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	“Overnight you could be plucked from obscurity to become the new face of golf”, says Mississauga’s Bradlee Ryall. “And the place to be seen this summer is at The Great Lakes Tour”
	story Maureen Scott   photographs Steve Uhraney Mississauga golf pro Bradlee Ryall has a dream; “Deep down, to tee it up with Tiger Woods one day. But you need money to make my dream a reality and to build your name.” Ryall is owner of Bradlee Ryall Golf Enterprises and director of instruction at BraeBen Golf Academy in Mississauga. “I love teaching, but playing with the world’s best on a weekly basis? It just doesn’t get any better than that!” Ryall estimates he would need about $100,000 in corporate sponsorship and financial backing to live his dream.  “It’s so expensive and difficult with so many people golfing to get to the PGA Tour,” says Ryall. “You need money for flights, hotels and entry fees, and time.” And making the pro tour is a daunting challenge. According to the April 2010 Official World Golf ranking, of the top 250 players, three are Canadian. Worse yet, in a typical 72-hole pro tournament only the world’s top 150 will compete; the field gets sliced in half after the first cut. But here’s the big carrot: just like an “overnight success” in the music business, one game could change everything. “You could go to the Canadian Open and play in the qualifying round, catch fire, have a good week and someone likes your game or your look and overnight you are plucked from obscurity to become the new face of golf!” exclaims Ryall. Ryall has discovered a way to raise his profile while improving his game. It’s called The Great Lakes Tour; Canada’s premier developmental golf tour. The Tour has risen from humble beginnings in 2000 to serve as a vital training ground for some of Canada’s best touring professionals. It has also provided competitive outlets for adult players of all ages, both professional and amateur. “More than 4,000 players have competed to date and more than $4 million in prize money has been awarded,” says Tour Director Kara Kelly. “This year marks ten seasons in operation with The Great Lakes Tour growing each year to the point that it has left an indelible mark on player development in Canada.” The tour consists of 18 professional golf tournaments, on a two-tiered system.  A dozen of the events are one-day tournaments, played from April to September. The other six, including the final, are two-day, 36-hole “Platinum” events. The total purses for the season are $320,000. Entrance fee for the regular series tour is $175, while the fee for the platinum series is $475 (plus 3.9% fees and taxes). The platinum series kicks off with the Brisson Sports Marketing Spring Championship at The Grand Niagara Course on June 7 and 8. Although no events are scheduled for Mississauga, there is a tournament in Scarborough and the Putting Zone Championship takes place at Burlington’s Hidden Lake Golf Course on August 30 and 31. Admission is free for spectators. The season wraps up with the Tour Championship– The Moe Norman Cup, happening in October at the Brantford Golf and Country Club. Last year’s Tour Champion, Danny King, took home $5,000.  “This year The Moe Norman Cup purse has doubled in size to $40,000 and the winner will take home $15,000. The top 30 professionals from the season qualify to compete in this prestigious event,” says Kara. “It’s like the minor leagues in baseball; we are all there to improve our game and be seen,” says Ryall. Ryall didn’t start playing golf until age 16 when he worked at a Mississauga golf course for the summer. Now, at age 31, he has travelled the globe pursuing his sport.      After earning a B.A. in Sociology and a Business Diploma in golf management from Humber College, Ryall became the assistant pro at The Royal Woodbine Club and then the assistant pro at the Fairmount Jasper Park Lodge. In 2002, Ryall accepted a professional teaching position at The Punta Cana Golf and Beach Resort in the Dominican Republic. The following two winters, Ryall enrolled in the Tour Development Program at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Next he headed to Portugal where he taught at the Five Star Plus Golf Academies. Returning home to Mississauga, Ryall founded his own academy, operating out of BraeBen Golf Course.  “One day I would like to expand my golf academy across the country, continuing to build relationships and helping people improve their golf game,” says Ryall. “In the meantime I will try and manage my time effectively so I can continue to grow my business and also play in enough tournaments to keep my game sharp and the competitive spirit alive. “There’s no quit in me!” GL	BraeBen’s Bradlee Ryall tees one up in Port Credit. Brian McCann, BraeBen pro.