Claire Welsh returns to Golf Ontario as Chief Sport Officer
Golf Ontario is proud to announce the appointment of Claire Welsh as the association’s new Chief Sport Officer, marking a homecoming for one of Ontario golf’s most respected and accomplished leaders.
Welsh returns to Golf Ontario following an extensive international career in golf administration and event leadership, most recently serving as Tournament Director of the CPKC Women’s Open with Golf Canada. Prior to that role, she spent nearly a decade with The R&A in St Andrews, Scotland, working alongside some of the world’s most prestigious championships, including The Open and the AIG Women’s Open.
In her new role as Chief Sport Officer, Welsh will oversee Golf Ontario’s sport operations portfolio, including championships, junior performance programming, and the numerous participation initiatives for youth, women and other underserved communities.
“We are thrilled to welcome Claire back to Golf Ontario,” says Golf Ontario’s CEO Kyle McFarlane. “Claire understands our association, our culture, and the Ontario golf landscape incredibly well, but she brings invaluable global experience from working at the very highest levels of the game.”
“She has built outstanding relationships and has consistently demonstrated a passion for athlete and participant experience, operational excellence, and innovation. As we look ahead to Golf Ontario’s next strategic plan in 2027, Claire’s leadership and perspective will help shape the future of golf in Ontario.”
Her return to Golf Ontario represents both a full-circle moment personally and an exciting step forward for the organization as it prepares for its next chapter of growth and leadership in the sport. For Welsh, the opportunity to return to Golf Ontario was one she could not pass up.
“Returning to Golf Ontario in this role is incredibly meaningful to me, both professionally and personally,” says Welsh. “Throughout much of my career in sport, I’ve often found myself as one of only a few women in leadership spaces. To now join a leadership team at Golf Ontario that already includes such strong and accomplished female voices is something I’m truly proud of.”
“It speaks to the vision of the association and the culture that’s been established here. I’m excited to work alongside the amazing Golf Ontario team as we continue creating more opportunities in golf and shaping an inclusive future for the sport in Ontario.”
Before joining The R&A, Welsh spent six years with Golf Ontario as Marketing and Communications Manager, where she helped elevate the visibility of amateur golf across the province through championship media coverage, athlete storytelling, digital communications, and member engagement.
Her broader career has taken her across provincial, national, and international golf, with experience spanning athlete relations, safeguarding, championship delivery, communications, stakeholder engagement, and major event operations. At The R&A, Welsh served as Head of Player Relations, establishing the organization’s first Player Relations department and leading athlete-focused work across The Open and the AIG Women’s Open. She also previously led consumer, brand, public relations, content, and digital communications for The Open, bringing one of golf’s most historic championships to global audiences. She has also worked within the Olympic movement through the International Golf Federation, supporting golf’s return to the Olympic programme at Rio 2016, and at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games on the men’s and women’s hockey competitions.
Throughout her career, Welsh has built a reputation as a collaborative and innovative leader with a strong focus on growing the sport while maintaining meaningful connections with athletes, volunteers, partners, and stakeholders.
Golf Ontario looks forward to welcoming Welsh back to the organization as it continues its mission of shaping lives through golf.
