All Posts Categorized as "Chronicles"

In 2017 we introduced indoor Short Game clinics at Riverside and at a new facility, Grand Slam. The instructors were great, the venues excellent and everyone had fun.

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Canada 2017 marked a significant moment in our countries history, our 150th  birthday and of course we had to celebrate Golfaround style. We chose the Mystery bus trip and the theme was great, so many dressed for the occasion and Lee Creek Valley folk were great hosts and we enjoyed sunshine and awesome golf and then a major hail storm hit but we were done and enjoying a great banquet and bevies.

Play & Stays included Kimberly and Golf and Gamble at St Eugene Mission. Edmonton members had an awesome tournament Meeting of the Clans. It was very well done and there were some pretty awesome Highlanders on the golf course as well as some pretty neat games which made us laugh.

Our next season in 2018 was challenged by smoke, With 322 hours of smoke recorded in Calgary, 2018 is the smokiest year ever recorded in the city, It certainly played havoc with many who suffer from breathing issues and was a bit of a damper for great golf.

We added some golf courses to our roster, Maple Ridge, Woodside, Serenity and Lil Devil and it was fun to have more awesome courses to play.

Malasia a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo was our unique travel destination in 2018. It’s known for its beaches, rainforests and mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European cultural influences. This trip offered us a myriad of interesting, diverse and exciting adventures.

Golfing in the wild of the tropical rainforest has been described as Asia’s best kept secret and it offered us a unique challenge and afforded some beautiful malasian landscapes

Penang’s rich history, incredible architecture and cultured foods are the usual attraction, but we  also enjoyed top-class golf at some of Malaysia’s leading courses. Penang Golf Club & Bukit Jawi Golf Resort were those we played in Penang.  Penang is steeped in history as we can attest to. We strolled down a living heritage community as we visited Chew Jetty. What started as a wooden passageway slowly became a cluster of houses perched above the sea shores by stilts, this site is locked away in a time zone by itself disregarding the urban development taking place around it. We saw an array of temples the best of which was Kek Lok Si the largest Buddhist Temple in Malaysia. It was a truly impressive complex housing temple grounds, temples, gardens, the pagoda and the four heavenly kings pavilion and an enormous statue of the Goddess of Mercy. After that we experienced riding the funicular train up to Penang Hill where I saw my first monkey cup plant. Georgetown was unique, we saw atmospheric temples, street art, brightly coloured trishaws and mega malls are abundant in this beach town. We flew from Penang to Kota Kinabalu. KK,  as it is known by the natives,  has bustling markets, modern boardwalks, beaches and waterfront. Just a speed boat away were beautiful islands and the snorkeling was outstanding. Again the golf was interesting we played Dalit Bay Country Club and Sutera Harbour. My personal favorite was Sutera Harbour i. We enjoyed beautiful vistas and we also encountered many challenges, monkeys taking our balls, water hazards and rough, and our night golf was especially interesting if you did not hit in the light beams bye bye ball.
We had an early morning flight to Sandakan where we observed orangutans and Malayan sun bears at conservation centers in Sepilok.

Our highlight was the sojourn in the jungle. Who would have known that you could travel two hours by boat to the middle of the Jungle and find a top notch Resort, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge, in the middle of nowhere, This is one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World. What a feeling to be completely secluded in the jungle listening to the music of the rainforest! Imagine gliding down the river in the morning mists and the afternoon light, spotting wildlife up close from a quiet electric-motored boat. We could stroll right from our room into the jungle on an elevated boardwalk, stopping to see wildlife and tropical plants. We dined on a riverfront terrace, taking in the view over delicious meals as well as watching monkeys and rare birds flit among the trees as we cooled off in the refreshing pool. The nighttime river cruise allowed us to see sleeping birds up front and personal, it seemed surreal.
Everything was top notch and even if we did not see the pigmy elephants we saw an amazing array of monkeys and an orangutan and her junior.  We identified many different birds as well as dozens of primates, reptiles, and a variety of land mammals.

