Golf's best clubmaker soars
Valley man presented international award for skill in his art
NEW MINAS - An Annapolis Valley man has won an international award for his skill in making golf clubs.
Dana Wong, owner of The Village Golf Shop in New Minas, was named 2004-05 International Clubmaker of the Year by the Golf Clubmakers Association at a recent conference in Texas.
A panel of judges from golf club company officials and experts choose the local, regional and international winners, and all are announced at the same conference.
It was Mr. Wong's first nomination.
He said he didn't expect to be selected as the regional winner, and while on stage was trying to guess which of the regional winners would be chosen.
"They started to announce it and I was just about to turn to congratulate whoever the winner was when they called my name," he said.
"I didn't even have a speech prepared."
He said he was "soaring" afterward, and it look a long time for it to sink in.
He is the first Canadian and first non-American to win the award since its inception in 1996.
Mr. Wong has owned the New Minas golf shop for almost 10 years and initially focused on retail sales. However, intrigued by what sales reps were telling him about the grips, shafts and heads of clubs, and seeing people come in wanting to have their irons and drivers regripped or given new shafts, he jumped into clubmaking in 1997.
"I took any (course) that was out there," he said.
"I really enjoy it. I've been rewarded for something I do everyday and enjoy doing.
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Tourists from around the world have taken advantage of Mr. Wong's craftsmanship, stopping by when they are in the area to have clubs made, and in some cases having more made and shipped out. His client list includes people in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, North Carolina and Germany.
He said he couldn't even guess how many clubs he has made, but "each year I'm doing more and more."
He's still taking orders and has some clubs on the go right now for people wanting to be ready for next year or planning winter trips south.
Mr. Wong's award "acknowledges the best clubmaker in the business and is one of the clubmaking industry's highest honours," said Golfsmith vice president Ken Brugh, one of the judges.
"This award honours Mr. Wong's ability, integrity and professionalism."
By Ian Fairclough
Valley Bureau
Thursday, November 11, 2004
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