WOMEN’S GOLF
The Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund
For over 50 years, Jocelyne Bourassa was recognized across Canada as a trailblazer in developing golf for women. In her early years, Jocelyne won four Québec Amateur Championships between 1963 and 1971 and two Canadian Open Championships and internationally in Scotland, New Zealand, the World Amateur Team Championship and the Commonwealth Trophy. Following a successful career, as an outstanding amateur golfer, she turned professional and won the inaugural “La Canadienne”, now the CPKC Women’s Open, in 1971.
Jocelyne’s contribution to the sport, though, transcended her outstanding athletic career. As a builder, she was at the forefront of shaping the future of golf for women. Jocelyne founded the Du Maurier Classic in 1980, an event that Bourassa elevated to major status on the LGPA Tour, during her 20-year tenure as Executive Director. Along the way, she collaborated with associations across the country to initiate programs for young female golf professionals. For all her extraordinary achievements, Jocelyne was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1973, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, in 1996 and to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, in 2015.
In her memory, Golf Canada recently established the Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund, as part of the Foundation’s strategic plan to increase the number of women on the LGPA Tour. The purpose of the fund is to support professional development for women coaches and to provide grants for post-secondary education.
The Fund will provide new and exciting educational opportunities for women to enhance their careers as professional players or when they transition to coaching. This one bold move on the women’s side should help Golf Canada reach its stated goal of placing 30 golfers on the LGPA Tour and the PGA TOUR by 2032.
Starting in 2024, The Fund will provide financial support to advance the professional development of high-performance women coaches that participate in the Golf Canada and PGA of Canada’s Jocelyne Bourassa Women in Coaching Program. The curriculum is designed to provide a rigorous year-long training program that includes self-assessment and individualized learning plans, a virtual education webinar series and in-person mentorship opportunities. Graduates of the Program will be on track to serve as Canada’s next generation of high-performance coaches. Pilot funding for the Program was provided in 2021 and 2022 by Golf Canada Foundation, R&A, and Sport Canada. Going forward, a select group of coaches who especially reflect Jocelyne’s core values will be invited, each year, to join the Program with the designation of “Bourassa Coach” (BC).
The Fund will also provide grants to support Canadian women golfers who wish to continue their post-secondary education, while they establish their professional careers. The modern path to the LPGA Tour often entices the best amateurs to turn professional, before graduating from college or university. The grants will help to ensure that the best Canadian women have the option of pursuing their dreams of being successful on the LPGA Tour, without sacrificing their education.
Golf Canada Foundation Women’s Fund
In 2022, the Women’s Fund has elected to support the Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund.
History of the Women’s Fund
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Player Development
Female training or player development programs that focus on long term development and/or player competitive experience will be considered. Programs must have mechanisms in place in order to track the progress of the players who participate in these programs. This data will be required to be provided to Golf Canada. Preference will be given to new programs.
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Women Instructors and Coaches
The Women’s Fund committee recognizes the need for role models for young female golfers. Programs that assist to promote training, mentoring and education of female instructors and coaches will be considered for grant monies. Special attention will be focused on initiatives that are targeted at involving females in the training and certification of the PGA of Canada contexts of Future Links Leader, Coach of New Competitors and Coach of Developing Competitors.
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Volunteers(Rules Officials, Course Raters, Etc.)
The Women’s Fund will pay for one female from each province to attend a National Rules Seminar each year and for one female from each province (who has not attended before) to attend a National Course Rating Seminar (when held). Participants will attend the closest seminar to their homes and will have their travel, accommodation, and course entry fee covered. Golf Canada travel agents must be used and the Golf Canada expense form must be completed.
2021 Women’s Fund Recipients
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PEI Golf Association – Ladies & Girls Learn to Golf Program$3,000
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Golf Canada – Women in Coaching$4,000
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Fareen Samji – Smashing the Grass Ceiling$4,800
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Iron Lady Golf – FORE Golf$9,550
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Iron Lady Golf – Membership Community$6,000