Our final destination, Kuala Lumpur,  offered us excitement as there was a major thunder storm when we were downtown visiting The Petronas Twin Towers, what a rush that was. The architecture is indeed amazing as were the many other attractions we visited. The Palm course at Saujana Golf & Country Club has a reputation for being an exacting test. The sloping greens are fast while the dramatic changes in elevation and undulating fairways are challenging even to professionals. This was a challenging round of golf and the heat and humidity made, for me,  a very perplexing round of golf but it was a great way to end up our fascinating Malasia golf experience. The memories and experiences will stay with us always.

It is interesting to see the weather challenges we have faced over the years, 2008 was certainly one of them. The Edmonton social planned at Lewis Estates, had to be rescheduled as Old Man Winter extended his frigid hand over both Calgary and Edmonton resulting in a deep freeze and treacherous driving conditions. In 2009 we thought we would have a better start but that was not to be, it was colder than average, wetter than normal and just plain ugly. Then there is 2016 when we were golfing in April, what a crazy climate we live in. We really have had a lot of fun over the years and doing these chronicles has brought back many wonderful memories for me and I hope for you also. Some of the great escapes we did in 2008 and 2009 included a play and stay in central Alberta where we played at Innisfail, what used to be a hidden gem. It is still a gem but a lot of people have found it. We stayed in Red Deer and played Alberta Springs before heading home. Another Play and Stay that was memorable was the Wine and Roses Tournament at Meadow Lake in Montana. We had great golf, fun at the legendary Blue Moon, and a fabulous BBQ in the “great house” with all in attendance. We whined when it was our score to count but enjoyed the wine and roses we received for registration. We love Meadow Lake and my surprise Birthday party this year there at the “house” was a real treat. Our Mystery Bus trip took us to Radium but our driver really kept the group guessing as he drove into Banff, everyone thought The Banff Springs..not. He then took a back road in the direction of Johnson’s canyon Jasper???????? We finally arrived at the resort and had a great time. Rocky Mountain House and Fernie were also tournament destinations.

Some of the other unique experiences we had included a Demo and Fit at The Callaway Performance Center, it was a great facility and we learned a lot. Too bad they were unable to continue with the concept we really did enjoy. Interestingly 2009 was the first time we adopted a hole at the CN Canadian Women’s Open and here we are doing it again in 2016. The Edmonton group were lucky to have Paige Nelson coordinate them in 2009. She joined Golfaround in 2004 as a beginner and is now ripping up the course, I guess we all do benefit from the lessons we take.

I was looking through old newsletters to do this and found some interesting statistics:

“A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon. Kind of makes you proud. Almost feel like a hybrid.”

Our trip to New Zealand was fabulous; we toured both Islands spending time in Auckland, Pahia, in the Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown. We experienced the magnitude of ninety mile beach and boogey boarding down the massive sand dunes; the splendor of the sea and the dolphins at play; the incredible beauty of the fauna; the majesty of Auckland’s harbor; we did not bungee jump from the Sky Tower; too chicken. We were amazed by the grandeur of the geothermal plants near Rotorua and also enjoyed insight into the Maori culture at a reenactment at the Wairakai Treaty House and sampled a Maori Hangi (meal). Christchurch and punting on the Avon reminded me of my English roots and the roses in the Botanical Gardens were incredible. In Queenstown we enjoyed the gondola up to the Skyline restaurant; the thrill of jet boating in the canyons; the steamship excursion to the Walter Peak homestead and sheep station; and the majestic splendor of the renowned Milford Sound. We played four rounds of golf at some great courses and loved the Kiwi people. As Gail mentioned “the great thing about our trips is there is something for everyone outside of the golf. The golf brings us together again as a group.” The Cook Island extension gave us some time to relax and enjoy the sun, sea and water sports. It was a wonderful experience enhanced by a great group of Golfaround people.

