions of those who came before him and those still active in the game.
With the upcoming event in August, the need for volunteers and sponsors is front and centre. Should you wish to help or just have a question for Owen you can reach him at [email protected].
Mully's will feature updates on upcoming golf events and will also include more interviews with some of Owen's counterparts at GAO.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Owen and good luck.
Later skater.
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