golf british columbia

GolfAugust 2011

BRITISH COLUMBIA

GOLF COLUMBIABRITISH

Golf British Columbia is a regular insert of Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine

Storey Creek, Naturally

The beauty of the Les Furber-designed course onVancouver Island will make its way into your golf-loving heart

GOLF BRITISH COLUMBIA | AUGUST 20112

Golf British Columbia

on thecover

Storey Creek Golf Club iS one of thoSe rare CourSeS that Combine iSolated, tree-lined fairwayS and priStine ConditioninG to give you a true sense of solitude and tranquility. designed by les furber, Storey Creek is carved out of a dense forest and complemented with natural water features and abundant wildlife. located just south of the seaside town of Campbell river on the east-central coastline of Vancouver island, the course is internationally renowned for its picturesque and challenging, yet playable layout. it doesn’t take long to figure out how Storey Creek earned its reputation as a beautifully natural experience. eagles soar, wild deer wander, and the occasional black bear ambles across the course. and, thanks to the salmon enhancement program initiated by greens superintendent reg franklin, each year between 5,000 and 10,000 salmon fry are introduced to the course’s creeks and streams that then slash their way through the local waterways on their journey to the sea. “Storey Creek is Vancouver island’s best kept golf secret,” says trisha larsen, the director of marketing for Golf Vancouver island, the consortium of island courses of which Storey

a CourSe IN Nature

Campbell RiveR Fins and skins888.465.3239www.golfvancouverisland.ca/finskins$375/person thru Aug. 27, 2011$335/person Aug. 28 – Oct. 9

Golfing and fishing come together in Campbell River for a getaway package that includes two nights ocean view accommodation at Painter’s Lodge, one round of golf (including power cart) at Storey Creek GC, and one tide (four hours) of guided salmon fishing.

Creek is part. “an unpretentious track where even the cart paths are au naturel, the course delights you with every turn and rewards all who play. a definite ‘must-play’ on the Vancouver island Golf trail.” the course opened in 1990, and each of its 18 holes are carved out of the surrounding forest and wrapped in its own grove of trees, eighteen separate beacons of tranquility. it’s the reason golfers eagerly make the trip, again and again.

AT A GLANCE

stoRey CReek GolF Club300 McGimpsey RoadCampbell River, BC V9W 6J3866.923.3674www.storeycreek.bc.ca

• 4 ½ Stars – “Best Places to Play” in North America, 2008-09 - Golf Digest

• Top 100 Courses in Canada – SCOREGolf

CPGA Head Professional Kyle StoudtCourse Architect Les Furber

Storey Creek Golf Club was the site of the 2011 BC Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, held in June.

Storey Creek Golf Club is part of the Vancouver Island Golf Trail, and a member of the Golf Vancouver Island consortium.

“An unpretentious track where even the cart paths are au naturel, the course delights you with every turn and rewards all who play...”

Painter’s Lodge

Storey Creek’s 502-yard par-5 sixth hole.

Previous page: The 534-yard par-5 12th hole at Storey Creek.

All photos courtesy Golf Vancouver Island

GOLF BRITISH COLUMBIA | AUGUST 2011 3


THe 2011 BC WOMeN’S AMATeUR WAS HeLd THIS yeAR AT THe PORT ALBeRNI GOLF CLUB, which is a wonderful, challenging golf course on Vancouver Island. It has the fortune of having not one but two of the best women amateur players in the province in Jackie Little and Christina Proteau. It was

somewhat fitting this season that Jackie won the first provincial Master-40 division and Christina won the Mid-Amateur and the Amateur. The membership really got behind the championship and did a superb job of finding sponsors, providing volunteers, decorating the clubhouse and adding all of those little touches that make an event great. I was sitting having breakfast in the clubhouse when one of the members happened to mention that he had played

tee it Forward

from thedirectorKRIS JONASSONBritish Columbia GolfExecutive [email protected]

