La Broquerie Golf Course Assistant Pro Shop Manager Karly Cote received the Brian Gilhuly Memorial Award from Golf Manitoba.
Finding love of the game
“Throughout my life, my whole family and I always golfed,” Cote says with a smile. “I started working at the golf course five years ago, and that’s when my passion for the game started to grow.”
As she has continued to play, Cote says her skillset has grown through hard work and embracing the details. “I guess you can say I’m somewhat of a natural athlete,” she says with a humble grin. “Once I started golfing a lot more, I got a lot better. At first, it was difficult to play, and then I started having more fun with it. Growing up in a sports-heavy household, we’ve always been competitive.”
Building relationships through golf
As Cote has continued to work at the La Broquerie Golf Course, she says she has been able to meet a lot of great people. “We’re really like a family at the golf course,” she explains. “I’ve met a lot of people from all over, and hearing their stories about how they got into the game, they’re all unique and special.”
“Everyone loves to chat about their games,” she says happily. “Especially the older golfers, it’s really nice to hear of the places that they have been to.”
Dream comes true
As a golfer, Cote admits there are some dream courses she wants to play, and one of those dreams has already come true. “A real highlight for me was the summer I went to play at Cabot Cliffs, which was awesome. It was a bit of a tougher course, more of a links style, which I’ve never played before. It was super cool to experience a whole different terrain. The scenery, too, is unreal.”
Scholarship winner
Golf Manitoba announced the Cote was the winner of the Brian Gilhuly Memorial Scholarship, which was made possible by a generous donation from the estate of the long-time Golf Manitoba volunteer, Mr. Brian Gilhuly. “I was able to win $2000 for funds toward school. It means a lot to me, because it alleviates a lot of financial pressures that come with going to University, which I appreciate a lot.”
Future
“I’m hoping I can continue to golf as a passion and a hobby for the rest of my life,” she says with a chuckle. “I want to take it easy and use it as an escape from the real world.”
When it comes to the ultimate round of golf, location doesn’t mean as much to Cote as those she’d be golfing with, and she knows exactly who she would want to golf with in her ideal group. “I’d bring my sister with me, and then, Nelly Korda. For a fourth, I’d have to bring my dad.”