The four recipients will be celebrated later this summer
for their outstanding contributions to Canadian golf
Oakville, ON – Four accomplished contributors to Canadian golf will be acknowledged for their dedicated efforts in and around the game as the 2025 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.
Long-time Golf Canada volunteers Lee Griffin of Cambridge, Ont., Jack McDonald of Kamloops, B.C. and Jean Stone-Séguin of Rockland, Ont. along with retired PGA of Canada professional Muncie Booth of Vancouver, B.C. will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to Canadian golf.
“Golf Canada is proud to honour the outstanding contributions of Lee Griffin, Jack McDonald, Jean Stone-Séguin and Muncie Booth, as our 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipients,” said David McCarthy, President, Golf Canada. “The incredible dedication that these four honourees have for the game is truly outstanding. The impact they have had in both their home communities and across the country has left an indelible mark on golf in Canada and we are proud to honour and recognize them.”
Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to recognize individuals who have had an outstanding impact on Canadian golf either nationally or within their community.
The announcement of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award honourees coincides with Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting, conducted virtually on Thursday, March 6 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
The presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to this year’s honourees will be celebrated later this season at events and locations to be determined.
Golf Canada 2025 Distinguished Service Award Honourees:
Jack McDonald (Volunteer) – Kamloops, B.C.
Jack McDonald’s contributions to the growth of golf in British Columbia and across Canada have been exceptional as a volunteer and most impactfully as a Rules Official. He has been actively involved as a golf volunteer dating to 1987 when he started with British Columbia Golf (B.C. Golf) has also volunteered at his home golf clubs (Elmwood Golf Club, Prince George Golf and Curling Club, Kamloops Golf and Country Club, Rivershore Golf Links) in various roles including the Board and various golf committees. McDonald is an accomplished player having competed in several Saskatchewan, B.C. and Canadian Amateur events. He served as president of B.C. Golf (1997-98) and would go on to join Golf Canada as a volunteer in 1998 serving on several committees including Junior Golf, Greens, Player Development, Amateur Championships, and the Rules of Golf. McDonald served as Golf Canada’s Rules Chair (2005-2008) and in 2000 became a member of The R&A. He is also an honoured member of both the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame. In 2010, McDonald served as the 107th President of Golf Canada and to this day, continues to be an active rules official with Golf Canada serving annually on the championship duty roster.
Lee Griffin (Volunteer) – Cambridge, Ont.
For more than 30 years, Lee Griffin of Cambridge, Ont. has supported the Rules of Golf provincially in Ontario and nationally at a countless number of championships. She has served as a member of the Rules & Amateur Status Committee (2020-2023) and has been an active contributor to Golf Canada’s Rules Education Subcommittee. She created a webinar series in Ontario for prospective Referees in 2010 which is still in use today. She participated in the development of the curriculum and presentations for Level 2 and Level 3 Rules Education and has served as an instructor for both levels. Griffin has also served Golf Ontario as a member and past Chair of the Rules Committee having been a referee for the past 25 years and previously with the former Ontario Ladies Golf Association. Griffin is a member of the Galt Country Club and has refereed at the U.S. Women’s Open as well as countless National Amateur Championships and Qualifiers. Her outstanding contributions to the game have also been recognized by the (former) Canadian Ladies Golf Association as its 2003 Volunteer of the Year, as well as Golf Ontario as its 2009 and 2020 Volunteer of the Year, 2011 Honorary Life Director and 2017 Distinguished Service Award recipient.
Jean Stone-Séguin (Volunteer) – Rockland, Ont.
A longtime volunteer and Past President of the Ottawa Valley Golf Association, Jean Stone-Séguin’s contribution to the game of golf have been outstanding. A member of Camelot Golf and Country Club, her history of volunteerism with Golf Canada dates to 2006-07 when she served as Vice President of the RCGA Women’s Division – Ottawa District. Stone-Séguin would go on to become President of the RCGA Women’s Division – Ottawa District and supported the amalgamated Ottawa Valley Golf Association (OVGA). She served as the first President of the newly amalgamated OVGA (2010-11) and is also a Past President of her home club, Camelot (2009-10). A certified referee, Stone-Séguin’s contributions to Golf Canada’s Rules Committee dates to 2012 and is also a past Chair of Golf Canada’s Amateur Status Committee. In 2017 and 2022, she served as Tournament Chair of the CPKC Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Country Club and has also worked as a Rules Official at both Golf Ontario and Golf Quebec championships. She is a past Chair of Golf Canada’s Governors Council and served as a past member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors. Presently, she is involved in Golf Canada’s Rules Education Subcommittee preparing the program to teach those who wish to pass the R&A exam to become nationally certified referees.
Muncie Booth (Industry) – Vancouver, B.C.
Muncie Booth of Vancouver, B.C. is a long-time PGA of Canada professional and former head professional at McCleery Golf Club who retired at the end of 2024 following a distinguished 40-year career. Booth, a former competitive player with experience working at Mission Golf and Country Club as well as Chilliwack Golf Club, is renowned across the B.C. golf community as a leader in making the game of golf more accessible to Vancouver inner city youth at municipal golf facilities, McCleery Golf Course and Langara Golf Course. For nearly 30 years, he partnered with local community centres in operating the Inner City Youth Golf program, bringing community youth to experience golf at McCleery and Langara. Through his leadership, thousands of juniors experienced the game of golf through free clinics, instruction, and fun drills complimented by lunch in the clubhouse. Booth’s contributions to the game were recognized by his peers as a past recipient of the PGA of Canada’s Warren Crosbie Community Leader Award for his work with Inner City Youth Golf. He is a former BCPGA Junior Promoter of the Year, a past recipient of the City of Vancouver’s Volunteer of the Year Award and upon his retirement, was extended a Lifetime Membership at all of the Vancouver City Golf Courses.