Golfaround celebrated 10 years in 2006, it is hard to believe how much we have grown since inception. This era saw Edmonton increasing in memberships, so much so that we had to add another evening league choice and start  day & beginner leagues. We tried another Challenge cup in Lacombe, this time the weather was much improved but unfortunately we didn’t have many from Edmonton. Needless to say Calgary won the trophy back. Our other tournaments included the Golfaround Memorial at the Canmore Golf Club a charity event supporting The Women’s Emergency Shelter, Golf and Gamble at St Eugene Mission and Paradise Canyon in Lethbridge. The Mystery Bus trip went to Golden and on the way home Donna Gray surprised us with her 10^th Aniversary commemorative verse to the Golfaround song

“The dirty dozen started the show

We are now 400 and continue to grow

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years

Some dear friends we’ve lost

And some new friends we’ve found

And we’re proud to be the ladies from Golfaround”

In Feb of 2006 we had the trip of a lifetime to South Africa. We were a large group, 58 in total, a great group to experience the diversity and contrasts that only Africa can offer. The scenic diversity was incredible. We saw lush green forests and deep river gorges leading down to the sea in the Tsitsikamm National Park, contrasted to the arid bush land of the Karoo in Oudtshoorn where we also saw the Cango Caves. Then there was the magnificent rugged coastline of the Cape Point and the tranquility of the Chobe River. We experienced the opulence of Sun City which was contrasted by the miles of shanty towns going into Cape Town. Our safari at The Kariega Lodge and the add on to Zimbabwe, Botswana and Choba were my highlights. Never did I expect to see such a huge amount of game so up front and personal. We saw more than 25 species of game including rhino, lions, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala and 270 species of birds. Seeing these in their native habitat was truly amazing. We had a busy itinerary to say the least which included, wine tasting , game viewing on land and water, golf, site seeing, shopping and superb dining. It was a trip of a lifetime.

I think we were pretty spoilt in this timeframe as we also traveled to both Sedona in Apr 2007 and Portugal in Oct.

Sedona, strategically situated at the mouth of spectacular Oak Creek Canyon, is a truly unique place. Characterized by massive red-rock formations, as well as the contrasting river bank areas of Oak Creek Canyon. This trip provided our group a variety of unique experiences, one of which was golfing within the majesty of the incredible red rocks.  Our hotel was perched upon a hillside overlooking the beauty of the landscape. Many of us went for the ultimate 4 x 4 Jeep experience. It was 100% off-road fun going on and over the rocky terrain in the midst of canyon walls and making that heart-pounding decent down the “Road of no Return”. The Grand Canyon was spectacular and the helicopter ride awesome. In addition to this some of the gals frequented some of the local hangouts and met some fun looking cowboys.

Then in Oct it was off to Portugal. We started our journey in Vilamoura in the Algarve, one of the largest single tourist complexes in Europe. In front of our hotel and viewed from our rooms was a long sandy beach swept by the Atlantic Ocean. There were six different golf courses here, three of which we played. We also had an opportunity to see the Portuguese Masters which was there during our stay. Our next destination was the small country town of Portel, in the heart of Portugal’s sunny Alentejo region. We stayed in a transformed old rural house of classic beauty which was in total contrast to our hotel in Vilamoura. Some of the group participated in the Refúgio da Vila cooking school enjoying a unique gastronomic, wine and cultural experience. Then on to Cascais, which was at the end of one of the suburban train lines just thirty minutes outside of Lisbon. This once tiny fishing village has grown in the last century to become an elegant beach town but still retains the charm of its fishing past and indeed present. We ventured into Lisbon, to explore world heritage architectural marvels We were mesmerized by Lisbon’s wonderful mix of the old-fashioned, the historic and the modern. This coupled with 25,000 Celtics fans, in their green and white jerseys, there to cheer on their soccer team was an experience to remember.

