Scott Keenlyside - Happy Easter!

On Monday, August 26th, I will be hosting the 4th Annual Van Isle Tradition golf tournament and fundraiser at Nanaimo Golf Club. All proceeds raised will go to the B.C.Golf House & Museum. If you might like to join us, please e-mail me and I will forward you the details.

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Happy 100th Birthday!

Qualicum Beach

Memorial GC

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EDITORS TEE TIME

van isle poster

If you are planning a golf trip this coming season, why not try a club or two on Vancouver Island? There are some excellent, affordable, fun golf courses just in your back yard. My personal course reviews...

Cowichan Golf Club...Always in great shape, not long and easy to walk; a very fun interesting layout. Norm Jackson, the pro is always a welcoming host and consistently provides a fun upbeat golf experience. (Range open to the public)

Duncan Meadows... Lots of room to hit the driver...big open spaces and a very challenging layout...a most enjoyable experience especially with a power cart! I personally love the course. Lots of nature! (Range open)

Mount Brenton...Located in Chemanius, the Mt. Brenton Golf Club sports speedy greens & big trees. A 5800 yard fun layout with lots of birdie holes and reachable Par 5's.

Nanaimo...Always in wonderful condition with great vistas of Departure Bay and the Straits of Georgia. Very challenging course with an abundance of championship holes. This course will test all facets of your game. The golf club will be sporting a new clubhouse in August; why not drop by and check it out? (Range open)

Fairwinds...Retirement at it's best. Beautiful homes, a great Marina and interesting course layout with excellent greens. Great service levels always make a visit to Fairwinds a memorable day. Ward Stouffer, the host professional is always a most congenial fellow to chat with during your visit. (Range open)

Morningstar...My old stomping ground. Excellent championship course (Canadian Tour site) with multiple tees and big undulating greens. Beautiful lakes and lots of wildlife to be seen around the course. Superb practice facility! Dave Kuss...highly rated CPGA Teaching Professional & Golf Academy. (Range open)

Eaglecrest...An interesting sub division course...hitting it straight is big at Eaglecrest! If the wind blows, the last five holes, 14 thru 18 are fun and can at times be quite nasty! I was Head Professional at Eaglecrest for 9 years; a wonderful life experience for me. A very friendly and historic place. Best with a cart. Good luck!

Pheasant Glen...A whole remake of the old Glengarry Golf Links. A beautiful setting, neat layout, coupled with a great driving range make Pheasant Glen a facility worth visiting. Excellent Golf Academy on site! (Range open)

Qualicum Beach...One of my absolute favourites. Built in 1913, this nine hole gem is located in the center of Qualicum Beach. Always in spectacular condition; Qualicum is very easy to walk with great views overlooking Lasqueti and Texada Islands. A true beauty!

Arrowsmith...One of the very best Executive courses in the Province. Lots of cool par 3's with a few par 4's in the mix. Easy to walk and always in spectacular condition overlooking Arrowsmith Mountain. For the senior golfer, and especially ladies, I promise you, Arrowsmith never disappoints and you are sure to return.

Crown Isle...A championship course with 5 star accommodation on site. Two wonderful restaurants located in the clubhouse; gorgeous golf shop! Perhaps the finest clubhouse in British Columbia...check out the Car Museum on the lower level too..very NEAT-O indeed!

Comox...Nine hole public course located in the middle of the town. Very user friendly selection of relatively easy holes ...pleasant to walk and always in great shape. Play in less than 2 hours. Old style course...built in 1934.

