Golf
CAF SPORTS SUPPORT STAFF
-
Major-General C.J. Zimmer
PATRON View Bio
2021 - Present“I had the privilege of being born into a very active golf family. I learned to swing a club at a very early age and I quite literally lived at the golf course through most of my summers. I have played a great many sports in my day but golf sits apart from the rest for a whole variety of reasons. As anyone who has a love of the game will know, there are few finer moments in sport than to hear the crack of a solid first drive down a long par 4 fairway during an early morning sunrise on a lush and dew drenched first hole! And there is no equal to the feeling of striking a ball clean and watching it soar towards the green with a nervous anticipation that you gave it just the right amount of swing to land in right to that hole. But make no mistake about it, golf may be a highly technical sport, sure, but like a game of chess it is ball placement strategy and mental fortitude that reigns supreme in terms of separating the good from the great.” How many technically proficient golfers have you seen who come entirely unhinged at the first sign of a double bogey. However, the feature I love most about golf and the one that opens it up to some amount criticism and scorn, is the fact that it is largely a social sport that permits its competitors to square off against one another on a scorecard but still walk down the fairway talking and laughing together as friends. Few other sports permit for such a refined level of sportsmanship and skill. For all of these reasons, is truly an honour and a privilege to be able to represent our CAF golf members who share in this same passion. As your golf patron, I look forward to the opportunity to support the advancement of our sport inside of the CAF.”Major-General C.J. Zimmer
PATRONPREVIOUS PATRONS 2019 - 2020 Major-General D.W. Lowthian 2018 Rear-Admiral H. Edmundson 2017 Brigadier-General M.A.J. Carignan 2016 Brigadier-General K.D. Meloche 2013 - 2015 Colonel K.L. Goheen 2011 - 2012 Major-General P.J. Forgues 2009 - 2011 Major-General J.P.Y.D. Gosselin -
Mr. Rick McKie
CHIEF OFFICIAL View Bio
2023 - PresentRick McKie is a graduate of Laurentian University’s Physical and Health Education program. He has dedicated his life to Fitness and Sports (over 2 decades with PSP), and is the current Fitness, Sports & Recreation Manager in Garrison Petawawa, as well as the Ontario Regional Sports Manager.Mr. Rick McKie
CHIEF OFFICIAL
Additionally, Rick has coached the Petawawa Women’s Slo-pitch team for a total of 10 years, being part of the 9 Ontario Region gold medal teams, 4 National silver medals, and 1 national gold medal. Rick was also the recipient of the 3M Coaching Award recognizing outstanding contributions to the Canadian Forces Sport Coaching Program.
Having been swinging a golf club since he could walk, and an avid golfer his entire life, Rick wanted to get more involved with the sport of golf in the capacity of officiating.
“I am exceptionally grateful and humbled to be selected as the CAF Golf Chief Official. Although I played multiple sports most of my life, golf has always been my sport of choice. To me golf is a perfect game. It’s a lifetime sport, yet every day you play it presents different adversity. It can be played recreationally or ramped up to a competitive sport. It can be played socially, or in solitude. One of the most influential figures in the history of golf, Bobby Jones, said that ‘Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots–but you have to play the ball where it lies’.”
PREVIOUS CHIEF OFFICIALS 2021-2023 Mr. J. Mackenzie 2019 - 2021 Mr. R. Larson 2014 - 2017 Mr. J. Ingham 2011 - 2012 Mr. R. Larson -
Major C. Lowdon
PRESIDENT OF CISM GOLF SPORTS COUNCIL View Bio
2024 - 2028Major Lowdon is currently posted to CANELEMNORAD at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. He has been a key member of the CAF CISM Golf program since 1994. He says, “the great thing about golf is that it’s a sport that lends itself to longevity and can be played competitively at an advanced age”. Maj Lowdon’s last event as a CISM athlete was in 2016 where he rolled into the Technical Committee for CISM golf shortly thereafter. He looks forward to continuing to being involved in the organization of CISM world events and now, the opportunity to shape World Military Golf. After being a long-time player he says this will absolutely be a career highlight!Major C. Lowdon
PRESIDENT OF CISM GOLF SPORTS COUNCIL
Maj Lowdon encourages those interested in CAF golf to get involved locally at base play downs, civilian tournaments, CAF Regionals, CAF Nationals and eventually this could lead you to being named to a CISM team. -
WARRANT OFFICER PAUL SWANSBURG
CISM TEAM MANAGER View Bio
2024 - PresentWarrant Officer Rupert “Paul” Swansburg commenced his service with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1991 and has been stationed at 12 Wing Shearwater, 14 Wing Greenwood, and is currently assigned to 4 Wing Cold Lake.WARRANT OFFICER PAUL SWANSBURG
CISM TEAM MANAGER
As a dedicated athlete, he has made noteworthy contributions across various sports, securing a national silver medal in volleyball, multiple regional silver medals in hockey, and participated in slow pitch national competition. From 2009 to 2024, he has achieved two individual national titles and several team national titles in golf, as well as multiple regional championships within the Atlantic and Canada West Region.
Since the early 2000s, Paul has been actively involved in the International Military Sports Council (CISM) Golf Program as a player. He has represented Canada at the CISM World Military Games in Wuhan, China, in 2019, and participated in three CISM World Military Golf Championships: Sun City, South Africa, in 2007; San Diego, USA, in 2023; and most recently, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in 2024, where he contributed to the team’s successful achievement of a silver medal.
“I am grateful for the opportunities that military sports have afforded me throughout my career. It is a distinct honor to serve as the CISM Golf Team Manager. With my background and passion for the sport of golf, my aim is to cultivate a supportive atmosphere for CAF golfers and encourage the next generation of players to appreciate the friendships formed through sport and strive to support excellence in competition.”
If you are interested in learning more about the CISM Golf program, please feel free to contact me.