pretty well the previous day, not bad for a 70-year-old. The waitress responded, “you know, I would never try to guess the age of the membership because I know they are older than they look. They all look great.” We already know that exercise, social interaction and good nutrition are all keys to not only living longer, but improving our quality of life. It’s not necessary to have the talent to compete for a provincial championship to get the benefits of the game; we need only to ensure that we keep the game fun and we will reap the benefits going forward. Recently the USGA along with the PGA of America unveiled a new program called “Tee it Forward.” Golf Canada and the CPGA are endorsing the program and it is my hope that clubs and golfers will buy into the program. We watch the best players in the world play golf courses that are routinely 7,500 yards or longer; however, we don’t really grasp how

much skill they really have. As a result, we think that if the world’s best play at 7,500 yards, we should at least be able to play at 6,600 yards. Factoring in the talent discrepancy, this would be asking PGA Tour pros to compete at yardages of 8,500 or beyond. What a ludicrous idea. We should all learn to play a set of tees more in line with how far we actually hit the ball. So what are the benefits of teeing it forward? Off the bat, we reintroduce the word fun back into the sport. If we are having fun we are far more likely to smile, joke with our friends and maybe our step is a little quicker. When we introduce a sport to children, we start with fundamentals, so why would we eliminate the word as we age? Happiness motivates us to look after ourselves, including eating better. If you want to know the proper yardage for your game then just Google “Tee it Forward” and you will find tables to help you choose what’s right for you. Good golfing, and let’s have fun out there.

12 01 2011 1625 100% V1 barbi braude digital production

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BARBI BRAUDE | 604 319 0313

Become a member today.Benefits include:● Membership to Golf Canada and PNGA● An official RCGA Handicap Factor,

recognized world-wide● Ability to enter British Columbia Golf,

Golf Canada and PNGA events

British Columbia Golf | 2110-13700 Mayfield Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2E41.888.833.2242 | [email protected]

britishcolumbiagolf.org

GOLFCOLUMBIABRITISH



Jim GRiFFin has joined the staff of Golf British Columbia and Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine. A graduate of UBC, Jim has been involved in marketing and in particular the publishing business in British Columbia for almost 20 years, including such publications as British Columbia Magazine and Vancouver Island Guide. Born and raised in Victoria, Jim still calls the capital city home with his wife and four of his six children. Contact Jim at [email protected] or 250-477-4429 for advertising inquiries.

For the first time, golf will be included in the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games, when it is held August 5-14 in Kamloops, B.C., and British Columbia Golf has selected eight junior players to represent Team BC. Curtis Chan, of Richmond; Grace Chua, Taylor Kim and Donald Qiu, of Surrey; Jisoo Keel, of Coquitlam; Alix Kong, of West Vancouver; Kevin Kwon, of Pitt Meadows; and Mark Valliere, of Nanaimo will be on the team. Keanna Mason, of Maple Ridge, and Kevin Vigna, of Coquitlam, have been named team alternates. Jody Jackson, British Columbia Golf’s Technical Director of Golf, will be the head coach of Team BC, and Executive Director Kris Jonasson will serve as team manager. “We are very excited about the young

men and women who have been selected to compete for Team BC,” said Coach Jackson. “British Columbia swept gold when golf made its debut at the Canada Summer Games in 2009 and we’re looking to repeat that feat

in Kamloops.” Golf will take place in the second week of the Western Canada Summer Games at The Dunes at Kamloops, August 11-14. The format will be a 54-hole stroke play format for the individual competition, and the first 36 holes will also count towards the team championship. The Games were last held in British Columbia in Abbottsford in 1995, and after they leave Kamloops this year they will not return to BC again until 2031. Visit www.2011wcsg.ca for more info.

