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Liz Hoffman
President, Golf Canada, ON
PGA of Canada Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Member Golf Canada Golf Industry Advisory Council Member
Editor’s Note: A former provincial, national, and international golfer who won
both the Ontario Junior and Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship, Liz is a member of both the Thornhill Golf Club and the Mad River Golf Club. Liz was also a program mentor in the R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development Program and honed her executive leadership skills over a 39-year career with the University of Toronto including 16 years as Director of Athletics and High-Performance Sport.
It is so important that women see and experience other women in leadership positions across the industry and that the culture of any organization or golf facility be an inclusive one for women. To be successful, you must have an intentional support network and allyship within your organization, and that is something that I felt increasingly in my time with Golf Canada, both among the staff, leadership and volunteers at every level of the organization.
At the University of Toronto I was expected to take on leadership roles within my faculty and throughout the university. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, I took it on. Today in golf, there is a shift in leadership in the Provincial Golf Associations as five current Presidents are women and each Association has strong representation on their respective Boards.
I’ve had an amazing opportunity over the past year as a member of the PGA of Canada Diversity and Inclusion Task Force which will be tabling its final report to their Board and there will be significant change in gender inequality and in all underrepresented groups.
Golf Canada Diversity and Inclusion Alliance is also bringing forward strategies for growth in this important space and while there is much work to be done, I am very pleased with Golf Canada’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment for our organization and taking a leadership position in this important area for our sport.
My proudest moment in my golf career was the election as the 2021- 2022 President of Golf Canada and the opportunity to continue to make a difference in Canadian golf during my time in office.
Nanaimo, British Columbia to The Wilds Resort in Newfoundland and Labrador. There were WGD events in each of the 10 provinces.
Not only has WGD experienced growth in Canada, but it has been exploding in nations around the world. In 2019, 46 countries were hosting WGD events. In 2021, that number has almost doubled to over 80 countries, with the last two years being impacted by a global pandemic.
Gaudet (shown above) is excited about the future of WGD and plans are underway for next year’s event, which will take place on June 7, 2022. WGD Palooza was also a resounding success and will now be an annual event (May 31, 2022).
Official sponsors of WGD include Callaway, Titleist, Foot Joy, PGA Superstores and Golf Town. Partners and supporting organizations of WGD include the EGCOA, European Tour, PGA of America, The Golf Channel, LET, LPGA, NGCOA, NGCOA Canada, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA to name a few. The golf industry is seeing the value and positive impact WGD is having on the game.
For more information about Women’s Golf Day, visit www.WomensGolfDay.com.
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