Who we are
Golf Away Tours is a boutique golf travel company based in Toronto, Canada that has been creating lifelong golf and travel memories for over 20 years.
Golf Away Tours was founded in 1998 with TJ Rule, and his partner Matt MacKay, taking over in 2013 with the mission of making Golf Away Tours Canada's premier boutique golf travel company.
In 2016, Matt decide to leave the golf travel industry to pursue new passions, however TJ has continued building Golf Away Tours with an unrelenting focus on delivering the ultimate in customised golf experience, while giving clients peace of mind knowing that no detail has been overlooked.
Delivering golf travel experiences to our clients' exacting specs (we like to think of ourselves as the club fitters of the golf travel world - no off the rack stuff!!) will always be our focus. We use a personalised approach to understand our clients' exact travel expectations, and collaborate with them from the start of the process until they get back from the trip to create customised, worry-free travel itineraries wherever their golf and leisure dreams may take them.
We believe in our approach and it seems our clients do as well.
We have been a proud partner of the PGA of Canada since 2018, helping their members design and execute travel experiences not only for themselves, but for club members as well.
The World Golf Awards has awarded Golf Away Tours the "Best Outbound Golf Tour Operator for Canada" for 6 straight years (2019 - 2024) demonstrating not only the satisfaction of our clients, but also the strong relationships we have developed with our suppliers, allowing us to deliver the best possible travel experiences.
As TJ commented upon receiving the World Golf Award in 2020, "At Golf Away Tours we are focused on working with suppliers to deliver the perfect customised trip to meet our clients’ needs, and receiving this award demonstrates to us that we are delivering not only great value to our clients, but true partnerships with our suppliers.”
We will also maintain this focus on great value, and strong partnerships, to deliver the best possible experiences for our clients.
At Golf Away Tours, We Take You Around the World to Play the Game You Love
Golf Away Tours was founded in 1998 with TJ Rule, and his partner Matt MacKay, taking over in 2013 with the mission of making Golf Away Tours Canada's premier boutique golf travel company.
In 2016, Matt decide to leave the golf travel industry to pursue new passions, however TJ has continued building Golf Away Tours with an unrelenting focus on delivering the ultimate in customised golf experience, while giving clients peace of mind knowing that no detail has been overlooked.
Delivering golf travel experiences to our clients' exacting specs (we like to think of ourselves as the club fitters of the golf travel world - no off the rack stuff!!) will always be our focus. We use a personalised approach to understand our clients' exact travel expectations, and collaborate with them from the start of the process until they get back from the trip to create customised, worry-free travel itineraries wherever their golf and leisure dreams may take them.
We believe in our approach and it seems our clients do as well.
We have been a proud partner of the PGA of Canada since 2018, helping their members design and execute travel experiences not only for themselves, but for club members as well.
The World Golf Awards has awarded Golf Away Tours the "Best Outbound Golf Tour Operator for Canada" for 6 straight years (2019 - 2024) demonstrating not only the satisfaction of our clients, but also the strong relationships we have developed with our suppliers, allowing us to deliver the best possible travel experiences.
As TJ commented upon receiving the World Golf Award in 2020, "At Golf Away Tours we are focused on working with suppliers to deliver the perfect customised trip to meet our clients’ needs, and receiving this award demonstrates to us that we are delivering not only great value to our clients, but true partnerships with our suppliers.”
We will also maintain this focus on great value, and strong partnerships, to deliver the best possible experiences for our clients.
At Golf Away Tours, We Take You Around the World to Play the Game You Love
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Meet the Team
TJ Rule
After working for over 10 years as an engineering consultant in the golf development industry, TJ decided to turn his passion for the game and for travel into a career in golf travel.
While attending Queen’s University, TJ played varsity golf and was a member of the provincial championship team in 1997, back in the days when he could hit more than 3 fairways in a round. His passion for the game has taken him to 5 different continents and 21 countries to play the game (so far!), having ticked off his 500th golf course when he played the iconic Cape Kidnappers in NZ in 2018! He appreciates all styles of courses but has a soft spot for traditional links and the golden age of golf course architecture.
TJ is still active in the competitive amateur golf scene in Ontario and is a course ranking panelist for both Golf Digest and Score Golf magazine. Although home is in the beaches area of Toronto, TJ and the family are currently spending a year living in and working from Bali for his son Julian to attend the Green School.
After working for over 10 years as an engineering consultant in the golf development industry, TJ decided to turn his passion for the game and for travel into a career in golf travel.
