Picture this: on a bright Sunday at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, as the final putt drops and the crowd erupts in applause, RCMP Staff Sergeant Carolyn Shaffner stands tall in her red serge, trophy in hand, ready to honour the champion. This moment, set to take place this August, will be more than ceremonial for Shaffner – it will mark a full-circle return to the game that shaped her, a tribute to the sport that taught her patience, perseverance, and purpose.
Born and raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Carolyn’s journey began on the fairways of Ken-Wo Golf Club. Introduced to the game by her father, she quickly found herself immersed in junior tournaments, eventually earning a spot on the provincial team and competing in national championships across Canada. “Golf taught me how to lead,” she reflects. “Even though it’s an individual sport, representing your province with a team of young women… that builds something deeper. It teaches you how to show up for others.”
But Carolyn’s path wasn’t confined to the course. After university, where she played varsity basketball, she took on a grassroots role as a Future Links coordinator with the Nova Scotia Golf Association. Driving across the province, she introduced golf to children who might never have had access to it otherwise. “It was such an incredible experience,” she says. “These kids didn’t have the resources to join a club or take lessons. Being able to give them a taste of the game that gave me so much was powerful.”
That spirit of service eventually led Carolyn to the RCMP. “I’ve always been proud to be Canadian. I wanted to help people and represent my country in a meaningful way.” From rural Newfoundland to Fort McMurray and now London, Ontario, Shaffner’s career has spanned the country. And through it all, the lessons from golf have stayed with her.
“Golf taught me patience — and I needed that,” she laughs. “Especially in this job. You deal with high-pressure situations, and keeping a cool head is everything. I used to be a bit of a firecracker, but golf helped me manage that aspect of myself. It taught me to lead with calm and confidence.”
As a woman in uniform, Shaffner understands the power of representation, not only in the impact she has on others, but in the inspiration she’s drawn from those who came before her. As a young golfer, she looked up to provincial champions like Leanne Jeffcock, and throughout her RCMP career, she’s been mentored by senior female officers who helped shape her path. Now, she finds herself on the other side of that dynamic. Whether mentoring young officers or teaching firearms training, she’s often reminded of that influence: “I’ve had women come up to me and say, ‘I never thought I could do this until I saw you doing it.’ Sometimes, that’s all it takes — seeing someone who looks like you doing something you never imagined for yourself.”
That’s why her role at the CPKC Women’s Open means so much. “I’ll have to try hard not to fangirl,” she jokes. “These women work so hard. They’re not just athletes — they’re trailblazers. When I was growing up, we didn’t see women’s sports on TV. Now, there’s this momentum, and I’m so proud to have a small part in it.”
Shaffner’s message to young girls watching the tournament is rooted in belief and possibility: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Believe in yourself. Set no limits. You never know who might be watching, and who you might inspire just by being you.”
From fairways to the force, Carolyn Shaffner’s story is a testament to the transformative power of sport — and a reminder that leadership, like golf, is built one swing, one step, one act of courage at a time.
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Witness live history this summer as the best female golfers in the world take on the fairways of Mississaugua Golf and Country Club at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, August 20–24 in Mississauga, Ont. As part of tournament week, Golf Canada and CPKC will host the eighth annual CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 19, at Toronto’s Boulevard Club — a powerful gathering of leaders and changemakers celebrating the advancement of women in sport, business, and beyond.
For more information, tickets, volunteer opportunities, and corporate hospitality, visit www.cpkcwomensopen.com.
