Gerry Elliott

With a philosophy of being able to offer his members and visitors top quality service, instruction and the golf products that they require, Gerry Elliott thoroughly enjoys the challenge of his role as head professional at the popular and busy Ken-Wo Country Club, in New Minas, NS.

Born in Halifax in 1960, Gerry grew up in Tiverton, Digby County where he attended Islands Consolidated School. “ I guess I discovered the game of golf by myself,” he recalls. “When I was a kid I found golf clubs in the basement of our house, in Tiverton, and took them outside and started hitting balls in our backyard and our neighbour’s back yard. My parents figured it wouldn’t be long before I broke a window or worse, so they quickly decided that I should have a membership at the nearby six-hole golf course. Actually the course was on my uncle’s property, about two miles from where we lived. I would drive my bike, towing my golf cart and clubs behind me. The longest hole was about four hundred yards and three trips around gave you a full game. There were probably 150 members and the only employee was a local fisherman, who mowed and maintained the course when he was ashore.”

Gerry and his family moved to Kentville 1974 where he attended Kings County Academy and he soon joined the Ken-Wo Country Club. “My parents would drop me off in the morning and I would leave at dark. Boyd Lockhart was the head professional and my instructor. I just started playing, got stronger, hit the ball farther and in a short time got down to a scratch handicap.”

Gerry’s enjoyed success in competition earned him a place on the Nova Scotia Junior Team two years in a row. He travelled to the Canadian Junior at Lingan in 1978 and Breezy Bend at Winnipeg in 1979. His 1978-team mates consisted of Matthew Shaw, Gordie Smith and Gerard Chaisson while the 1979 team consisted of Chris Dockrill, Gordie Smith and Kevin Dugas.

In 1985 he played on the provincial Willingdon Cup Team with Gordie Smith, Graham MacIntyre and Richard Dumeah at the Canadian Amateur Championship at Riverbend in Saskatoon. Elliott made the team again in 1986, and along with John MacLeod, Richard Dumeah, and Dave Webber competed in the national amateur at Mactaquac, outside of Fredericton. It’s interesting to note that Gerry and many of his former team mates are now CPGA professionals. While still a junior, Gerry had plans to become a golf professional. “I loved the game and I wanted to turn pro when I was 18 or 19, but Boyd encouraged me to get my education first.” So, Gerry enrolled at Acadia University, where he studied computer science, and received his degree in 1982 – one of the first graduates of the Joudrey School of Computer Science. Then he decided it was time to look at a golf career, so, he sat down again to discuss the possibilities with Lockhart. “He was truthful and honest and told me, straight up, exactly how tough and difficult the business was and how it was going to be,” remembers Elliott. “ With that information, coming from a guy with Boyd’s status, I entered this profession fully aware of everything that was going to happen. But, even after I’d made the decision, he’d occasionally asked me if I was really serious about it. And in the interview process to join the Canadian PGA I was asked about these things again ! But, it’s very important to understand what you’re getting into, because it’s a serious decision to make a lifelong commitment to this business.”

He served his apprenticeship under Lockhart and when Boyd retired, after serving Ken-Wo for 35 years, Gerry took over the position of head professional.

Looking after the needs of Ken-Wo’s membership and the daily fee golfers makes everyday a busy day at the Annapolis Valley club. All of this keeps Gerry and his professional staff of Associate pro Rene MacKay and Assistant pros Max Davidson and Derek MacKinnon on their toes. “The challenge is balancing our staff and dividing the responsibilities among us, so we can offer the best possible service in all these areas,” stresses Elliott. “We’re in the service industry of making sure that every member and visitor has everything that they need. About 250 golfers play here most days and our job is to make sure that they enjoy there time here and look forward to returning.”

Gerry enjoys his combined role of golf professional and businessman. He operates a complete pro shop at Ken-Wo with a wide variety of equipment, clothing and accessories and club repair services. “We have built a strong clientele and have become widely known, in the valley, as the place to come for golf instruction and to be fitted for the proper equipment,” he says. “ We have a fully stocked pro shop and four qualified CPGA professionals on staff. We take a lot of pride in being able to teach our customers, fit them for golf gear, and look after anything that can make their golf game better. We match product prices with anybody and can usually provide the product that the customer is looking for today.”

Planning for the future and the development of junior golfers go hand in hand at nearly every golf club, and it’s no different at Ken-Wo. “Ken-Wo is a huge supporter of Future Links,” advises Gerry. “We’ve just finished our skills competition for this year and, following the junior club championship in late August, we will present the awards. We’re proud of our junior program, which includes forty girls out of a total of 150 in the program. Believing that juniors are the future of the sport the golf club and the community has been extremely supportive in ensuring that the juniors enjoy their experience.”

At the weekly instructional clinics the juniors are divided into four groups, determined by age and ability. Gerry and his professional teaching staff conduct about a dozen, four-hour clinics during the summer. Community businesses are very supportive in their sponsorship of the junior events, which allows the juniors to enjoy tournament experience.

