Laurie Buckland was born in Stouffville, Ontario on August 8, 1947. He grew up loving sports and during high school he became an accomplished athlete, excelling in Track and Field, Basketball and Football.
After high school, Laurie decided to embark on a career as a PGA professional. It was golf that brought Laurie to Aurora in 1966 when he began his career at the Aurora Highlands Golf Club as the Assistant Golf Professional. The following year, Laurie met his future wife Renee at the Highland Golf Club season opening dinner and dance. Together they purchased a home in Aurora where they raised two children, Jordan and Jeremy.
Laurie worked under the tutelage of club manager Bruce Butterworth, and in 1971, he was named the Ontario PGA Assistant of the year. In 1973, Laurie was promoted to become the head professional at the Highlands and earned the title of Sports Director, which made him responsible for golf, squash, tennis, racquetball, fitness, and aquatics. Around the club, he was known for looking after everything from the course to the pool, the bar to special events, and was highly respected as one of the most consummate Golf Professionals of his time.
During his career, Laurie mentored many teenagers and young adults who would go on to fondly remember their early work experience at the Aurora Highlands Golf Club. As a manager, Laurie ensured that the younger generations understood responsibility, respect, and the value of a strong work ethic.
During the 1970s, he decided to branch out and became part owner of an Aurora-based sporting goods store, Butterworth Sports, as well as part-owner of the Aurora Tigers Junior A hockey team. The store would go on to sponsor many local teams, and the Tigers would count multiple future NHL stars in their ranks.
In 1978, Joe Shaw, the owner of the Highlands, introduced Laurie to the area of Temagami and it quickly became his favourite place. Soon, he bought a little cabin and shared the experience with Renee and the boys. They spent quality time trolling the lake, fishing, skiing, hitting golf balls off the deck, stargazing, and simply enjoying the peace and solitude. Laurie would often drive four-and-a-half hours, and then take a twenty-minute boat ride across the lake, just to spend one day in “God’s country”.
In 1984, Joe Shaw challenged Laurie and Paul Dodson, Golf Superintendent, to design and build a new eighteen-hole course. Joe had just purchased land on the west side of Bathurst Street, and Laurie and Paul quickly got to work. That course became Aurora Highlands West Golf Club, and for several years Laurie was the Director of Golf for both courses. Today, the course is known as King’s Riding Golf Club. Laurie was the Sports Director of the Highlands for twenty-one years, until the club changed hands.
As a passionate Golf Professional, Laurie moved on to the Bradford Highlands Golf Club where he became a partner and the Director of Golf. His priority was to re-establish the club as a go-to destination. During his time at the Bradford Club, Laurie mentored Jan Dowling as a junior player, who, through Laurie’s coaching, went on to become the first Canadian to win The Big Break Golf Show. She later played on the LPGA Tour and is now the head golf coach at Michigan State for the ladies’ team.
Laurie’s tenure in Bradford was much shorter than his time in Aurora as the club became a popular destination and was subsequently purchased. After the purchase, Laurie contemplated retirement, but that didn’t last very long.
In 2000, Laurie moved on to the Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge where he served as the Head Golf Professional and the Director of Golf. Although he intended to give the Uxbridge club a bit of help for only a few months, to the surprise of no one, Laurie stayed for years. He helped establish Wooden Sticks as the go-to place for all types of golfers seeking replica holes from some of the best courses across the globe. Laurie remained with Wooden Sticks up until his passing in 2013.
Laurie was a career PGA professional who also held numerous positions of responsibility with the Ontario PGA. He developed countless junior assistants into quality Class A Golf Professionals and coached many junior players who went on to share his passion for the sport. Laurie was responsible for growing the Aurora Highlands Golf Club into a recognizable and respected brand throughout Ontario and Canada.
Laurie came to be one of the most recognizable golf professionals in York Region and the surrounding area, and not just because of his industry knowledge; the number of admirable character traits that became synonymous with his name are too many to list. While Laurie’s professional acumen was masterful, his strength of character shines through as perhaps one of the most enduring aspects of his legacy.
In recognition of his contribution to the sport of Golf, we are proud to welcome Laurie Buckland as part of the 2023 class of inductees into the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.
