Michael Burns

I’m running for the PGA of Canada Board because I care deeply about protecting and advancing a member-led Association — and I’ve already spent the last three years doing exactly that.

I came to golf later than most. I didn’t pick up the game until my late twenties, and since then I’ve become completely obsessed — the competition, the equipment, course design, and the history and traditions that make golf special. I’ve played everything from municipal tracks to the world's highest-ranked courses, including more than 80 of Canada’s Top 100 over the past two decades. More importantly, through my work, I’ve seen firsthand the impact golf can have on people’s physical and mental health, especially within our veteran and military communities.

Over the past three years on the Board, I’ve been deeply engaged in the work that matters most when an organization is navigating change: governance, trust, and protecting the member voice. I’ve been a steady advisor to the Board on sensitive and complex issues, always focused on what is right for the membership and the long-term integrity of the Association. I have also been a catalyst for the organizational design work now underway, pushing for clarity around roles, decision rights, accountability, and how we best serve and communicate with members across the country.

Professionally, I bring the skills and experience the PGA of Canada has said it needs at the Board table. I have helped raise more than $1.4 billion for new ventures and charitable causes across Canada. I have served as Chair and CEO of respected Canadian institutions, co-founded and scaled a national charity, and led a global sporting event that included adaptive golf for the first time in the Invictus Games’ history. I will bring that fundraising and leadership experience, as well as my relationships, to help strengthen our Association and open doors for our members.

I’m also a proud uncle to a niece and three nephews, and I care a lot about the future we’re building — not just for golf, but for the communities golf supports across Canada.

The future of golf in Canada has never been brighter. I want to help ensure the PGA of Canada remains the world’s leading association for golf professionals — member-led, high-performing, and relentlessly focused on serving our members.