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Evan McFarlane’s life pivoted while in hospital after having 11 inches of his bowel and rectum removed as a result of his Crohn’s disease, with the result that he now lives with an ostomy - a surgically created hole in his abdomen to allow stool to leave the body. 

But the surgery was not the only major change. It was April 2019 and while at the hospital in Fredericton recovering, a friend visited and asked: “Why aren’t you in the golf world? You like to play. It makes you happy.”

A lightbulb lit up. For the first time, he thought he really could be a golf pro. 

Once home from surgery, he registered for the training program. It was a natural step as golf was always part of his life growing up near the Algonquin Resort in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick. As a youth, he spent countless hours playing golf there during the summer, being dropped off at 7:30 a.m. and picked up at 6:00 p.m.

After he took the online course, next came the big golfing test. Two months following his surgery, he played an event where he needed to hit a target score. He played, complete with 60 staples in his abdomen as a result of the surgery. 

As the end of the final round approached, he was close to hitting the target. But it came down to the last hole. He needed to sink a 15-foot putt. And he sunk it. It was the most memorable round of golf in his life. Now, he is a Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) pro at the Algonquin Resort in his hometown.

Being a golf pro is a dream job for him, particularly in his home community that is so important to him. As he says: “It’s not really work if you enjoy it.” 

While there are less intense moments during the off season, during the busy summer months, he puts in 60 hours a week. Evan’s work entails managing staff, organizing member activities including tournaments, and managing the grounds. He also teaches and runs clinics.

Part of his evolution since being diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2017 is to become at ease speaking about what he is going through. It has not come easily. 

An important moment came in 2024. PGA Atlantic, of which Evan is a member, has run PGA Days for years. They are fundraisers for prostate cancer awareness and research. He approached PGA Atlantic to see about running one to raise funds for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. They were happy to support his chosen cause – they did not know until then that he lived with Crohn’s.

The 2024 PGA Day, which is a golf-a-thon that took place on August 18, raised close to $10,000 for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. Evan feels this is the tip of the iceberg. He is keen to continue running the event and raising even more money.

As he had not shared widely his Crohn’s story until then, the fundraiser became the occasion where other Atlantic golf pros came to realize he lived with Crohn’s. Some were surprised – but by telling his story, they have a new appreciation what living with Crohn’s looks like.