TORONTO, Ontario, Canada -- Andrew Cook of Toronto was inducted as the 105th president of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) during the National Sport Organization’s (NSO) Annual General Meeting held this weekend in Toronto.

Cook succeeds 2007 president Garry West of Toronto while Tom McCarthy of Hammonds Plains, N.S. becomes First Vice-President and Kamloops, BC native Jack MacDonald assumes the role of Second Vice-President.

“I am humbled and deeply honoured to be appointed the 105th president of the Royal Canadian Golf Association. There are distinctions in one’s life that are simply priceless and today’s appointment as president of the RCGA is no exception.” said Cook. “I thank the entire RCGA Board of Governors and executive committee for the trust and confidence they have shown in my leadership.”

Highlights From the 2008 RCGA Annual General Meeting Include:

RCGA Board of Governors welcomes five new members for 2008:
Jack Croucher Kamloops, BC

Bill Duffield Kitchener, Ont.

Diane Dunlop-Hébert Montreal, Que.

Marilyn Pollock Moncton, NB

Larry Simpson New Maryland, NB

The RCGA thanks retiring board members for their years of dedicated service:
John Hussar Dorval, Que.

Wynn Meldrum Sackville, NB

Bob Mullock Port Moody, BC

Congratulations to 2005 RCGA President Jim Halliday who was named Honourary Life Governor.

Jim Kinnear honoured with RCGA Distinguished Service SwarJames S. Kinnear, President and C.E.O of Pengrowth Management Ltd., was officially presented with the RCGA Distinguished Service Award for 2007. The award was created in 1993 and presented annually since 1996 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada.

Ruth Giles and Linda Ball named 2007 Volunteers of the Year
Also named during this year’s AGM were the recipients of the RCGA Volunteer of the Year Awards. 2007 marked the second year for this initiative that recognizes individuals in the golf community whose tireless efforts and dedication help to grow the game in Canada.

Congratulations to Ruth Giles of Hamilton, Ont. who received the 2007 RCGA Volunteer of the Year – Award of Excellence. Linda Ball of Victoria, B.C. was awarded the 2007 RCGA Women’s Programs and Initiatives Volunteer of the Year.

RCGA helped shape golf’s future in 2008
The RCGA’s support of key golf programs and initiatives within the golf community ensures the continued growth of the sport across Canada. A number of these programs might not exist without the RCGA’s financial support. In 2007, the RCGA donated directly or indirectly just over $1.5 million.

2007 donation beneficiaries
-$75,000 to assist the Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation

-$156,327 in partnership with the CPGA and Provincial Association partner to support CN Future Links

-$59,300 for the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum

-$15,443 to the RCGA Provincial Grant Program, $40,000 to the RCGA Internship Program Grant

-$10,000 to benefit the CJGA (Canadian Junior Golf Association)

-$380,000 raised for the Canadian Cancer Society and $117,500 for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation through the Golf Fore the Cure program.

-$250,000 in grants to Canadian universities and $45,000 in scholarships were awarded to help some of Canada’s rising student athletes through the RCGA Foundation.

-CN and the CN Canadian Women’s Open raised a total of $546,682 to benefit the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation in Edmonton, Alta.

ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION
The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing 377,000 members at 1650 clubs across the country. Some of the RCGA’s core services include the Rules of Golf, handicapping and course rating, support of turfgrass and environmental research, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program. In addition, the RCGA conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while six regional junior championships, 10 national amateur championships and the CN Canadian Women’s Tour showcase the best of Canadian golf. For more information please visit www.rcga.org

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Anthony Alfred Dan Pino
Director, Media and Public Relations Manager, Media and Public Relations
Royal Canadian Golf Association Royal Canadian Golf Association
Office: 1-800-263-0009 ext. 227 Office: 1-800-263-0009 ext. 406
Mobile: (416) 819-0286 Mobile: (416) 434-5525
Email: aalfred@rcga.org Email: dpino@rcga.org