While attending Queen’s University, TJ played varsity golf and was a member of the provincial championship team in 1997, back in the days when he could hit more than 3 fairways in a round. His passion for the game has taken him to 5 different continents and 21 countries to play the game (so far!), having ticked off his 500th golf course when he played the iconic Cape Kidnappers in NZ in 2018! He appreciates all styles of courses but has a soft spot for traditional links and the golden age of golf course architecture.
TJ is still active in the competitive amateur golf scene in Ontario and is a course ranking panelist for both Golf Digest and Score Golf magazine. Although home is in the beaches area of Toronto, TJ and the family are currently spending a year living in and working from Bali for his son Julian to attend the Green School.
Ron Judge
Ron spent some 30 or so years in the corporate world, including his last 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (think Voltaren!!) where he worked in promotions, marketing and eventually was Head of Sales for Canada before leaving in April of 2019 for new adventures.
Always interested in golf travel (Ron has always been the planner for his annual buddies trip), leaving GSK allowed Ron to volunteer as an “intern” with TJ over that summer and learn some of the ins and outs of the golf travel business. After the summer, he stayed on full time and now works with TJ out of the Toronto office, not only planning and coordinating trips, but also leveraging some of his past experiences to develop marketing and promotion opportunities that will allow Golf Away Tours to service even more golfers across Canada.
Ron lives in mid-town Toronto with his wife Carolyn and he spends his free time as a public golfer in the summer and curling at Leaside Curling Club in the winter.
Ron spent some 30 or so years in the corporate world, including his last 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (think Voltaren!!) where he worked in promotions, marketing and eventually was Head of Sales for Canada before leaving in April of 2019 for new adventures.
Always interested in golf travel (Ron has always been the planner for his annual buddies trip), leaving GSK allowed Ron to volunteer as an “intern” with TJ over that summer and learn some of the ins and outs of the golf travel business. After the summer, he stayed on full time and now works with TJ out of the Toronto office, not only planning and coordinating trips, but also leveraging some of his past experiences to develop marketing and promotion opportunities that will allow Golf Away Tours to service even more golfers across Canada.
Ron lives in mid-town Toronto with his wife Carolyn and he spends his free time as a public golfer in the summer and curling at Leaside Curling Club in the winter.
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Griffin Rush Griffin's passion for golf began at a young age, playing alongside his father during the summer and caddying at the Rosedale Golf Club. In more recent years, he delved deeper into the sport, devouring books and podcasts on the subject. His interests have grown to include the intricacies of course architecture and the fascinating destinations that the game can take you. Griffin is thrilled to have the opportunity to expand his knowledge and expertise working with the talented team at Golf Away Tours, assisting them to provide the ultimate golf travel experience. Outside of the office, Griffin enjoys spending time with loved ones on and off the fairway. When he's not trying to fix his golf swing, he can likely be found planning the next Pittsburgh Steelers Superbowl celebration or enjoying the company of his furry companions. |
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Ben Tigert Ben’s love for golf started early, spending summers at the youth golf camps at Summit Golf & Country Club with his brother, and playing twilight rounds with Mom and Dad. Those early days sparked a lifelong passion for the game, and today, as a Summit member, he rarely turns down the chance to play, always chasing his career low. Before joining Golf Away Tours, Ben spent two summers with adidas Golf in sales and client support, gaining valuable insight into the golf industry and the needs of players at every level. Beyond the fairway, Ben has explored the world extensively through personal travel, which helps him bring a unique blend of golf knowledge and global perspective to every trip he helps plan. Outside the office, Ben loves socializing with family and friends and spending time at the cottage! |
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Lori Whitcombe
Despite being TJ’s younger sister, Lori is a relative newcomer to the world of golf. With more experience handling dogs than golf balls, she has been enthusiastically learning the ins and outs of the golf travel industry while organizing files and handling the digital “paperwork”.
When not working at the office, Lori has been enjoying her time renovating and reorganizing her home, creating stained glass projects, and caring for her three dogs and two cats. Lori also volunteers her time as a Girl Guide Leader, helping to teach young girls important life skills while having a blast at camps! Lori also enjoys the occasional round of golf in the summer, and curls at the Oshawa Curling Club in the winter.
Despite being TJ’s younger sister, Lori is a relative newcomer to the world of golf. With more experience handling dogs than golf balls, she has been enthusiastically learning the ins and outs of the golf travel industry while organizing files and handling the digital “paperwork”.
When not working at the office, Lori has been enjoying her time renovating and reorganizing her home, creating stained glass projects, and caring for her three dogs and two cats. Lori also volunteers her time as a Girl Guide Leader, helping to teach young girls important life skills while having a blast at camps! Lori also enjoys the occasional round of golf in the summer, and curls at the Oshawa Curling Club in the winter.
