Meet the President: Q&A with Tiffany Gordon

By: Nkele Martin, PGA of Canada

Lisen to the PGA of Canada podcast with Tiffany Gordon here 

Tiffany Gordon made history last month by becoming the PGA of Canada’s first female president. The announcement followed the organization’s Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually. 

With a decorated amateur career, highlighted by three ACAC championships and over 35-years in the golf industry — including more than 25 years as a Class A professional in Alberta — Gordon has earned numerous accolades. These include the 2005 Club Professional of the Year Award, serving as PGA of Alberta Board President from 2009 to 2011, being named Business in Calgary Magazine’s Business Leader of the Year in 2016, and receiving the Golf Canada Distinguished Service Award in 2024. 

A dedicated advocate for growing the game, Gordon has long championed opportunities for women and junior golfers. Her contributions through programs such as Golfaround, love.golf, Carnmoney Golf Club’s women’s and junior initiatives, her own TAG Pro Golf Program, and the Jerry Miller 5 Wood Foundation for Junior Development have been both impactful and widely recognized.

Gordon’s philosophy is straightforward: passion and involvement drive education and growth. As the PGA of Canada’s 51st President, she brings a wealth of experience, insight, and leadership. Her longstanding commitment to the game ensures she will guide the association with both purpose and perspective.

Nkele Martin sat down with Gordon for a Q&A about her journey in the sport, her goals as president, and where she sees the game of golf heading in the future.

So, kick back, and meet the president…

Note: Some parts have been edited for length and clarity:

N: To kick us off, probably the most important question I’ll ask today. I've heard you're quite a big Cher fan. Will there be any mandates for members to memorize a Cher song before they can join the PGA of Canada?

T: I don't think I'm going to get that one through at the board level, but maybe at our next governance meeting I'll ask them if they're looking at any bylaw changes, and perhaps see… that'd be a total legacy one there, wouldn't it?

 N: It really would. Onto more serious matters, you've occupied so many roles, you've worn so many hats in the golf industry, but I want to start before that. What's your earliest memory of being on the golf course?

T: I guess my earliest memory would be spending time with my dad. I was born and raised in High River. Small town, and my dad was a club manager at Highwood Golf Club, so the local community club, Kim Wilkowich, who was the golf pro there at the time and it was the late Ray Wellman prior to that. So I took the game up, and at first, to be honest, I didn't really care for it. Not in a bad way, I just didn't understand it at that time. There weren't a lot of kids that were playing golf, and there really weren't any junior girls playing golf. So, it became a way for me to spend time with my dad, and so I took some lessons, and my dad would take me out golfing, and it just kind of went from there. The club really embraced me at the time, and so I played my junior golf there, and had great success at that time. 

N: You have used the word ‘lucky’ quite a bit, saying you feel that you are lucky to have had the career that you've had, but it isn't necessarily easy to ascend to where you are in any industry, let alone the golf industry, is it?

T: No, definitely not. I do use that word a lot because I do feel like I've been handed a lot of fantastic opportunities. But in reflection, too, I've spent a lot of years working very hard at this career for a lot of reasons. I tell people it doesn't feel like a job when you love what you do. But in those earlier years there weren't a lot of females in the business or in the industry, and life has changed dramatically. For me, I use the word lucky, but I think I've just had amazing opportunities that I've been in the right place at the right time to take advantage of, and maybe that's the better way to explain it. I've also had a ton of support. I've had a ton of encouragement from my parents, my family, my partner, and so I think that’s where that terminology comes from.

N: When you reflect on the career you've had, give me some highlights of your career on the golf course, but also off the course in the golf industry?

T: I think on the golf course I look back at the amazing relationships I made playing junior golf, the friends that I made, and even during my short amateur career. On the golf course I made some amazing friends, and in my professional career on the golf course, the friends that I have got to know, and the relationships, and the network of support, you just can't trade that. Golf is an amazing sport where you make the best friends and the best relationships that are lifelong and for me that's been a huge part and when you talk about reflection on the golf course for sure that's been a big part of it.

N: What was your reaction moving from Vice President to President, knowing you were going to take that step up in an industry and in a sport that means so much to you.