Golf team announced for the Western Canada summer Games

Team BC will send these junior golfers to compete in the Western Canada Summer Games at The Dunes at Kamloops. On the far left is British Columbia Golf Executive Director, Kris Jonasson, who will serve as the team manager; and on the far right is Jody Jackson, British Columbia Golf’s Technical Director of Golf, who will be the head coach of Team BC.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it will sponsor rising Canadian golf star nick taylor, who received an exemption to play in last month’s RBC Canadian Open held

at Shaughnessy. Taylor was a three-time All-American while at the University of Washington, a three-time Canadian Amateur Player of the year, a Canadian Amateur Champion, and runner-up in the U.S. Public Links Championship. Taylor also won the 2009 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the No. 1 ranked amateur in the world; the 2010 Ben Hogan Award for Collegiate Player of the year; and was an Olympic torch bearer at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

victor vianzon has been appointed the new CPGA Head Professional at QGolf Club. Originally from Manila, Philippines, he moved to Vancouver in 1988. He served as an Assistant Professional

at Pitt Meadows GC from 1995-1998, and at Northview GC from 1999-2001. He came to QGolf Club in 2002, and in the same year graduated from the Professional Golf Management Program at Camosun College. Quilchena G&CC has recently rebranded itself as QGolf Club.

neWs & notes

bC GolF House launCHes neW site Last winter the Board of directors of BC Golf House approved development of a new web site, and it is now online and available for review. It is a more interactive and informative site, as well as being more up to the minute. Check it out, and comment on their blog. It is also even easier to join as a member, to enter the golf events or to pledge a donation for their primary financial need right now, which is replacing the cedar shake roof on the Golf House. The Golf House receives no government funding so it is only with the support of its members, association patrons and sponsors that they are able to fund the capital and op-erating expenses of the Society. Tax receipts are available for any donation over $25. Visit www.bcgolfhouse.com.



We’ve launCHed ouR neW Web site! Same great info, same great game! Visit us at www.britishcolumbiagolf.org.

taG, you’Re it View the new site on your smartphone! See the Chip Shots section for instructions on how to download the app.

British Columbia Golf recently announced the host sites for the 2012 and 2013 BC Amateur Championships. In 2012, Swan-e-set Bay Resort in Pitt Meadows will host the BC Amateur and in 2013 the championship will be held in the Columbia Valley and jointly hosted by Copper Point Resort and The Springs at Radium Resort. “We’re fortunate to have three high-caliber golf courses hosting our provincial championship,” said Kris Jonasson, executive director of British Columbia Golf. “All of these facilities are championship-worthy venues and we know they will be fantastic hosts of BC’s longest running golf tournament.” The BC Amateur Championship was first played in 1895 at the Victoria Golf Club. It is British Columbia’s longest running golf tournament and has been won by such players as Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Stan Leonard and doug Roxburgh and current PGA Tour player Fred Couples.

Swan-e-set Bay Resort has previously played host to the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship, as well as Canadian Tour events. The 2012 BC Amateur Championship will be held July 22-27. Visit www.swaneset.com for more information on the venue. In 2013, hosting duties will be split between Copper Point Resort and The Springs at Radium Resort. Both courses are located in the east Kootenays along the Columbia Valley Golf Trail. Copper Point is Invermere’s newest upscale resort and features two courses, Copper Point Golf Club and The Ridge at Copper Point. The Springs at Radium Resort, set high along the banks of the Columbia River, is known for its challenging layout and abundance of bunkers. The 2013 BC Amateur Championship will be held from July 7-12. Visit www.copperpointresort.com and www.radiumresort.com for more information on these two venues.

british Columbia Golf selects host sites for 2012 and 2013 bC amateur Championships

David Rose, of West Vancouver, won this summer’s BC Amateur Championship, held at The Dunes at Kamloops.

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visit www.britishcolumbiagolf.org for complete championship schedule

2011 bCG Championship Courses

< senior men’s amateur Championship

august 9-11 Squamish Valley Golf Club Squamish, British Columbia

< bantam Championships august 25-26 Nico-Wynd Golf Course Surrey, British Columbia