The theme for Calgary’s wind up was The 50’s so everyone had to get out their saddle oxfords, poodle skirts and hoola hoops, it was a “rockin event. Edmonton also had wind-ups at both Golden West and Cougar Creek.

First of all we need to make a correction, last month we reported that Edmonton’s inaugural year was 2003, sorry folks it was 2004. Many great things started in 2004 which included the expansion to Edmonton. We started sharing a photo gallery so you could all share and see the good times we’ve had. Our loss of Nancy Morrison spearheaded the first Cottonwood Classic which was held in support of The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This event featured some firsts for us, Shepherd Health offered us the benefits of ART, Active Release Therapy, prior to us teeing off and breakfast was sponsored by Cordell’s Point of View. We had two Mulligan men who washed our clubs, drove like Tiger and looked like the Chippendals, well maybe a little exaggeration. Our first Silent Action and balloon game, remind me never to do the balloon thing again, were also very successful. Our Fernie tournament in Aug also included an optional extension to Meadow Lake Montana which many of us enjoyed. The weather in both locations was certainly a challenge but we made the most of it and had a blast as always. In 2005 we returned to Fernie, thinking it couldn’t be as bad as 2004, guess what it was worse. Imagine rain, snow, power outages and closed golf courses. Some of us were escorted around the dark hotel not by the light of the moon but by the light of the miner’s helmets, it was so much fun.

In February 2003 we traveled to Thailand and it was amazing. We experienced the splendor of the temples; the myriad of smells at the flower and food markets; and the uniqueness of the canals that once were the streets of Bangkok. From the hustle and bustle of the city of Angels we traveled south to Cha Am and Hue Hin. These relaxed coastal towns boasted long uncluttered beaches and some great golf courses .Following our sojourn here some of the group went north to the ancient walled city of Chang Mai while others went on to Hong Kong, Osaka, Singapore Koh Samui and Phuket. It was a fantastic experience and the harbinger of many other unique experiences to come………so many places on my bucket list and so little time.

In February 2005 26 lucky people escaped to the tropical paradise of Punta Cana. The group experienced quading, banana boating, snorkeling and much much more.The golf too was wonderful and some even got to try out the renowned Teeth of the Dog Golf Course. Di was not here as she had her hip replacements so Kristy was questioning if she should spend so much to play there. Sylvia Madder told her “ Di won’t know just go for it” Kristy informed her that Di would know as she did the finance and would see the credit card charges. She went anyway and good for her you have to grab opportunity when you can.

As most of you will remember 2005 certainly had it’s challenges with the first flood causing much devastation for many of the courses and also for many of our population both in Calgary and the surrounding areas. In June we held our first Challenge Cup at Lacombe and yes it was wet, very wet, so wet in fact we saw someone drying their undies with the hand dryer.

Well we survived Y2K and our computer systems are still intact, wow that was a relief. We have been doing this now for five years and we are thinking we really do have  a viable business  opportunity. We have a domain name and website thanks to Kim Worth who we met at AWE, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs so let’s go for it, a league of our own. We continued to add golf courses to our schedules and golf professionals to our teaching team. This was the year that Brian Fast started his teaching career at Cottonwood, and he is still teaching for us fourteen years later. He is also married with two sons.

It was interesting to look back at our newsletter for 2002, the weather challenges have not changed that much. The Day League were at Heatherglen May 21^st, the wind was almost blowing them over and it was extremely cold. The gals were in the restaurant waiting to see what they were going to do. Sandra Hunter told one of the new members in jest “yes we meet at different courses once a week and have coffee” it does sometimes seem that way early in the season.

Something I forgot last month was to mention our first international trip. This event was spurred by Fran Esler, then Burrows, who thought we should go somewhere warm to golf in the winter months. We were a little skeptical about organizing a trip to a warm climate, Canada sure wasn’t an option, so we thought how about four days & five nights in Laughlin Nevada? We also had the guys along for the first time. This trip turned out to be a grand total of 44 and we had a blast. We were in all four states during our travels, oh not quite correct it was Arizona, Nevada, California and some of them in the  “drunken state” not sure where that is. Back in those days our cost was $728.00 for the package, it sure wouldn’t be that now.

