FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LONG-TIME WESTERN MUSTANGS COACH JIM WAITE WINS HEART AWARD
TWO-SPORT CURLING, GOLF LEGEND 14TH ANNUAL WINNER
Photo: Jeffrey Reed presents Jim Waite with the 2024 LondonOntarioGolf.com Heart Award.
February 7, 2024 (London, ONT) – LondonOntarioGolf.com (est. 2004), the Voice of Golf in Southwestern Ontario, today announces that long-time Western Mustangs men’s golf coach, Jim Waite, is the winner of the 14th annual London Ontario Golf Heart Award.
Est. 2011, the Heart Award is presented to an outstanding member of the Southwestern Ontario golf community who unselfishly gives back to golf while growing the game. Each February, the Heart Award recipient, as chosen by the selection committee, honours those within the categories of golf professionals/instructors, golf mentors, golf course owners/operators, golf course architects/designers and members of the media. 2003 Masters Tournament winner Mike Weir captured the award in 2014. Waite wins in the category of, Golf Mentors.
Jim Waite
Waite, 82, of St. Thomas is known internationally for his curling achievements, most notably for coaching 27 Canadian World Championship teams and for his four consecutive appearances at the Winter Olympic Games in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 when Canadian men produced two Gold and two Silver medals. In fact, Waite’s golf resume is equally admirable and includes the title of head golf coach of the Western Mustangs men’s golf squad since 1991. He’s the longest-standing OUA golf coach, and one of the longest-running varsity coaches within any U SPORTS program.
“But what is equally commendable is Jim’s effort to grow the game of golf, and to give back to golf as a mentor and volunteer,” said LondonOntarioGolf.com publisher and editor Jeffrey Reed. “His golf CV at Western includes five OUA Coach of the Year awards and seven OUA championships, yet for 34 years Western golfers have praised Jim for his humility, unselfishness and genuine interest in bettering his athletes on and off the golf course.
“Jim’s volunteerism is not only showcased at Western University, but also at his home course St. Thomas Golf and Country Club where he has been active in ensuring the success of the historic Early Bird Tournament and other notable club and Ontario events. Jim was chair of both the 100th anniversary Ontario Women’s Amateur championship in 2015, and the 2018 Ontario Men’s Amateur championship,” Reed said. “There is no bigger supporter of the game of golf in Southwestern Ontario, nor anyone more passionate about the game and the people who golf. LondonOntarioGolf.com is honoured to present Jim with the 2024 Heart Award.”
An outstanding amateur golfer with two Early Bird Tournament wins in 1966 and 1971, Waite competed and won those events with the likes of golf greats Gary Cowan and Nick Weslock – both Canadian Golf Hall of Fame inductees – in the field. But with lesser performances at the Ontario and Canadian amateur championships, he then turned his attention to coaching – a suitable move, given the fact he enjoyed a long, successful career as a local public school teacher and principal. He retired in 1998, prior to competing that year as coach with Team Mike Harris at the Nagano, Japan Olympic Games where Canada won a Silver medal.
London Ontario Golf Heart Award
Winner of several amateur tournaments across Ontario, Waite is a five-time Men’s Club Champion at St. Thomas G&CC which celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. He’s busy helping organize an anniversary tournament slated for May 27 which will include Canadian sports celebrities. This year’s Early Bird Championship runs May 18-19.
“I am thrilled and honoured to receive the 14th annual Heart Award, given the fact there are so many great names (including Weir and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Patty Howard) already engraved on that trophy,” said Waite. “The Heart Award really encompasses all of Southwestern Ontario golf. When I consider what previous winners like Weir and Howard – and so many others – have accomplished, it’s a real honour to be included amongst that list. The way I see it is, I have always tried to promote a team approach at all the events I’ve been a part of, and it has always been the success of the entire program at Western, and at St. Thomas G&CC, which have mattered the most.”
LondonOntarioGolf.com will celebrate Waite’s Heart Award win at a special 20th anniversary luncheon banquet on Friday, June 7 at RiverBend Golf Community in Komoka, details to be announced soon at LondonOntarioGolf.com.
Editors: A feature story on Jim Waite’s career is published here. Please feel free to use in part or whole. Credit: Jeffrey Reed/LondonOntarioGolf.com.
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London Ontario Golf Heart Award Winners
2011 Mike Olizarevitch
2012 Fred Kern
2013 Patty Howard
2014 Mike Weir
2015 East Park Golf
2016 Bob Martin
2017 Mike Silver
2018 Lindsey Edmunds
2019 Rene Muylaert
2020 Steve Bennett
2021 Walt Cherwaty
2022 Caradoc Sands Golf Club
2023 Tim Webb
2024 Jim Waite
Click here for brief biographies of all 14 Heart Award winners
For more information, and for high-res images, please contact:
Jeffrey Reed, Publisher & Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com 519/643-6334 jeff@londonontariogolf.com
Jim Waite 519/657-6154 waitej@execulink.com
About the London Ontario Golf Heart Award
Est. 2011, the London Ontario Golf Heart Award is presented annually by LondonOntarioGolf.com to a member of the Southwestern Ontario Golf Community who unselfishly gives back to golf while growing the game. The selection committee considers nominees within the categories of golf professionals/instructors, golf mentors, golf course owners/operators, golf course architects/designers and members of the media. 2003 Masters Tournament winner Mike Weir captured the award in 2014. LondonOntarioGolf.com (est. 2004), the Voice of Golf in Southwestern Ontario and celebrating its 20th anniversary, is published in its entirety at parent publication LondonOntarioSports.com, London’s Trusted Source for Sports News & Information. Publisher and editor Jeffrey Reed is an award-winning golf writer and broadcast journalist, and a member of the London sports media since 1980. He is the author of, The Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association, Celebrating 100 Years of Seniors Golf 1918-2018.
