He had some success playing the game, but Derek Ingram made his big mark on the Manitoba golf scene through his passion for teaching and coaching.
Born in Winnipeg July 5, 1970, his love for the game began as a youngster around the Sandy Hook Golf Club and he competed in Manitoba junior events before deciding to get into the professional end of the business. He turned pro in 1992 and spent two years as an assistant at Niakwa Country Club and a year as assistant at Pine Ridge Golf Club before taking on the head pro post at South Interlake Golf and Country Club in 1995-96-97.
Ingram had a two-year stint as a player on the Canadian Tour in 1998 and 1999 before deciding his career should focus on the teaching and coaching side and he has gained national respect in those areas.
On the playing side, he won several Manitoba PGA tournaments, was the MPGA Player of the Year twice (2002, 2008) and was winner of the MPGA championship in 2008. In1999 he and Garth Goodbrandson teamed as the co-coaches and founders of the University of Manitoba men’s and ladies’ golf program and are still in charge of that program. In partnership with Dave McMillan, he opened the Golf Central training and practice facility in 2000, then sold it in 2006.
Ingram has been recognized as one of Canada’s top golf coaches and teachers. He was winner of the CPGA Teacher of the Year twice (2003, 2007) and also won the Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year in 2003, the only recipient to ever win both awards. He was a seven-time winner of the Manitoba PGA Teacher of the Year award. He has been selected as one of the top 10 coaches in Canada and a top-50 teacher in North America.
In the fall of 2009, after nine years as a part of the RCGA national teams program, he was appointed head coach of the women’s national team and continues in that post. When not active on the national scene, Ingram serves as head teaching pro at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club and operates Derek Ingram Golf from that location.