This success motivated us to go a little further  away, so we planned a trip to Veradaro, Cuba for 2003. We stayed at Breezes, a great resort in close proximity to the golf course. We had another good size group which included seven sets of sisters,  believe it or not. We also took our then mascot, Clem, or Phlegm. He was a blow up doll that Joan Holmes had given to Marg Hardstaff to keep her safe when she had to drive home alone from golf. Clem had a great time as we did, he even danced with the bride at a wedding there. We also had a mock wedding for Irene Shewchuk and if I remember correctly some of the gals left their mark on the walls of the Cuban restaurant noting the “the first wives club”. There are lots of great memories including the synchronized swimmers, amazing golf course personnel and the tour to Havana, including the legendary Tropicana Show, a Cuban classic.

The 2002 wind-up event was themed “friends” and funnily enough Gloria Boogmans just sent us a very special prose about friends:

Why do I have a variety of friends who are all so different in character? How is it possible that I can get along with them all?

I think that each one helps to bring out a “different” part of me. With one of them I am polite. With another I joke.

I can sit down and talk about serious matters with one. With another I laugh a lot.

I listen to one friend’s problems. Then I listen to another one’s advice for me.

My friends are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When completed, they form a treasure box. A treasure of friends!

They are my friends who understand me better than I understand myself. They’re friends who support me through good days and bad.

Real Age doctors tell us that friends are good for our health. Dr. Oz calls them Vitamin F (for Friends) and counts the benefits of friends as essential to our well being.

Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes.

If you enjoy Vitamin F constantly you can be up to 30 years younger than your real age.

The warmth of friendship stops stress and even in your most intense moments, it decreases the chance of a cardiac arrest or stroke by 50%.

I’m so happy that I have a stock of Vitamin F! In summary, we should value our friends and keep in touch with them.

We should try to see the funny side of things and laugh together and pray for each other in the tough moments.

We are so very grateful for all the friends we have made through Golfaround and I know that there are many of our members who feel the same way. We were also very saddened in 2002 to lose a very special lady and friend after a courageous fight to breast cancer, Nancy Morrison. Nancy and her husband Brian were loyal supporters of Golfaround. Because we wanted to make this loss meaningful it spearheaded our first attempt at raising money for charity, hence the Cottonwood Classic.

2003 was the year we expanded Golfaround in Edmonton starting there with approximately 30 members and Shannon Chambers was our first Coordinator. Some of the original Edmonton members were Heather Bishop, Lesslie Ingledew, Jan Young. The Orientation/Social was held at Millwoods Golf Club and the wind-up was at Retail Landing a course that has supported us from day one. The weather was ugly at the wind-up, I have never been so wet and only played three holes. Oh yes I have been that wet but it came later at Lacombe as many of you will remember.

We wound down 2003 with a Halloween themed wind-up and I can still see Maria Emond, the skeleton and Cheryl Oliver, Snow White dancing to the music of Dan the One Man Band, what a fun night.

Next year 2016 is a very important milestone for Golfaround, we are 20 years young. Who would have ever believed we would be where we are today. We are very grateful to be celebrating 20 years of Golfaround and thank our many supporters who have helped us reach this milestone. Our ongoing accomplishments would be impossible without the support of our members both old and new. We never dreamt of being an overnight success, to the contrary we did not feel we had the knowledge or skills to run a golf business. But here we are 20 years later, it has taken hard work, friendships, golf Professionals, golf clubs and stick-to-it-ness to build credibility and a successful business.

We want to celebrate where we have come from so starting next month we will re-visit our journey by running the Golfaround Chronicles in the news feed. We hope it will be informative for new members and nostalgic for others, I am sure it will bring back great memories and set the stage for many more years to come.