Picturesque MontHill golf course once again hosts Indigenous Ontario Championship

For the third consecutive year Indigenous golfers are teeing it up at the MontHill Golf and Country Club to decide provincial bragging rights.

The Indigenous Ontario Championship, which has 117 players this year, kicked off on Aug. 12 at the MontHill facility, considered one of the top golf courses in the province.

MontHill is located in Caledonia, just minutes away from Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nation in Canada.

The provincial tourney is a 54-hole event and runs until Aug. 14.

Tournament co-director Steve Tooshkenig, a Walpole Island First Nation member who is a golf pro himself, said organizers plan to eventually move the event to other locations around the province.

But he’s thrilled the event has returned to the picturesque MontHill club for another year.

“This is one of the best locations you can have for a golf course,” he said.

Since the Indigenous Ontario Championship is restricted to amateur players, Tooshkenig is not eligible to take part in the event.

Neither is fellow tournament co-director Jesse Smith, a Six Nations member who is also a pro.

Smith, however, was the keynote speaker at the tournament’s opening ceremonies, held Aug. 10 at the MontHill club.

Tooshkenig said it’s significant that Indigenous golfers from Ontario have their own provincial competition.

“I think it’s important for them because they’re all coming from different Nations,” he said. “A lot of them bring their own tribal flags. They bring something that reminds them of their Nation and it’s more than welcome because that’s who they are.

“It’s so important that you understand who you are first and then coming here and letting everybody else know where you come from. I think that’s the most important thing that we can do.”

Besides the women’s and men’s open competitions, this year’s tourney will also include junior (18 and under) and senior (60 and over) categories for both sexes.

“The calibre is getting much better,” Tooshkenig said. “They’re attracting different kinds of players, meaning high quality and people that really want to learn the game.”

The tournament also included a junior clinic, held on Aug. 11 at MontHill. That attracted about 40 Indigenous players, aged 7-18.

“That’s the foundation for this event,” Tooshkenig said. “It’s really about the kids and making sure that we have the juniors out there playing and competing and learning the game.”

Brendan Painter, MontHill’s director of golf, is pleased the tournament is once again at the facility.

“Being 100 per cent Indigenous owned, this tournament holds a special place in our hearts bringing together Indigenous (players) from all over Turtle Island,” he said. “Last year we had 91 players from over 40 different Nations, with some great competition, lots of laughs, and just an over-all positive experience. We look forward to much more of the same this year.”

MontHill Golf and Country Club was originally called Sundrim Golf Course. The facility was purchased in 2014 by a pair of Six Nations businessmen, Jerry Montour and Ken Hill.

The name change reflects the first four letters of Montour’s last name and Hill’s surname.

Hill died in 2021.

The women’s field at this year’s event includes Tooshkenig’s sister, Cheryl Mitchell, the two-time defending champion.

Melanie Burgess, a member of Matachewan First Nation, who was the runner-up in the first two tournaments, is also back for another shot at the title.

The women’s category also features Lorraine Elijah, a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames. Elijah won the A flight division at the 2023 Ontario senior women’s championship.

Meanwhile, the men’s division will include both previous tournament champions. They are Six Nations’ John Monture, who captured the inaugural title in 2022, and Ky Horn, a member of the Mohawks Council of Kahnawake in Quebec, the defending tournament champ.

Also taking part will be Aiden Deng, who grew up in Peterborough, Ont. but is a member of Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan. Deng recently competed at the Canadian men’s amateur championship.

Kyle McFarlane, the chief executive officer for Golf Ontario, is pleased his association is once again lending support to the provincial tourney.

“Not only is this week a celebration of the sport we all love,” he said. “But really what I think ties this together is the celebration of the cultures and traditions throughout our province. This event is a testament to our commitment to inclusivity.”

McFarlane added he’s pleased with the first two runnings of the event. About 90 golfers took part each year.

“We’ve got another great week ahead and we’re really proud that we’re able to deliver such an amazing competition over the next three days,” he said. “I’m confident that once again this championship will produce some amazing memories, remarkable golf and great camaraderie between our competitors, volunteers and our generous hosts.”