History

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur excepteur sint occaecat.

On September 17th, 1950 the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club as it was then called Royal Niagara was the site of the inaugural District Champion of Champions. Walter McCollum and Rex Stimers conceived the idea for this tournament during locker room talk after the Club Championship at Niagara in 1950. Every year since then the Niagara regions Club Champions get together and compete for the title of Champion of Champions. This brings together the region’s top Juniors, Mens, Ladies, and Senior golfers. In 1950, it started with just the Men Club Champions and the runners up from eight area clubs represented; Dunneville, Oaklands, Port Colborne, Lookout Point, St. Davids, Erie Downs, St. Catharines, and Royal Niagara. The following year was when the ladies division was added. During the late 1960’s more clubs participated and divisions were added including Junior Boys and Girls. With the final division being added in the late 1970’s for the Senior division. 

 

Walter McCollum was one of the originators of the Niagara District Champion of Champions. He was the Chairman of the tournament for 30 years and the Vice-Chairman afterwards. Walter was one of the most prominent sportsmen in St. Catharines in his time. He was a staunch supporter of golf in the Niagara Peninsula at both the amateur and professional levels. If it were not for Walt, this tournament would not exist after he carried the tournament after Rex passed away. 

 

Rex Stimers, a co-founder in 1950,  considered the Niagara District Champion of Champions tournament his pride and joy. He promoted just about every sport played in the Niagara District and did so for over 32 years as a sportscaster at CKTB Radio in St. Catharines. Stimers broadcasted the first ever Champion of Champions play at Royal Niagara in Niagara-on-the-Lake and was able to get over 1,500 people to take in the inaugural tournament. Stimers helped get the Champions off the ground and also took out the Rex Stimers trophy for the Men’s Champion and had CKTB sponsor the team championship award. 

 

If it were not for these two men, the Niagara District Champion of Champions tournament would not exist today. No one is certain who made the first suggestion to launch the tournament but to this day, it is still a very large part of the amateur golf stage in the Niagara region and is the largest and longest running tournament of its kind in Canada.

 

Stepping stone for amateur golfers

Many Niagara District Champion of Champions competitors have gone on to win major championships or have become club professionals and even tour players. Two ladies champions have certainly made their mark in amateur golf after dominating the Champion of Champions.

 

Marlene Stewart Streit of Lookout Point has won – 9 Canadian Ladies closed titles, 11 Canadian Ladies Opens, 11 Ontario Ladies Championships plus victories in the British, U.S and Australian Ladies Amateur Open Championships and 4 Canadian Senior titles plus 1 in the U.S. Marlene also won first 3 Ladies titles in the Champion of Champions

 

Cathy Sherk, who was first with Willodell and then went to Lookout Point was a – 4 time Ladies Champion in Niagara – share of Canadian and Ontario titles. Won Canadian Amateur crown, U.S Ladies Amateur, then World Women’s Amateur Championship. She then played professional and then became cpga professional.

 

Divisions of Competition of the Event

  • Team Division 
  • Mens Division
  • Ladies Division
  • Senior Men’s Division
  • Senior Ladies Division 
  • Junior Boys Division
  • Junior Girls Division

 

Host Sites 

On behalf of Niagara, thank you to all of the clubs that have hosted the Walt McCollum Champion of Champions over the past decades.   They golf courses have shown support by making their facilties available to amatuer golfers of all ages for the chance to compete at the highest level of competition offered in Niagara.  With gratitude to the following:

1950: Royal Niagara Golf Club

1951: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1952: Port Colborne C.C

1953: Lookout Point Golf & C.C.

1954: Cherry Hill Club

1955: Niagara-on-the-Lake G.C

1956: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1957: Port Colborne Country Club

1958: Lookout Point Golf & C.C

1959: Cherry Hill Club

1960: Niagara-on-the-Lake G.C

1961: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1962: Port Colborne C.C.

1963: Lookout Point Golf & C.C.

1964: Erie Downs Golf Club

1965: Twenty Valley Golf & C.C

1966: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1967: Willo-dell C.C

1968: Niagara-on-the-Lake

1969: Port Colborne C.C.

1970: Lookout Point Golf & C.C.

1971: Twenty Valley Golf & C.C

1972: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1973: Riverview Golf & C.C

1974: Willo-Dell C.C.

 

1975: Cherry Hill Club

1976: Port Colborne C.C

1977: Lookout Point Golf & C.C

1978: Lookout Point Golf & C.C

1979: Twenty Valley Golf & C.C

1980: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1981: Riverview Golf & C.C

1982: Willo-Dell C.C

1983: Port Colborne C.C

1984: Cherry Hill Club

1985: Lookout Point Golf & C.C

1986: Twenty Valley Golf & C.C

1987: Riverview Golf & C.C

1988: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1989: Wilo-Dell C.C

1990: Port Colborne C.C

1991: Welland Golf Club

1992: Bridgewater C.C

1993: Beechwood Golf & C.C

1994: Links of Rockway Glen G.C & Sawmill G.C (Junior Division)

1995: Peninsula Lakes Golf Club

1996: Twenty Valley Golf & C.C

1997: Lookout Point Golf & C.C

1998: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

1999: Beechwood Golf & C.C.

2000: TBD

2001: Rolling Meadows

2002: Welland Golf Club (Pelham Hills)

2003: TBD

2004: TBD

2005: Hunters Point

2006: TBD

2007: St. Catharines Golf & C.C.

2008: TBD

2009: TBD

2010: Beechwood Golf & C.C

2011: TBD

2012: Niagara Falls Golf Club

2013: Rockway Glenn

2014: Lookout Point Golf & C.C.

2015: Bridgewater

2016: Sawmill Golf Course

2017: Sawmill Golf Course

2018:Rockway Vineyards

2019: Port Colborne C.C

2020: Port Colborne C.C