George Cumming Distinguished Service Award

The George Cumming Distinguished Service award is designed to honour outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities, including integrity, sportsmanship and enthusiasm for the game of golf. It is the PGA of Canada’s most prestigious honour

Considered the Dean of Canadian Professional Golfers, George Cumming’s teachings as proprietor of the Toronto Golf Club’s golf shop launched the career of many of Canada’s most revered golfers. Not only did Cumming win the Canadian Open in 1905, three of his assistants— Charlie Murray, Albert Murray and Karl Keffer—won the championship in the following years. However, it was as a teacher of golf and also as a mentor who trained many young assistants to perform the tasks of a club professional where he really made his mark. In a day when the professional had to make and repair clubs as part of his duties, Cumming turned out numerous young pros who not only won tournaments, but made and assembled clubs to sell to their membership.