In recent years, Ken-Wo has produced several junior girls, who have performed extremely well on the Nova Scotia golf scene, including fifteen year-old Laura Harris, the current reigning provincial Ladies Amateur and Junior Girls Champion. “Laura is a phenomenally gifted athlete,” remarks Elliott. “She excels in basketball and long distance running, as well. She handles the pressure of tournament golf as well as anybody and has the ability to turn her nervousness into excitement, instead of failure. This ability is something that you cannot teach, but accomplished players discover it in themselves. When you have this ability to channel your adrenaline in a positive way you become more focused and your swing is just more solid.”

“A few years ago my wife Joan was playing in the provincial ladies championship, for the first time,” continues Elliott. “She was sitting on a bench and feeling a bit nervous about the tournament. Laura, who was about eleven years old, at the time, sat beside her, gave her a hug and said, ‘listen Joan, I’ve been through lots of these, it’s no big deal !’ ”

“For many years juniors have usually been introduced to golf by their parents,” observes Elliott. “In recent years we have introduced golf to the kids at the middle school level, grades six through eight. Whether the kids were in athletic programs or not we gave a golf club to each one and gave them the opportunity to come to the golf course and hit balls on the range. That gave an opportunity to kids who may never have had the opportunity to try the game. Many of the young golfers who have continued in the program are athletes in other sports, but overall, the new young golfers now believe that golf is “cool” to play.”

Gerry thoroughly enjoys his role as a golf teacher and feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach some of the better players in the province. “When I see one of my students win a golf tournament, it is gratifying to know that you have been a part of the success.”

Looking back on his amateur playing days, Elliott enjoys the memory of playing in the Nova Scotia Amateur, held at Ken-Wo in 1985, and enjoying the support of the hundreds of spectators who followed Gordie Smith and him as they battled for the provincial amateur crown. “It was a great opportunity for me to prove my golfing ability to our membership,” remembers Gerry. “Many highlights occurred that day included Graham MacIntyre’s hole in one on number eleven. I held a three shot lead going into the final two holes, when Gordie pitched a wedge shot into the hole for an eagle 3 on the par five 17th hole, then made birdie on 18, where I also made a great par, after being in the green-side pond. We continued in a five-hole playoff, with everyone following us, before Gordie finally won on the par three, fifth hole. It was a memorable moment for me, both good and bad, but, to have had that head to head competition with a fellow former junior and amateur team member and now, fellow golf professional, was a great memory and one that he and I talk about from time to time.”

Gerry and his wife Joan love to travel in the off-season. “As the season draws to an end we look forward to our break away from golf,” he admits. “That’s our down time and it’s really nice to get away to a resort, in the warm weather, for some leisure golf. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries for the next golf season.” When they are home during the winter, they also enjoy curling. “It’s a fun activity that we can enjoy with our friends and although we’re not focused on winning, we still enjoy playing.”

Gerry resides in Mount Denson with Joan, a Tim Horton Donut franchise owner, and stepdaughters Tara Lynn and Ashley May.

Gerry joined the CPGA Atlantic Zone Executive Committee in the early 1990’s and has chaired several portfolios, including Education, Employment and Club Relations and Merchandise Show. Currently serving as President he reflects on the Association side of being a golf professional. “It’s different to see how the Association works from an administrative point of view,” he relates. “From the inside you see what it’s all about and how much work goes into developing programs and providing service for our membership. Our Association has to run effectively to benefit the more than 3,000 members and apprentices we have in this country,” continues Elliott. “In the Atlantic Zone, our Executive Committee has to plan and provide education and assist in securing employment opportunities for our members as well as conduct the Atlantic Golf Tour and numerous other things that keep our members up to date and marketable in our competitive industry. Personally it makes you appreciate the job that you have and the status and satisfaction that come with being a member of the Canadian PGA.”

What keeps Gerry focused and inspired in this stressful and demanding industry is his true love of the game and his keenness for promoting the growth of the sport through instruction and helping others achieve success. “Being a part of the continued success of our golf club and my business and watching my staff develop their skills, as they become better golf professionals - these things are a driving force in my ambition to make my career successful. Working in the golf industry at a club as prestigious as Ken-Wo is a wonderful way of life and I feel very fortunate to make my living this way.”

Elliott considers himself a “bit of a dinosaur” in the golf industry, as where the present trend seems to have clubs taking over pro shops, he continues to operate that part of the business at Ken-Wo. “My job is different than many of today’s pros. There is tough competition in the retail marketplace and we work hard to provide the best possible service for our customers to assure their loyalty, as well as provide them with an enjoyable time while they’re here. Whenever we have staff meetings we concentrate on continuing to provide a valuable experience for the members and visitors. We’re an old style golf club and we want our customers to feel that their experience is well worth the money that they pay. Our philosophy is to provide a memorable day each and every time you come to Ken-Wo so that you will look forward to returning.”