Builders
Dengel, John
(1953 –)
SPORT | Golf
POSITION | Executive Member, Coach
YEAR OF INDUCTION | 2019
John, since March of 1979, John has been Head Golf Professional and Club Manager at Maple City Country Club. Other than the day-to-day running of the Club and the Pro Shop, his main focus has been to build an interest in golf by making it fun for everyone no matter one’s age, ability, or gender. During this time, he has expanded his impact on the Club, on golf and on individuals well beyond his job description.
John, since March of 1979, John has been Head Golf Professional and Club Manager at Maple City Country Club. Other than the day-to-day running of the Club and the Pro Shop, his main focus has been to build an interest in golf by making it fun for everyone no matter one’s age, ability, or gender. During this time, he has expanded his impact on the Club, on golf and on individuals well beyond his job description.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Through his leadership and with the dedication of his pro shop staff and member volunteers, John has developed an exceptional junior golf program that is well known and respected throughout Ontario and across Canada. Every Friday morning in July and August the course is reserved for juniors only, instruction is given at the practice facility and then the golfers play 3, 5, 9, or 18 holes depending on their experience and ability. On Thursday afternoons, John also offers group lessons to the older juniors who then go out and play18 holes and receive some on-course instruction. No lesson fees are charged for the junior golf program.
Many of these junior golfers have earned university and college scholarships in the United States and have helped their teams to national championships. Most recently, in 2018, Mackenzie Butzer led her team from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida to their fourth consecutive team title at the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship where she won the individual title for the second consecutive year. MacKenzie is now a graduate assistant golf coach at Bethune-Cookman.
Currently, Brendan Seys plays for Wayne State University where he has won three NCAA Division Championships, Brooke Mackinnon plays at the University of Hartford, Tess Scaman is at Post University, Garret Day plays at Wayne State and Ryen Stevens is at Loyola University New Orleans. Several juniors have gone on to become golf professionals and “builders” in their own clubs including Jennifer Shillington at the Phil Ritson/Mel Sole Golf School, Kerri Slaughter at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club, Chris Kucera at Tecumseh Golf, and Matt Robertson at Maple City.
In the spring each year, John offers golf clinics to female members free of charge on Thursday evenings. This is particularly popular with new golfers or ones returning to the game after a period of time away from it. Through the years John has encouraged the Board of Directors at Maple City to host high profile junior tournaments in order to build on the interest in the game of golf in the community by exposing it to some of the best junior golfers in the country. MCCC has hosted three Ontario Junior Girls Championships and one Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
In 1999, John was named Ontario PGA Junior Teacher of the Year.
John’s wife, Chris, is also a PGA Professional and their two children, Hilary and Jonathan both went through the junior program and became quite accomplished golfers themselves. Hilary went to Northwood University in Midland, Michigan on a golf scholarship and Jonathan played for St. Clair College in Windsor.