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by Brad Ziemer In his days as a World Cup ski racer, Steve Podborski always figured the quickest way down a mountain was a straight line. Podborski skied on the edge and his kamikaze style, and that of teammates Ken Read, Dave Irwin and Dave Murray, earned them the nickname Crazy Canucks as they took the World Cup downhill ski circuit by storm in the mid-1970s and early ‘80s. Podborski recorded 20 World Cup podium finishes between 1978 and 1984. He raced in two Olympics and won a bronze medal at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. In 1981, he became the first non-European to win the World Cup downhill championship title. Shortly after retiring in 1984, he took up a new sport, one that has not been quite as easy to conquer as the famed downhill runs of the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, and the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria. “I took up golf after my ski career was over,” says Podborski. “A really good friend of mine back in Toronto said you are going to love this.” His friend was right. Golf grabbed hold of Podborski and for the last 25 years hasn’t let go.Podborski, a 53-year-old Toronto native who now divides his time between the B.C. mountain resort of Whistler and the Vancouver area, says it’s the challenge of golf that keeps him playing. “I think it’s the quest to hit it just so and having the reality of it play out on the course,” he says. The reality, of course, is that golf is a difficult game to master, especially when a busy business and family life limits you to just one or two rounds per week. Podborski says rather than help him, his past success as a ski racer perhaps has hindered his development as a golfer. “In some ways it doesn’t help,” he says. “Certainly in alpine skiing, at least for me, the harder you tried, the better you got. In golf it’s pretty much the opposite. It’s a process. You don’t go out and learn how to play golf, you learn how to play golf the whole time as opposed to being finished at any point.” It’s a learning process Podborski is happy to continue and not surprisingly, he prefers to play most of his golf in the mountains. Whistler became his adopted home after his ski career ended and the resort has three outstanding courses – Whistler Golf Club, Chateau Whistler and Nicklaus North – as well as another one, Big Sky, 30 minutes up the road in Pemberton. Podborski plays most of his golf at Whistler Golf Club, the resort’s original course designed

CraZy For loVeSteVe PodborSkI – this is one Canuck who is crazy about golf

by Arnold Palmer where a fellow ex-Olympian, former Canadian national basketball star Alan Kristmanson, is the director of golf. “I am basically a Whistler guy so I really enjoy playing the courses there,” Podborski says. “You have got the classic mountain courses and I get to play with my friends and that is really cool stuff.” For a guy who always skied so close to the edge, it’s surprising to hear Podborski say he’s not a big risk-taker on the golf course. “I never considered myself a huge risk-taker, but I always thought I was going to make it,” he says of his ski-racing career. “I was never expecting to fall. So when I take a look at a golf shot, I’m always trying to figure out how to make it work. You could say I like to take appropriate risks.” These days Podborski is having trouble hanging onto his handicap index of “about 9.”“I still haven’t broken into the 70s this year,” he says. Some of that can be attributed to his busy business life. For the past five years, Podborski has served as director of community sports for TELUS.He also served on the organizing committee that brought the 2010 Winter Olympics to Vancouver-Whistler and was an assistant chef de mission for the Canadian Olympic team at the Winter Games.His job at TELUS, which sponsors the World Skins Game every June, has allowed him to rub

shoulders with some of the world’s top golfers, including the likes of Fred Couples, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman. “That’s been fun,” Podborski says. “In recent years we have held the event at some great B.C. courses, Bear Mountain in Victoria, Predator Ridge in Vernon and Nicklaus North.” Podborski has played most of his golf in B.C., but recently took a trip with some friends and played in Ireland. “That was such a gas,” he says. “It’s just totally different. We’re talking howling winds and the ocean. It was a lot of fun.” He hopes to take another trip, this time to the Oregon coast, some time soon. “I really want to get down to Bandon Dunes,” he says. “That would really be a fun thing to try out.” And a nice way to continue those life-long golf lessons.

When he isn’t covering the Vancouver Canucks, Brad Ziemer writes about golf for the Vancouver Sun. Ziemer graduated in 1980 from Western Washington University in Bellingham, where golf courses like Lake Padden and Sudden Valley didn’t exactly help his grade point average. He remains an avid golfer and struggles to maintain his current handicap index of 11.7.

LEFT: Steve Podborski during his days as a dominating World Cup skier in the early 1980s.

RIGHT: Steve is now at home at Whistler (B.C.) Golf Club.

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Scenes from the 2011 RBC Canadian OpenShaughnessy Golf & Country Club • July 21-24

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Eugene Wong

Ryan Moore

At the driving range

Ryan Moore

Adam Hadwin

Darren Wallace

Ben Crane

Sean O’Hair



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