Sunnydale...Located just north of Courtenay, Sunnydale is a flat layout to walk and more often than not windy! A no frills golf outing with lots of chances to use the big stick! Grip it and rip it! (Range open)

Storey Creek...Most often a favorite on everyone's list of places to play. Located at the south end of Campbell River, Storey Creek is a nationally recognized golf experience with fantastic natural beauty and lots of wildlife to see. I met a "black bear" on my last visit! (Range open)

Quadra Island...Very appealing 9 hole layout cut out of the bush. Just opened this past year. If you are staying on Quadra or April Point, don't forget to take your clubs. Lots of wildlife and beautiful natural scenery. You will not be disappointed! Bonus! Club will pick you up at the ferry and take you back....10 minute crossing. (Range open)

Alberni Golf Club...Very relaxed golf club atmosphere with a reputation for very friendly folks. (6232 yards in length)...Lots of trees, wildlife and salmon stream meandering through the course. Gateway to Vancouver Island's famous West coast. (Range open)

Long Beach...Feature article in April edition.

For current rates and services all the facilities above have web-sites. In most cases each of the facilities advertise special incentive rates in various VI golf discount books. Check it out and save some $$$$.

Driving time from Victoria to Duncan...45 minutes, Nanaimo 1.5 hours, Qualicum 2 hours, Courtenay 2.40 hours and Campbell River 3 hours.

GOLF TRIVIA

Professor

Link the Golf Course on the left to the PGA event on the right...good luck!

ALIGNMENT & SET UP DRILL...SIMPLE & SWEET

I believe good alignment is very achievable for all players if they follow a strict template each time they address the ball. Remember, golf is all about distance and direction. Three very easy steps to success are...

Step 1...Aim the club head at your intended target. Take your time with this task...it is critical and if done correctly will deliver great results.

Step 2...Set your feet into position... Be mindful of your ball position in relation to your setup. Always remember your feet will align themselves to the aim of the club head.

Step 3...Secure your hands and be certain they are right! Good Grips create good shots!!!! There is no substituent for a great grip...ask your CPGA Professional.

IF YOU WANT TO LOWER YOUR SCORES...WATCH THIS ALIGNMENT VIDEO!

Go about the set up process slowly and deliberately. Most golfers rush it, thereby not securing the critical principles of the alignment template. Secure each Step in turn...do not move to the next step until you have completed the Step at hand!

A COOL PLACE TO PLAY...

Princeton Golf Club

princeton gc river

power carts princeton

prince

If you are heading to the interior to play some golf, rather than taking the Coquihalla Highway, head up the old Hope Princeton, Hwy #3 and play the Princeton Golf Club en route. Affordable rates combined with excellent playing conditions, the course is a real treat to play and enjoy. Most holes on the course are bordered with either Aspen or Pine trees making for a beautiful setting; an excellent driving range & RV Park adjoin the facility too.

The card above dated Sept. 11, 1940, illustrates nicely the type of terrain the Princeton course offers...lots of elevation changes and some really neat, challenging holes. The course first opened in 1923.

www.princetongolfclub.com

THE WORLD OF SIDE HILL LIES...

One challenging feature of my home course, Highland Pacific, is the abundance of side hill lies. Whether the ball is below your feet, or above your feet, be prepared to deal with this actuality. More often than not, success is about ACHIEVING A BALANCED PLATFORM and SWINGING IN CONTROL. Here are a few ideas which might help you improve your execution. (Note: right hand analysis)

When the ball is above your feet try to employ these five elements:

ball above - side hill

a. Grip the club shorter for better control; this will establish better proximity to the ball

b. Stand taller to the ball which will allow you more room to swing

c. Get your body weight more to the toes of your feet for better balance

d. The tendency for ball flight is to hit the ball to the left...allow for it!

e. Swing smoothly and try not to be too ambitious

When the ball lies below your feet try to employ these five elements:

side hill lie

1. Bend the knees more to accommodate the slope and try to maintain that flex

2. Grip the club at the very end of the club...you can even go over just a touch

3. Sitting back with the body weight on the heels can help your balance

4. The tendency for ball flight is to hit the ball to the right...allow for it!

5. Swing smoothly and try not to be too ambitious

ONE OF CANADA'S VERY BEST...GEORGE KNUDSON

gk putting

From the St. Charles Golf Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Hall of Famer George Knudson was truly one of Canada's greatest players. In a previous edition I ranked George #2 on my list of Canada's greatest players. (Mike Weir #1) George's stellar playing credentials stand tall and speak clearly to his abilities:

* 8 U.S. PGA titles...Coral Gables Open, Portland Open, Fresno Open, Greater New Orleans Open, Phoenix Open, Tucson Open, Robinson Open, Kaiser International Open

front of scorecard

back of scorecard

I acquired this "official score card" a couple of years ago. Finding an official card is very rare as most are destroyed after the event or archived. The tick marks signify George's final review of the card.

