The Dick Grimm Award
Established in 2010, the Dick Grimm Award honours Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Richard “Dick” Grimm, whose legendary service to the Canadian Open and the Canadian golf industry is unparalleled in Canadian golf history. Dick Grimm passed away in May 2014.
Selection criteria:
The Dick Grimm Award is a lifetime achievement award presented annually by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada that recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Canadian golf. The Dick Grimm Award winner is selected by past presidents of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada based on specific selection and voting criteria.
Past Winners
2026: Liz Hoffman
Liz Hoffman has made a lasting contribution to Canadian golf as a player, volunteer, official and administrator. An accomplished amateur, she won the Ontario Junior and Quebec Women’s Amateur championships, competed at the provincial, national and international levels, and was a member of Canada’s national team.
Hoffman became president of Golf Ontario in 2009 and joined Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in 2012. After serving on and chairing numerous committees, she was elected Golf Canada’s 116th president in 2021 and served a second term in 2022. She was also the non-playing captain of Canada’s women’s team at the 2012, 2014 and 2016 World Amateur Team Championships. Upon completing her presidency, she was named an Honorary Life Governor of Golf Canada.
Her influence extends across Canadian sport. During a 39-year career at the University of Toronto, including 16 years as Director of Athletics and High Performance, Hoffman became a pioneering advocate for women’s sport and athlete development. As head coach of the Varsity Blues field hockey team, she won 16 Ontario titles and eight national championships and was named national coach of the year three times. She also served as president of Canadian Interuniversity Sport—now U SPORTS—and Ontario University Athletics.
Hoffman’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to leadership, inclusion and creating opportunities for athletes and golfers across Canada.
2025: Mike Weir
Mike Weir is one of the most accomplished and influential golfers in Canadian history. The Sarnia, Ont., native turned professional in 1992, earned Canadian Tour Rookie of the Year honours in 1993 and topped the tour’s Order of Merit in 1997.
Weir captured his first PGA Tour title at the 1999 Air Canada Championship, becoming the first Canadian in 45 years to win on the tour and the first since 1954 to do so on home soil. He went on to record eight PGA Tour victories, highlighted by his playoff triumph at the 2003 Masters. The victory made Weir the first Canadian man to win a major championship and produced one of the most celebrated moments in the country’s sporting history.
A five-time Presidents Cup competitor, Weir memorably defeated Tiger Woods in singles at Royal Montreal in 2007. He returned to Royal Montreal as captain of the International Team for the 2024 Presidents Cup and has also won on PGA Tour Champions.
Weir is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, the PGA of Canada Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. A Member of the Order of Canada, he has also supported children and youth through the Mike Weir Foundation.
2024: Dick Kirkpatrick
Dick Kirkpatrick’s influence can be found on golf courses throughout Canada. Widely regarded as the country’s most prolific golf course shaper, he has helped build or renovate as many as 200 courses during a career spanning more than six decades.
Kirkpatrick entered the golf business at 19, shortly after completing his military service, when he joined his father in constructing the new C.E. “Robbie” Robinson nine at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Beginning with bunker shaping, drainage and irrigation work, he developed into a trusted builder whose ability to interpret plans in the field made him an important collaborator on many of Robinson’s courses.
Kirkpatrick eventually brought that experience to his own designs. His credits include Copetown Woods, Otter Creek and Cayuga Golf Club, along with extensive renovation and construction work at courses across the country. Copetown Woods and Otter Creek, in particular, earned praise for transforming modest farmland into enjoyable, accessible public golf.
Although much of his work was performed away from public view, Kirkpatrick’s craftsmanship has left an enduring imprint on Canadian golf architecture.
2023: Rick Young
Young has had a remarkable 40-year career covering almost all aspects of the game in Canada.
He started writing for his hometown paper, the Woodstock Sentinel-Review, in 1983 and penned a weekly column for 28 years.
He went on to write for numerous publications across Canada and the United States, including Ontario Golf News, MyGolfSpy, the Toronto Star, Golf Business Canada, GreenMaster Magazine, Golf Canada Magazine, Pro Shop Magazine, Maclean’s, LINKS Magazine, Golf World, Golf Journal (USGA), GolfStyle, ClubLink Life, Fairways Magazine, the London Free Press, the National Post and the Globe and Mail.
Young began writing for SCOREGolf in 1999, covering golf business and equipment, and continues in that role both in print and with an online blog.
He has been a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame selection committee and the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame selection committee, and currently sits on the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame selection committee.
