Golf Professionals
Wayne Fairbairn
PGA of Canada Executive Golf Professional and Operations Manager
Wayne grew up on the South Coast in South Africa, his love of both the game of golf and Club life started while playing at Port Shepstone Golf and Country Club. In May 1997, Wayne and his mother immigrated to Canada and settled in Saskatoon. He got his first job a couple of days later at Riverside Country Club. This became his summer base for the next 9 years, becoming an Assistant Golf Professional there in 2002. During the winter months Wayne played on a golf scholarship at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, where he obtained his BBA in Accounting while experiencing competitive college golf all over the US. Before becoming a Professional Golfer in 2002, Wayne represented the Saskatchewan Willingdon Cup team at Nationals (1998 & 1999) and was the provincial champion in 1999.
After 4 years as an Assistant Golf Professional at Riverside Country Club, Wayne moved to Calgary to join the team at the Calgary Elks Lodge and Golf Club (now The Winston) in 2006. In 2009 Wayne was named Head Golf Professional of the Club and enjoyed many outstanding years overseeing the golf operation. In 2014 he won the Pat Fletcher National Retailer of the Year award, which he credits to the relationships he built with the members of the club along with the incredible team supporting him.
In 2017 Wayne and his family, wife Jana-Lyn and son Ewan moved back to Saskatoon where Jana-Lyn became Executive Director at Riverside Country Club. Wayne was named Head Professional at The Willows Golf and Country Club, later becoming the General Manager, where he remained until the family moved back to Calgary in January 2020.
Wayne is grateful and excited for the opportunity to work with the amazing team at Willow Park Golf & Country Club to “create standing ovation experiences” for our members.
Stu Chan
PGA of Canada Head Golf Professional
Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Stu moved to Canada as a youngster and grew up in Calgary playing every sport possible except golf. After studying both History and Political Science at the University of Calgary, Stu discovered golf at the tender age of 29. Early in his career he worked for extended periods at the Valley Ridge Golf Course, Country Hills Golf & Country Club and Springbank Links. During that time, Stu also spent 9 years as the Head Coach at the University of Calgary. It was here that Stu displayed his love of teaching and coaching when he guided the Ladies Golf Team to four top 5 finishes at RCGA/CIS National Championships.
Stu’s career continued as Associate Golf Professional at both Silver Springs Golf & Country Club and Pinebrook Golf & Country Club. He also accepted the position as Head Golf Professional at Lynx Ridge Golf Club in 2016. Stu has been a PGA of Canada Professional for over 20 years, and is a testament to what hard work, commitment and passion can do for career success. That skill and prowess did not go unnoticed and was recognized by the PGA of Alberta when Stu was a four-time finalist for the Associate Professional of the Year Award from 2012-2015.
Besides the pleasure he derives from his career, Stu’s greatest support comes from his wife, Kelly and their daughter Maya. They allow him to follow his unwavering desire to help golfers enjoy the game to the best of their potential. Stu brings that dedication to the game he loves everyday to his role as Head Golf Professional at Willow Park Golf & Country Club.
Nicola Jeffries
PGA of Canada Associate Golf Professional
Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Nicola moved to Calgary in 1999. After spending two years teaching English in China, she returned to Calgary in 2008 and rediscovered her passion for golf at The Canal at Delacour, inspiring her to pursue a career in the industry.
Nicola earned an Associate Degree in Golf Management from the Professional Golfers Career College in California and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Northwood University in Texas. As a university athlete, she achieved multiple top finishes, including a top-five result at the Claude Jacob Invitational and a top-ten team finish at the NAIA National Championships. She also won the 2013 Olds Ladies Open as an amateur.
A member of the PGA of Canada, Nicola is dedicated to growing the game through welcoming and inclusive programs. She is passionate about introducing new players to golf and specializes in junior and girls’ development, combining skill-building with confidence and life lessons. In recognition of her impact, she was named the 2023 PGA of Alberta Junior Leader of the Year.
Nicola has worked at several leading Calgary-area clubs, including The Canal at Delacour, Woodside, Silverwing Links, Springbank Links, and The Hamptons. She lives in Calgary with her cats, Harvey and Seth, and enjoys reading, movies, and hopes to publish a book in the future.
Nick Young
PGA of Canada Associate Golf Professional
Born in Winnipeg, Nick moved to Calgary at the age of 5 where he grew up an athletic child who participated in many different sports. Growing up Nick never really played golf more than a handful of times each summer and never really had a passion for the sport as a junior. It wasn’t until after he graduated high school and started working at golf courses in the summer that he developed a love for the game. Throughout university he spent what seemed like every day of the summer at the golf course either playing, practicing, or working. Taking a sport and recreation degree at Mount Royal University, Nick felt that working in the golf industry was a natural fit as it combined his new passion with a future career.
Nick started his journey in the golf industry in 2015 at Heritage Pointe where he worked for 5 years in the back shop. In 2019 he joined Willow Park Golf & Country Club working in the Pro Shop where he spent 2 seasons. After never playing competitive golf growing up, he decided to attempt his playing ability test to become a Golf Professional. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Nick was able to meet the playing requirements in September of 2020. In 2021, Nick became a full time Golf Professional at Willow Park.
Nick is happy to be a part of the Willow Park community and is thankful for all the support along the way from the Willow Park Golf & Country Club Team and the membership.
Shaun Luopa
PGA of Canada Associate Golf Professional
Shaun grew up in Hughenden, Alberta, where he developed a passion for golf at a young age while playing at his local nine-hole course. He continued his path in the game at Camosun College attending the PGM Program in Victoria, earning his PGA of Canada membership in 2007 and graduating in 2009.
Prior to moving to Calgary in 2012, Shaun spent three seasons at the Red Deer Golf & Country Club. Since relocating to Calgary, he has built a well-rounded career at several facilities, including Country Hills Golf Club, Heatherglen Golf Club, and River Spirit Golf Club. Most recently, he served as the Head Professional at the Strathmore Golf Club for two seasons.
A competitive player, Shaun captured two PGA of Alberta tournament wins in 2010 and has earned numerous top 10 finishes throughout his career. He brings to Willow Park a strong passion for the game, a commitment to teaching and club fitting, and an enthusiasm for working with golfers of all abilities.