* 5 Canadian Professional Golfers Association national titles...CPGA Championship

* 1968 World Cup Victory with Al Balding in Rome, Italy

* Numerous Provincial Opens...3 x Ontario open, 3 x Manitoba Open etc.

* Canadian Junior Champion

Known for his ultra smooth (Hogan Like) swing motion, George was very much a student of the game. A full analysis of his swing motion is captured in his bestselling book..."The Natural Golf Swing"...co written with Lorne Rubenstein. Knudson's interpretation and analysis of the golf swing is in large part the defining thesis of the Canadian Professional Golfers Teaching Manual.

Natural Golf Swing

FEATURED CLUB...POSTCARD PICS OF THE MONTH...

Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club... (historic)

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, the historic Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club was built in 1912 on land leased from the CPR. Some interesting details are:

shaughnessy clubhouse

a. In 1951 the course measured 6596 yards, Par 72; this would of been deemed "lengthy" given the club and ball technology which existed at that time. The layout was bordered by 33rd & 37th Ave. from North to South, and by Granville and Oak streets from East to West.

shaughnessy 1

b. An important component and initiative to the building the golf club was the development of 400 high end residential building lots neighbouring the golf course.

shaughnessy 1

c. The course sported many high profile events including the 1936 Jubilee Open and the 1948 Canadian Open, plus a good number of world class marquee golf matches. The photo below depicts the final pitch to the 18th green (in the 1948 Canadian Open) by the eventual winner Chuck Congdon of Tacoma.

shaughnessy crowd

d. An interesting oddity about the golf club was players had to cross 37th Ave. to play the 5 & 6th, Par 4 holes; these two holes were nick named the "orphan holes". In addition players had to cross Oak St. at 33rd to play the 5 holes East of Oak; Eric Hamber School now occupies that space. I recall as a boy seeing golfers crossing Oak Street.

shaughnessy 3

e. In 1923, the 29th U.S. President, Warren G. Harding (a Republican) played Shaughnessy Heights Golf Club during an official visit to Vancouver (on his return voyage from Alaska). Harding died 5 days later of heart disease in San Francisco. Notice the hickory shafted club, all the cool spectator hats, plus the teeing mat!

President Harding Shaughnessy

f. Noted golf professional Davie Black was hired in 1920...serving for 20 years as Head Professional. Black was an exceptional player winning 48 professional events in Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Davie Black is in both the B.C. & Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

shaughnessy bc open.

g. An interesting family tidbit...My grandfather was a social member of Shaughnessy, and my father played in the 1948 Canadian Open held at Shaughnessy Heights. My father's competitors badge shown below is my most treasured golf collectible.

competitor badge

h. The course was closed in November 1960 for real estate development purposes; the Club was subsequently moved to their current site on Marine Drive, near UBC, overlooking the Straits of Georgia and the Fraser River. The new course opened in 1960 and hosted the Canadian Open in 1966 (won by Don Massengale).

1966 canadian open

GOLF INSTRUCTION with SCOTT

2013 SPRING LESSONS

Golf Instruction is available on all facets of the game.

All lessons include video and an e-mail summary. Not to forget...PLAYING LESSONS are available too. Highland Pacific is a fantastic venue for Playing Lessons. We look forward to hearing from you! Cheers!

Call or e-mail to arrange your outing!

Cell: 250.858.4887

Email: scottkeenlyside@hotmail.com
Call: Highland Pacific Golf Shop @ 250.478.4653

Website: www.highlandpacific.com