SPRING GOLF CLASSIC AT FURRY CREEK
APRIL 29 2007
The sun gods were with us!....the golf gods showed up later, but not for everybody!!
18 golfers from Branch 60 had a memorable day at Furry Creek. After a week’s rain the sun came out, the air was clear and the views were tremendous. The players and foursomes were:
MIKE SMITH
DOUG SHWERY
JEREMY WOODHAM
BEN PATCHEL
KEN DOWNES
TOM DIMITROFF
NORVAL BELLAMI
TIM BANNISTER
GEORGE SIDNEY
BRIAN BANNON
BILL MICHALUK
ERIC SANDERSON
JIM WHITELAW
PHILIP MARSH
BRUCE YOUNG
JUDY YOUNG
JEFF BANDORKA
LLOYD BURBRIDGE
The greens had been plugged and sanded that week and were a little slow and “lumpy”. Otherwise, the course was in great shape and quite dry considering the wet winter.
Our Champion mens golfer was Lloyd Burbridge with a gross score of 88 and our Ladies Champion was Judy Young with a gross score of 98. The winner of the Men’s net was Bruce Young. Ben Patchel won both the KP’s and Lloyd Burbridge the longest putt.
All events have their memorable moments, whether it’s a fantastic drive or a sensational save. Well, it will be a long time before this one is beaten! Picture this! Doug Shwery is setting up on the signature 14th. Hole and the wind is strong coming up Howe Sound. The play is out over the ocean to allow the ball to drop on the green at 175yds. Not an easy shot. Doug who bought his golf shoes that morning slams the ball towards the ocean in the correct direction which is where it came to rest! Taking a drop at the point of entry at 110 yds. he hits it up nicely into the green where it disappears! After searching the perimeter of the green to find the ball he has a look in the cup. Well the rest is history!
He got par on the signature hole with a penalty!!
We all returned to the Legion for well deserved drinks. Dinner for 35 was catered by Rob Verdicchio of “Verdicchios Deli and Trattoria” in Dundarave. We ate roast beef, ham, spinach cannelloni, salad and bread and there was only the ham hock left! The food was excellent. Thanks to my helpers Gordy Kennedy and John Silitoe.
Trophies and Prizes were presented by our President, Valerie McGregor. Thanks to our sponsors and Tony Feinman for collecting the certificates.
A great day was had by all….to be repeated next year!
Jeremy Woodham, Sport’s Chair, Branch 60.
LEGION BRANCH 60 SUMMER GOLF CLASSIC
Under the warmth of a late July Saturday morning, 52 Legion golfers assembled at Branch 60 for the summer golf classic, held this year at the Bowen Island Golf Club. The excitement was palpable as the golfers and beer coolers got onto the two West Vancouver buses for the trip to Horseshoe Bay. Graham Kitchen had organized the bus charters and the golf group was off to the Bowen Ferry. At 9.00 the ferry left on the Trans- Pacific route to Bowen Island and at exactly the same time the refreshments were opened. Unfortunately, two comrades took the long route via Nanaimo! On disembarking from the Bowen Ferry we were met by two coaches, after a short walk up the hill. It was not a hike….but sufficiently strenuous for three of our aspiring PGA players to miss the bus!! They eventually found their way to the links by charming an attractive local realtor, into lending them her husband car for the day!! This shows the level of ingenuity we expect from our players when their backs are to the wall! Clubs were put into two pick up trucks and we were all bussed to the golf course.The President of Bowen Island Golf Club, Mr. Bruce Russell and the club’s manager Mr. Cro Lucas met us at the course. The give away announcement, given by Bruce was,
“If anyone can par this course they will get a life times free membership”! That’s when we took our anti-depressants!
The 9 hole 3,075yd. par 35 was as difficult as most of us could handle. Most players reached into a cooler to settle their nerves after their first shot! Tight fairways, uneven lies, trees with no bounce and undulating greens with uncut divergent grass made for an interesting days golf….To say the least! We went around twice and had a shotgun start. Some of us wish we had a shotgun at the end! Three of our members found the course slightly over their heads and did the smart thing by retiring to the local pub! The gross scores reflected the days efforts and shattered egos and the best golfer of the day was Carolyn Fleming with an 85. The best male was |Bruce Young who shot a 91. We had three KP’s from the red on the front nine and from the blue on the back. No one hit the green on the 193yd. Par 3, 8th hole!! The low nett lady was Sheila Margellos and for the men Peter Skinner. Kp’s were won by Alan Berry, Bill Michaluk, Brad Huitman and George Sydney. Barry Greaves won the long drive and Karen Yip won the longest putt, which was about ten feet!
The hamburgers at the turn were excellent and the Bowen Island Golf staff couldn’t have helped us more.
We returned to Branch 60 for dinner catered by “Verdicchio” and awards and prizes. The evening was a great end to a great day’s fun.
Jeremy Woodham, Sports Chair, Branch 60