Young was instrumental in the resurrection of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada and served as president from 2008–2011 and 2020–2021.
2022: Jim Clark
Clark’s leadership was put on display 11 times as the Canadian Open Tournament Chair, in addition to being the CP Women’s Open Tournament Chair on two occasions.
Clark has been recognized for his work in the golf industry by virtue of the Golf Canada Distinguished Service Award, which he received in 2016, as well as being named an Honourary Life Governor earlier this year. Clark was named to the Town of Aurora Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 in the “builder” category.
“Over the course of his career, Jim’s work has contributed immensely to the Canadian golf community,” said Rick Young, GJAC President. “We’re proud to present him with this award in the name of Dick Grimm, whose tireless efforts to promote the game of golf in Canada had so much in common with what Jim has achieved with his work with Golf Canada.”
2021: Garry McKay
Decorated for his journalistic efforts, McKay began his career in radio before transitioning to write for SCOREGolf, Golf Canada, Pro Shop Magazine, Ontario Golf, the Hamilton Spectator and various publications in the United States and Germany.
A multi-sport journalist, he also received the James H. Ellery Memorial Award from the American Hockey League, three media awards for provincial gymnastics, a SCOREGolf award in 1981 and the Lorne Rubenstein Award from the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2015.
McKay’s contributions to the game go far beyond his many awards and accolades and speak to a generous commitment to growing and honouring the sport. He has previously served on selection committees for the World Golf Hall of Fame, PGA of Canada Hall of Fame and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, and currently sits on the selection committee for the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.
Additionally, he has contributed to Golf Canada’s Heritage Committee, acted as director of the Stanley Thompson Society and became one of the founding directors of the Hamilton Halton Junior Golf Tour, where he has continued his involvement since 1984 and to which he elected to donate the award money.
2020: Kim Locke
Under Locke’s leadership since launching as SCORE, Canada’s Golf Magazine in 1980, SCOREGolf has made countless contributions to Canadian golf media, including editorial coverage in print, television and radio, course rankings and platforms for diverse voices across the Canadian golf industry. In January, SCOREGolf was awarded the PGA of Canada’s George Cumming Distinguished Service Award.
2019: Doug Carrick & Tom McBroom
Since establishing Carrick Design Inc. in 1985, Doug Carrick has been involved in the planning, design and remodelling of more than 80 golf courses worldwide. His vast range of experience includes a wide variety of golf and residential communities, golf resorts, exclusive private clubs and pay-as-you-play courses. Doug is also adept at dealing with the unique challenges posed by numerous settings and landscapes, including flat barren land, mountain terrain, rocky terrain, poorly drained sites, heavily forested land and environmentally sensitive sites. Doug’s formative years as a landscape and golf course architect provided him with a solid foundation in large-scale land planning projects and traditional landscape architecture. He also apprenticed under the guidance of C.E. “Robbie” Robinson, one of Canada’s most respected golf course architects, who schooled Doug in the classic design principles of the renowned Stanley Thompson.
Tom McBroom has become synonymous with the design and construction of outstanding golf courses across North America and around the world. In the past 25 years, Tom has created a legacy of classic courses distinguished by their detailed craftsmanship, sound strategy, solid routing and great beauty. His work has stood the test of time, and his courses are routinely ranked among the best in Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. He has now ventured to the Far East, where he is building in China while maintaining his base in Canada and Florida.
2018: Lorie Kane
Lorie Kane started playing the game of golf at the age of five. Provincially, she won the P.E.I. Junior Girls Championship twice and was the P.E.I. Women’s Amateur Champion nine times between 1983 and 1992. Her extraordinary amateur career saw her represent Canada on several occasions, including in the first-ever golf competition at the Pan Am Games in 2015. Kane turned professional in 1993 and three years later earned exempt status on the LPGA Tour. In 2000, Kane captured her first professional win at the Michelob Light Classic in St. Louis and won three more times on the LPGA Tour that same year. Since joining The Legends Tour, Kane has claimed four victories. Nationally, she captured the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship from 1996–1999 and again in 2001. Throughout her career, Kane established herself as one of the most popular LPGA Tour players with players and spectators. Her accomplishments garnered her the Heather Farr Player Award in 1998 and the Mousie Powell Award in 2000. In 2006, Kane was presented with the Order of Canada.
