When Ada Mackenzie founded Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto in 1924, she fulfilled a dream she’d been carrying in her heart from the moment her 10-year-old self walked out onto the green. Despite the sneers and jeers she and other women golfers faced, Ada took home five Canadian Women’s Amateur championships and five Canadian Ladies’ Close championships. Her well-heeled trophy case cemented her status as one of the best golfers in North America and England.
But creating a club for women was an uphill battle. The farm estate that became the club’s home was a long way from Toronto and fundraising was arduous. Even so, with the same grit and grace she applied to the game, she persevered and marked a new beginning for women’s golf in Toronto. In 1933, she won every national golf championship and was named outstanding female athlete of the year by the Canadian Press.
Ada played well into her senior years. She claimed eight Canadian Senior Women’s championships and the Ontario Senior Women’s title before retiring from competition at the age of 78. She was inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Canadian Golf Hall of Game and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1971.
We met Jaime on April 21, 2024—a historic day in professional women’s hockey, no less—at the Montréal vs. Toronto showdown at the Bell Centre in Montréal. Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto had always been on our radar and meeting Jaime made us want to visit even more. So, this fall, we stopped by to play a round with her and immerse ourselves in what turned out to be a surreal experience.
Q&A with Jaime Steedman, Head Golf Professional, Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto
When and how did you discover golf?
I played as a child and loved most sports, so when Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in the mid to late 90s, in my mind, he turned my grandparents’ game into a sport. Tiger and my grandparents are the people who influenced me the most in golf. My grandparents were active golfers who introduced me to the game and gave me the opportunities to play. Tiger’s electricity inspired teenage me to get involved in the sport because he made it look so cool, youthful and athletic.
When did you decide to make golf your sport? How did you turn pro?
I played competitively for the University of Waterloo and then started working in the golf industry. I spent a summer as a tournament intern at Golf Ontario, travelling from event to event and playing whenever I wasn’t working. So my game improved considerably! During my last two years at Waterloo, I worked at a country club in my hometown. I loved playing and working in golf, but I wasn’t convinced I could make a career out of it.
After graduating, I moved to London, England, and had dreams of climbing the ladder, but it was so difficult to get to golf courses that I almost never played. I’d take the tube, the bus or even a ferry one time and then walk 30-minutes with my clubs on my back just to play a par-three course. I realized how much I missed golf and how much it meant to me, so I decided to come back to Canada, enrolled in the Professional Golf Management program at Humber College and became a PGA of Canada professional in 2008. I completed my playability in 2008 and Class A Professional in 2012.
How do your practice and your personal values intersect?
It happens in a lot of ways, particularly at Ladies’. I strongly believe in the importance of sports for all women of all ages and in the transformational power sports have. ALL women must be included in the women’s golf movement, and I’m proud to be helping to create a space where they can feel welcome, comfortable and confident.
Tell us about Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto.
After 100 years, the club remains one of the only courses in North America that was established by women for the primary enjoyment of women. The world was a very different place for women a century ago, and while we can lament how far we still have to go, it’s interesting to track social progress through the club. I love being part of a club with such a progressive and rebellious origin story. Established despite the tremendous odds stacked against it, it’s still thriving. Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto has never been more well-positioned than it is right now with a healthy membership and investments in its two biggest assets: the golf course and its iconic clubhouse.
When we visited the course, we really felt something different. Can you tell us about the experience of being in this space from your perspective?
Often, it isn’t until I play another course that I’m reminded of how special Ladies’ is. It’s a totally different vibe, and it makes me happy to know the folks who visit feel it, too. I want everyone to feel welcome and supported so they get a sense of belonging. That’s the goal, and we try to create that environment in many ways.
Tell us about Ada Mackenzie, the 100th anniversary and all the changes happening this year.
Ada was an athlete, a savvy businessperson, a renegade and a visionary. What she created, how she created it and her legacy have had the most profound impact on Canadian golf, full stop. I often say that if Ladies’ was established in 2024, it would make headline news, and she did that a century ago. The club has survived despite some exceptional circumstances, including the Great Depression, the Second World War, economic shifts and downturns and societal change. From Ada and golf course architect Stanley Thompson pretending to be married so Ada could purchase the land to the current clubhouse renovations that are setting us up for 100 more years of success, I think Ada would be pleased to see how far the club has come and proud of the future that lies ahead.
Were men always welcome as members or has there been a shift over the years?
Men have been part of the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto community since the 1930s, and they still have a place as an avid and supportive group within our golfing community today. Of course, the club’s raison d’être hasn’t change and remains as important and as necessary as ever, but the group of seasonal golfers, as they’re known, are a valued part of the club. It’s important for people of all genders to feel welcome at Ladies’, and I believe the continued allyship and support of men is crucial to continue to move the needle.
Tell us about your most memorable round of golf.
It’s so hard to pick just one! I played Torrey Pines on Christmas Day with my partner Alana a few years ago and that was a special day, but much like life, it’s all the seemingly inconsequential rounds with friends or my grandparents that I look back on with a smile.
What are your favorite golf brands?
Adidas, Callaway and Levelwear. I’m fortunate to have close relationships with all three brands, who’ve been ardent supporters of me, Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto and the women’s game as a whole. They have a significant presence on the LPGA and Epson tours. They’re also strong supporters of the PGA of Canada and the PGA of Ontario and have sponsored many events over the years. Their support for club professionals means a lot to me.
What’s on your ultimate golf playlist?
Specific songs? Oh wow! I’m a bit of a music nut, so I could get going! “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison, “White Blank Page” by Mumford & Sons, “Sleeping Lessons” by The Shins, “Hannah Hunt” by Vampire Weekend, “Head Over Feet” by Alanis Morrisette, “Fans” by Kings of Leon, “Slow Show” by The National, “Forever” by Noah Kahan, “Golden Brown” by The Stranglers...Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Lumineers, Death Cab, DMB, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift...I could keep going! I have several Spotify golf playlists depending on the crowd I’m playing with and usually there’s something for everyone.
When was the last time you thought to yourself, “Hold on, I’m great at this!”
This season, I had one of my best finishes in a competitive round at a pro-am. I shot 1-under par. The course is known to be a good test, and it’s the best I’ve played in over a decade of participating in this particular charity event, so it just felt really good. I was especially proud of myself for my mental resilience during the round since I’d had my share of hiccups.
What’s the best golf advice you want to share with hiatus golfers?
No one cares what you shoot, and bad golf shots happen to good people.