T: I'm very proud of the position I hold now. It's been a lot of work, but a lot of learning, and a lot of fun. I'm very honored that I have the trust of the board and the membership to be in this role. Golf has been a lifelong journey for me, and quite honestly, at my age, this is just another career opportunity, and I'm excited to take it. I think the most important thing for me right now is to be a good listener, to be a good learner, to support our membership, to support every zone across this country, to be open to change, and to be open to encouragement and support. It's a fantastic time right now for females in this industry, and I want to be someone that says: ‘there is an opportunity for women, not just to play golf, but to be in this association and to be a golf professional.” I want to see those numbers grow because I do believe there is a lot of opportunity there that maybe they're just unsure of, and I think we can do a really good job of laying those pathways out for them.

N: On that note, and it [continuing to support women in the PGA of Canada] seems to be very important to you, but how do you think you taking up this space and being in this role can impact women that are maybe just looking to get into golf or looking to progress throughout the golf industry and in a similar role to yourself 15-20 years ago?

T: Yeah, for sure. It's amazing. I was on a call yesterday, and sometimes I don't realize how big of an impact this can have. That's just my nature, a little bit. I'm just one to lead by example, work hard and be kind. I am starting to realize more of the impact this can make, and the responsibility that I have. It’s kind of given me that second bolster to really make sure that I am paying attention to that. There are so many opportunities we have as an association right now, whether it’s growing more women in it, making sure we're fostering junior golf opportunities, ensuring our members have great access to education, employment. Right now, we're at a point where we can make a huge difference in this industry as industry leaders and partners with our other NAGA partners and really showing what we can do as an industry and a business. It’s big for women, but we've also got so many opportunities now, because we've created so many pathways in the PGA now where you're not just a player or a teacher or a coach, you can be a head professional, you can be a club manager, you could be anything you want to be in, and it's not just so narrow anymore. I'm very proud of what we've done to create those opportunities for people to find a way to be in this business, because if you look right now, it's the number one participation sport, so people are playing, women are playing, juniors are playing, families are playing. The community of golf is at an all-time high, and right now it's showing those great players, or great leaders, or great club operators what this industry can do for them, and now more than ever, I'm excited about the youth of our association, and the generations that are coming up, and we have an opportunity now to really foster that and grow our association with people that want to be in it for life.

N: With people like Garrett Hadfield [of Rundle Park and Goat Track Social Club] and other younger golf pros that are really bringing cool ideas and, like you said, merging pathways, what excites you about some of these new ideas coming into the sport?

T: Well, it's like I said to you, I am learning a lot. The younger generation is educating me for sure. It's such an exciting time, because I look at how much I am learning from those up-and-coming golf professionals. They've got better ways to do things, faster ways to do things. They're more innovative, they're more creative. Golf is full of tradition and values, and I want to ensure that doesn't ever go away, I believe in the tradition, but the younger generation is coming forward with so many creative ideas, and what I'm liking is if we keep embracing that passion then it'll be tenfold through our association. I think we need to encourage our youth to take those opportunities and engage them and give them support. At 57 years old, I've been in this business for around 37 years and you kind of get set in your ways, and you have a way of doing things. Whether it's at the golf course, whether it's my association work, whether it's just how you manage your game, whatever that looks like, we've always had just a way that you've always done it, and I'm learning so much now from those younger incoming golf professionals. I mean, the running joke around the club is I finally threw my daytimer out, but the reality is there are other ways to do things, and we have to be open to change.

N: You keep using the words ‘learning and listening.’ I’ve seen some leaders like to lead from the front and keep their blinders up, but why is feedback, listening, and learning so important to you?

