Expanding golf’s footprint

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This article was published 28/08/2024 (426 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wade Wetelainen isn’t prone to exaggeration, he chooses his words carefully.

So, when asked what the sport of golf means to him, Wetelainen leaves little room for interpretation.

“It’s one of the things that saved my life, for sure,” said Wetelainen, who hails from the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation near Dryden, Ont.

Wetelainen is speaking figuratively, but the literal portion is worth mentioning, as he’s overcome significant health challenges (he’s had cancer twice) and some personal issues.

Wetelainen, 32, was introduced to golf as a teenager and he caught the bug immediately.

“A bit of a late start, but I saw an ad for a golf tournament in the paper and I signed up for it,” he said. “I showed up and I didn’t even know how to put a tee in the ground. Somebody put the tee in the ground for me and I whacked (the golf ball) about 240 (yards) right down the middle of the fairway.

“I ended up winning the 13 and under division. I shot 43 the first time that I golfed. I was hooked right there.”

Wetelainen’s passion for golf hasn’t waned, it’s only intensified over the years and he recently competed at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Carleton Golf and Yacht Club in Manotick, Ont., after a steady run through the Golf Manitoba calendar.

Wetelainen is one of the few Indigenous golfers participating in competitive events in Manitoba, but he remains hopeful that might change during the coming years.

“It was hard at the start. There weren’t a lot of Indigenous golfers and there still aren’t a lot of us,” said Wetelainen. “But the support I get from my community is very nice. They support me and they like seeing me do well.”

Wetelainen is the owner of five course records and he’s one of the few people to have carded a 59 on multiple occasions — he’s done it three times.

He met Manitoba touring golf professional Aaron Cockerill (who is flourishing on the DP World Tour) and still holds out hope that one day he might be able to play professionally as well.

“There’s always the Champions Tour,” said Wetelainen, who embraces the responsibility of providing inspiration for the younger generation. “That’s definitely part of it, yeah. I feel like if I can have some success, it can show some other First Nations kids that they can have some success. That it’s possible for them to make it in what is usually predominantly a rich game.”

Golf is flourishing in Manitoba and across the country, especially since the pandemic.

Rounds played at private and public courses are up significantly, with record numbers being posted at many places, according to Golf Manitoba executive director Jared Ladobruk.

“It’s exciting,” said Ladobruk. “Golf is in a good place and we’re excited to support everything around it.”

That includes helping expose the sport to people around the province from more diverse backgrounds.

One of those initiatives is the First Tee program that was launched by Golf Canada and is a youth development program that provides children with life enhancing experiences through the sport.

First Tee-Prairies is operating in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and is seeing some success in terms of exposure, closing in on a goal of reaching 14,000 youth in the two provinces by the end of 2024.

“It blends both golf skills and life skills into one program. Kind of with the sense that not only are we teaching you how to golf, we’re teaching the inherent life skills that come with the game, such as honesty, respect and all of that,” said Michael Kananoja, manager of First Tee-Prairies in Winnipeg. “The idea on top of that is to offer accessible and inclusive programs at golf courses.”

The inclusivity element is essential for golf to take the next step forward.

“Our goal is to provide the program to the market that hasn’t traditionally been included in golf in the past or maybe had the opportunities that others have,” said Kananoja. “I know from personal experience that the only reason I learned how to golf was because my dad was a golfer. That is a story that we hear a lot from people who are currently golfing. If you don’t have that personal connection to it already, it’s maybe not the most appealing option. It can be expensive at times and we’re trying to combat that.”

Kananoja mentions the First Tee-Prairies program had its first rural extension in Gladstone, where its being offered through the school’s physical education department.

“The community has totally bought in and they have a very close relationship with the Sandy Bay First Nation,” said Kananoja. “We’re really excited to continue expanding and creating opportunities out there.”

The Manitoba Metis Federation is also investing in golf, through the Lake Manitoba Resort Golf Course, a nine-hole layout that was redeveloped and officially held a grand opening in St. Laurent last month.

The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council is getting involved in golf as well.

After seeing an increase in donations in equipment, an eight-week pilot project is set to launch in the fall.

“People want new ways to do things to help them feel good,” said Carriera Lamoureux, director of special projects for Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council. “Typically here, we serve hockey, volleyball and basketball. I think it’s important to sort of change the advertisement of sport. Typically, we list a few sports that you want to be involved in because those are the sports that receive the most attention.

“We are seeing an uptick in athletes that are interested in trying golf. Additionally, we are receiving quite a few more donations of golf equipment. Golf balls, golf clubs, golf bags, those kinds of things.”

Expanding the sport’s footprint will provide numerous benefits on and off the course.

“At the end of the day, First Tee Canada’s goal is that in 15-20 years, the people who are playing golf more closely resemble the Canadian population and the multicultural aspect of that,” Kananoja said.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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