2017: John Gordon
After working as a reporter and editor for the Canadian Press, Gordon was hired as the managing editor of SCOREGolf Magazine, where he refocused the magazine strictly on Canadian content and was instrumental in creating SCOREGolf TV. In 1991, he was recruited by Golf Canada—then the Royal Canadian Golf Association—to establish its communications and member services departments. Gordon spent time as the Executive Director of the Ontario Golf Association but turned his focus back to writing full-time. For more than 30 years, his work has appeared in golf publications around the world, including the Toronto Sun and National Post—where he was a golf columnist—and for Rogers Sportsnet, where he was the on-air and online golf analyst. He most recently lent his expertise to the creation of an in-house communications department for ClubLink, relaunched the member magazine and supervised a robust website build project before returning to golf writing once again. He now contributes to both Golf Canada’s website and Morning Read.
2016: Marlene Stewart Streit
One of the most revered and recognized female golfers in Canada and around the world, Marlene Stewart Streit personifies the dedication and determination of Canadian golfers. Streit is the only player to have won the Canadian, U.S., British and Australian Amateur in her career. She is an inspiration to many of Canada’s top young female professional and amateur golfers. Among her many accomplishments are 11 Canadian Ladies Open Amateur titles, nine Canadian Ladies Close Amateur titles, three Canadian Ladies’ Senior titles and three USGA Senior Women’s Championships. On September 11, 2003, when Marlene won her third USGA Senior title, she also became the oldest USGA champion.
2015: Lorne Rubenstein
A Canadian golf journalist and author, Rubenstein was the longtime golf columnist for The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, beginning in 1980. He was the first editor of SCOREGolf Magazine, where he continues to write columns and features. Rubenstein has written 14 books about golf. He won a National Magazine Award in Canada in 1985, and the Golf Writers Association of America has presented him with four first-place awards for his writing. He is also the recipient of awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada for his articles. Rubenstein was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. He received a Canadian Sports Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. The Golf Association of Ontario presented the first Lorne Rubenstein Media Award in May 2012.
2014: Jocelyne Bourassa
Jocelyne Bourassa was an outstanding amateur golfer throughout the 1960s. She took the LPGA by storm in the early 1970s, winning the 1973 La Canadienne in her second season. In addition to being named the LPGA’s Rookie of the Year, she was named the 1971 and 1972 French Canadian Athlete of the Year and the 1972 Canadian Female Athlete of the Year. From 1980 until 2000, Bourassa was the executive director of the du Maurier Classic, one of the LPGA’s four major championships.
2013: Bob Weeks
Bob Weeks was with SCOREGolf from 1987 and most recently acted as the Editorial Director, overseeing all content at the media company. He was listed as the sixth most influential person and the No. 1 media person in the Canadian golf industry by the National Post. Weeks was the longtime host of SCOREGolf TV and is the golf analyst and Senior Reporter for TSN, where he has covered more than 50 major championships as well as hundreds of top Canadian and international tournaments. An award-winning writer, Weeks has written for GOLF Magazine, Golf Digest, Golfweek, the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s and countless other publications throughout the world. Weeks, who began playing golf at the age of 11 in Prince Edward Island, has been a proud member of Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto for more than 40 years. He is a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and winner of the Dick Grimm Award presented by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. Most recently, he was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in the same year.
2012: Sandra Post
Canada’s first player on the LPGA Tour, Sandra Post left a fine amateur career for the professional ranks and never missed a beat.
Following victories in three successive Canadian Junior Girls Championships, Post focused on turning professional for the 1968 season. Her victory in the LPGA Championship and a fifth-place finish in the World Series of Golf garnered her Rookie of the Year honours and started a glorious career that included back-to-back wins at the 1978 and 1979 Dinah Shore and another six victories.
Until 2007, when Morgan Pressel won her first LPGA event and major title at the age of 18 years, 10 months and nine days, Sandra was the youngest winner of a modern major, having won the LPGA Championship at the age of 20 years and 20 days.
2011: Jim Barclay
Renowned as one of this country’s pre-eminent golf historians, Barclay is most famous for authoring Golf in Canada: A History—a book often referred to as Canada’s finest golf chronicle. Other notable works include Canadian Professional Golfers—The Scottish Invasion of 1881–1933, The Toronto Terror and St. George’s Golf and Country Club: Celebrating 75 Years. Barclay has also contributed to many other publications and served as volunteer curator of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.
2010: Dick Grimm
Dick Grimm was affectionately known as “Mr. Canadian Open” during his involvement with our national professional championship, which lasted from 1965 to 1993. Masterfully coordinating the skills of salesman, promoter, official and fan, Grimm put his heart and soul into making the Canadian Open the great event it is today.
