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Heading To Bowen Island - Fore Golf
For more than half a century residents of Bowen Island were familiar with the sight of a Union Steamship vessel as it pulled into the dock at Seymour Bay filled with passengers and supplies. Today Bowen Islanders will need to adjust to the sight of charter boats and float planes tying up to the slip at Seymour Bay disgorging golfers who have chosen the VIP way to get to the lower mainland's newest offering, the Bowen Island Golf Club. For the rest of us, the Bowen Island ferry will have to do.
The nine-hole, 3,075 yard course officially opened this year, although it hosted the inaugural Cops For Cancer Tournament in August 2005 as part of the break-in period for the owners and management.
BC Golf News visited the Bowen Island club in August of this year, as part of a media outing to promote this year's Cops For Cancer Tournament, a worthy event that was sold out early in the year.
Bowen Island is so close to Greater Vancouver that it is easy to take this island sanctuary for granted but after playing this challenging nine-hole, mini-Furry Creek course you will not soon forget the experience.
It was indeed our pleasure to play the course with Bruce Russell, a 4th generation islander and president of Bowen Island Golf Club, who gave a running commentary throughout the round.
"The first tree fell on March 12, 2003, with the official sod-turning on July 6th 2004. The first round was played on September 15th 2005." Russell exclaimed. " The entire project was funded by pledges from the locals and to give you an idea of just how much support we have, the maintenance crew is assisted by local residents in keeping the course and surrounds in great shape."
In fact, the night before this year's Cops For Cancer Tournament dozens of locals staged a Divot Party, walking the course with a bottle of divot mix in one hand and a glass of wine, compliments of the course in the other.
Sechelt-based architect Russ Olson, whose work includes the Sechelt Golf and Country Club and Harrison's Sandpiper course, designed this enjoyable Bowen Island course. It offers up some very challenging holes that include narrow and lengthy carries over environmentally sensitive areas and has many significantly elevated tees. All in all, if you can keep your ego and your sense of humour in check you will find this track delightfully in-your-face throughout the round.
Head pro Clive Scarff has already made his mark with an extremely successful junior program that boasts more than 30 members, quite a feat for an island the size of Bowen.
Down the road, plans call for a full clubhouse on the property with a 150 home development along the north side of the course. The Bowen Island Golf Club is open 7 days a week with tee times from 7am to 7pm. Tee times may be booked by the general public one week in advance by calling
604-947-GOLF (4653).
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