T: We don't know what we don't know, you know? What I love is where we're at right now, even Scott Kolb, our past president, spent a lot of time helping me get to this place. I know Kevin Thistle spent a lot of time helping me get to this place, our entire board. I look back at the time that I learned from [my previous roles] and I was taught at a very early age through that process that conversation and openness to ideas and thoughts and visions will make great leaders. I think I've never been one that leads from the top down. I believe that great leaders come from lessons learned, mentorship, guidance. That's where that listening path comes from, because we don't know everything, and that's why I'm such a believer in making sure that everyone across this country has great services, great access, and consistency in communication. [I want to be] making sure that if you're in BC, or if you're in Atlantic, you feel like you're getting everything that you need for what you put in. If we don't listen to those members, and we don't listen to everyone across the country, we won't know, because unfortunately, we can all get caught in our silos. I was born and raised in High River. I live 20 minutes from it now. I've been in Calgary and Alberta all my life, so, I learn more when I talk to a member in BC, and I learn more when I talk to a member in Ontario, or in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or in Atlantic. I'm very proud of the collaboration we have across this country. I'm very proud of the steps we're taking to ensure that there's consistency and communication, and I'm very proud of where we've come from. I love when I talk to golf professionals, and they say, ‘you know what, we've come a long way.’ I'm like, ‘Okay, that's good, we've come a long way, because you finally have a female president - we've been an association since 1911 - I hope that this shows others that there are opportunities.’ It doesn't matter, male or female, there's opportunities to be involved in the growth and development of a fantastic association. It's an outstanding career, and you can affect so many lives, from teaching to coaching to mentorship. I mean, look at who we develop and look at the culture that we can create. I always say there's safety in numbers, right? So, the more you talk to people and the more you communicate, the more you will learn and the more you can lead.

N: You've been talking about listening and learning, but I'd like to give you the chance to speak to the 4200 members in the association, and maybe even those thinking about working their way into it. What would you say they should be excited for, not only under your presidency, but also in the future of Canadian golf?

T: I think the future of Canadian golf is so strong. I really do believe that this career path offers individuals an opportunity to so many other opportunities. When I say that, I mean I've watched so many golf professionals that have got into this industry and stayed in it. But I've watched others that have got into this industry and have learned from it, met so many people, and it's provided them other opportunities down the road. I believe that we are such an amazing breeding ground for successful individuals. I see the greatest growth of the greatest potential for individuals, because they learn lifelong skills. Obviously, I’m partial to it, because I've been in this career all my life, but it teaches you so many life skills that you can't teach in a college or a university or an online module. It teaches you how to be in front of people, it teaches you how to be respectful, and it teaches you how to build culture and build a surrounding that is safe, encouraging, and allows you time to learn. I say that sincerely, because I do really believe our industry and our association just teaches people to be good people. I think that under my leadership, my goal is to continue to grow our association to provide opportunities and leadership and to set our board up for success. I believe under my leadership that we will make a lot of great decisions as a group, I believe we will support our national initiatives, I really believe that we will strengthen our partnerships with other associations, because we have been, and this doesn't have anything to do with me, it has everything to do with us as a group. I'm very proud of the work that we continue to do with Golf Canada. I'm proud of the work that we continue to do with our World Golf Alliance and other PGAs, and I'm excited to strengthen those relationships as we go forward. It gives opportunity to all our members, and those partnerships are critical. Our partnership with Golf Canada is critical for the development of junior golf, women's golf, family golf, community golf, and the diversity of what this game brings. At the end of the day, we all remember that this is a game we can play for life. So, I take that responsibility very seriously, and I also take that responsibility of building those great relationships that strengthen this game. It's an exciting time for golf, it's an exciting time for Tiff, and hopefully it's an exciting time for the PGA.

N: Just to close out now, a bit of a fun one. You've been in the industry 37 odd years, and you've seen tons of change. Do you have any predictions of what it could look like in another 37 years?

T: Oh my goodness, that in itself would take me to a whole other educational platform. My hope, as we go forward, is this: things will change, technology will play an instrumental role. My hope is we never lose sight of some of the traditions, of the founders and the mentors that have got us to this point. I hope that we never lose sight of the face-to-face and the personal and the social side of what golf brings. What it brings to mental health, what it brings to fitness, what it brings to the social community. I hope we never lose sight of some of that. I believe technology and advancement will always make us more efficient and create better opportunities, just don't lose sight of how important people are. And I hope that in 37 years, whatever it looks like, that we don't lose sight of that, because those that have got us here can never be forgotten. Those that have laid the path for us to this point have to be remembered and respected, and golf is still a game of tradition, values, respect, loyalty, and I hope that as we go through these ages and we learn so much, I hope that we never lose sight of that. Those are the values that I believe are important, because there's a lot of great people that got us here, and what they did, the vision, and the missions that they laid forward, we still have to take a look at. I just want golf to never lose sight of what the tradition brings.