PGA of Ontario Remembers David Hartmann

We are saddened to share the passing of PGA of Ontario Class "A" Teaching Professional, Mr. David Hartmann (1968-2023).

Courtesy of The Hartmann Family

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of David Andrew Hartmann (55), on July 3, 2023. This simple statement stands in stark contrast to a rich life filled with much love, laughter, and adventure. David had a big, boisterous personality that would often find him at the center of a room, entertaining everyone with a mix of funny stories and impersonations drawn from childhood memories and a lifetime spent on the golf course.

His passion for golf started at a young age thanks to our father's many early words of encouragement. It also helped that our childhood home backed onto the 9th hole of a golf and country club, where David disappeared after school to work first as a caddy, and later as a member of the pro shop. As a young man, golf was certainly not his only interest as he had a bedroom full of trophies mixed in with pictures of memorable family fishing trips and road trip adventures with friends.

After finishing college, he set off to travel the world before returning to Toronto to start his career as a golf pro. As always, our dad was right by his side, this time as his caddie, as David sank his final put to pass his PGA playing test. David then quickly settled into a routine that would soon see him recognized as one of Ontario's top teaching pros before taking his skills to Europe as a club pro in Austria. David returned to Canada in the early 2000s and spent the next part of his career developing an innovative golf company with a growing list of loyal clients and a catalog of instructional golf videos that included clips from his many appearances on local TV and radio. My personal favorite is a TV clip with his "young" student, aged 100, who finally learns how to strike the perfect putt.

The life of a golf pro brought David lots of professional satisfaction but also had many stress-related challenges. These challenges were made more difficult during the past several years as he struggled, as have many others, with the impact of Covid on his business and his health.

However, despite David's struggles, he would only ever show a smile to the outside world while sharing another funny anecdote to brighten someone's day.

He will be sorely missed by his brother, Michael, sister-in-law, Morag, and nephew, Daniel, his extended family in Canada and Austria, and his partners and many friends.

Our family will hold a Private Service on August 5th, to be followed in the coming months by a Reception in David's memory. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health or the Toronto Humane Society.