Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - June 21/09

Two years ago, head professional Keith 'Gibby' Gibson selected a trio of ladies from his Long Beach Golf Club course on Vancouver Island's west coast side near Tofino to play in the annual PGA of BC Pro-Women's tournament because he thought it would be " just a fun way to get out there and really put Long Beach Golf Course on the map."

Keith and the ladies surprised all clubs in British Columbia, including themselves, when they captured the tournament in 2007 since Long Beach Golf Club is one of the smallest and more remote courses in the province.

'Gibby', who is also the owner and operator of the Long Beach Club, got the ladies together again last year to defend their title and Brenda Schawab, Khristi Gilbert and Kim Clark did exactly that. So Monday at Furry Creek Golf Club in Squamish, the fabulous foursome from Long Beach will again be on hand hoping to raise Tofino's profile and the name of the Long Beach Golf Club for an unprecedented third consecutive season in the PGA of BC Yonex Pro Women's Championship.

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2008 BC Amateur and Junior champion Eugene Wong, who enjoyed a most promising first NCAA season playing for the University of Oregon, was the only member of Canada's National Junior team to make it as far as the second round of match play in last week's British Men's Amateur final at Fromby, England.

However, the man of the hour, who is not yet a man, was 16-year-old Matteo Manassero, who won 4&3 over England’s Sam Hutsby, thus becoming the youngest player and the first italian to win The British Amateur Championship in its 124-year history.
 
“I never imagined once that I could win this tournament; I’m shocked. It’s unbelievable!” said Manassero from Verona, who finished 19th at last month’s Italian Open. “I think everyone in Italy knows about it already, and I hope it helps with amateur golf there.  To be the first Italian, wow, that is something very special.”
 
Manassero is now excempt for both the Open Championship in July, and next April’s Masters Tournament.

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Writer Arv Olson's newest book: STAND LEONARD, Canada's Forgotten Golf Legend, is being well received by those who have acquired their early copies.

Published by Par 4 Publications, the book details the entire career of this Hall of Fame member. Leonard spent nearly 15 years as the club professional at Marine Drive Golf Club and won numerous Canadian Championships while teaching and serving the members.

Stan didn't leave to join the PGA TOUR until after he turned 40, and it was during the mid '50s the little man with arms of steel won four significant TOUR titles and became an imposing competitor in the Masters with a record of consistency that stands to this day.

Olson's outstanding work will be available in select pro shops in the months ahead but copies can be purchased on line now by visiting www.arvolsongolf.com

A renowned golf, rugby & hockey reporter for nearly 40 years with the Vancouver Sun, Arv has received lifetime achievement awards from the Royal Canadian Golf Association, the PGA of BC and the B.C. Rugby Union. He has served on the selection committees of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and the Golf Hall of Fame of British Columbia

Ollson has now published four books:
BACKSPIN: 100 years of Golf in British Columbia (1992)
Shingles & Shells: A History of Fanny Bay 2004)
Golflore: notes, quotes and anecdotes (2005)

Arv Olson - - arvogolf@shaw.ca
To order STAN LEONARD: the forgotten golf legend visit  www.arvolsongolf.com

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A national golf championship is scheduled to take place In Comox at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community July 14-15 and chances are only about half the participants who are going to be on hand for the event will actually see it.

Hosted by the Comox Valley Monarch Lions Club, the Western Canada Blind Golf Association is staging the event for blind and visually impaired golfers who team up with a partner who is allowed to help line-up and coach his or her player. The WCBGA refer to this tournament as the Western Open, although the United States BGA regards this as the Canadian Championship.

The sport can be traced back to  1924. Clint Russell of Duluth, Minnesota lost his sight when a tire exploded in his face. In 1925, he began playing blind golf. Clint slowly reduced his scores and by early 1930 had shot an 84 for 18 holes.

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If you're a Golf Channel subscriber there's a new program premiering Tuesday at 10 p.m. EST called "Golf In America" which Network officials describe as a golf-only version of "60 Minutes". Host of the show is comedian and "Law and Order" actor Anthony Anderson, and the series runs for 10 episodes

One of the first segments, bizarre as it may sound, deals with the case of the golfer who killed his own father, a course marshal, who had been standing behind a shade tree 150 yards away when the son's tee shot ricochet off the tree and struck the father in the back of the neck. He died the next day in hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage.

There is also a British Columbia connection in the show. According to Anderson, his favorite segment is about a pair of siblings, said to be among Canada's best young players who claim they learned the game from their father, who turned the master bedroom of their two-bedroom apartment in BC into a makeshift driving range lining the walls with pads and mattresses.

Another segment includes a story about a group of friends and a family on a golf vacation who miraculously survived when their well documented  US Airways plane landed  safely in the Hudson River.