Cookie Gilchrest: Another Pro-Am, Another Column

If he's playing in a pro-am 'Cookie' usually wins something from the prize table as well. Some golf columnists and media celebrities are like magnets when it comes to winning door prizes.

On this occasion, Gilchrest was putting his skills to work on Vancouver Island while visiting Canada's most westerly course, the Long Beach Golf Club near Tofino and playing as a guest in the Wickaninnish Inn Pro-Am.

In cast you missed it, here is Kent Gilchrest's column in Wednesday's The Province Newspaper.

Head pro Keith Gibson, the guy they call 'Gibby' and practically worship at Long Beach Golf Club, is single-handedly responsible for the success of the Wickaninnish Inn Pro-Am, which attracts club pros from as far away as Fort St. John.

Tofino native Charles McDiarmid, owner and managing director of the spectacular Wick, said as much in his moment with the mike at the post-tournament dinner and prize presentations.

The tournament's 78 sponsors and contributors, besides the Wickaninnish Inn, is convincing validation. The 30 pros, most of whom have been coming since Gibby started the event eight years ago, are further recognition. And the standing ovation, accompanied by the chant "Gibby, Gibby, Gibby" in the jam-packed banquet room was a fair indicator, too.

Because the west coast of Vancouver Island isn't the easiest place in the world to get to, funds raised by the tournament go to the Ucluelet and district high school so its sports teams and band can travel to find competition. Last Friday, the event raised more than $10,000 for the school, so principal Carol Sedgewick thinks Gibby's special, too.

"I got involved because I'm a golfer," said McDiarmid, "and because of Gibby. We're fortunate to have a guy like Keith at our little (nine-hole) course.

"And there aren't too many businesses between Tofino and Ucluelet who don't support the event, that's for sure. It's a good cause. We were looking for something to support that wasn't just Tofino nor just Ucluelet. It's good for the kids to be able to get away, mingle and get to know other kids in other schools."

If the Wickaninnish Inn was looking to be cost-effective, it could certainly find better ways to publicize itself. But McDiarmid, who left for more than 25 years to take the Cornell University hotel management course and work in the hospitality industry for Four Seasons and Vancouver Convention Bureau, is community-minded and Long Beach is where he returned in 1996 to run his own place.

The golf tournament is special to McDiarmid. Why else would he be there at eight in the morning when he didn't tee off until the afternoon shotgun? He was helping out at the two Wickaninnish stations on the course, that's why.

"I've been coming ever since Gibby first called me ... seven or eight years now," said former Marine Drive assistant Mike Longridge, who returned his $375 cheque to the charity because he said he's trying to get his amateur status back since he's left the business to try selling radio time at the Team 1040. The suspicion is, however, he did it more because he just likes coming to the event and wants to make sure his 2009 invite is guaranteed.

What makes the tournament unique is that it takes nearly all day just to get over there ... unless you have your own airplane or helicopter.

Not too many club or teaching pros are in that stratosphere. But they're willing to give up two days of lessons or something to be there. Gibby had at least three of them bunking in with him, as well as high school basketball teammate from their days at Victoria's Belmont, Amrit Lalli, one of the tournament sponsors.

Fortunately for himself, Craig Warren, the pro from Lake Point Golf Club in Fort St. John, won some cash to offset his expenses for making the trek. He won $480 in skins and donated $100 back to the charity.

And while bears on golf courses aren't uncommon, it's the first time I had walked by a 500-pound black bear 30 yards away on the other side of the fairway as if it were a spectator.

All just part of golfing on the west coast of the island.