WELCOME TO THE SUN GOLF GUIDE

The Masters is almost upon us and , once again, everyone is talking about Tiger Woods and his assault on history. He’s won five of his last six PGA Tour events heading to Augusta and says he’s playing the best golf of his career. Scary that, considering he won three majors in 2000.

While Tiger’s attempt to win the first leg of the Grand Slam will be watched by millions, we have a wonderful golf story taking place in our own backyard in relative seclusion.

Her name is Alison Murdoch, and during one magical month last year she managed to win the Canadian, Irish and British senior women’s titles. This year, she’s aiming for an unprecedented fifth Canadian Senior Women’s title, which would move her ahead of illustrious Hall of Famers Gayle Borthwick and Marlene Stewart Streit.

The 58-year-old gave up competitive golf earlier in life to focus on her career and family, but has made up for lost time. She now golfs 18 holes a day, six days a week, rain or shine. And on the seventh day, Murdoch found some time to talk to golf writer Brad Ziemer about her dream season and her hopes for this year. Her story can be found on page 30.

Murdoch is one of two female golfers featured in this year's magazine. The other is Annika Sorenstam, the LPGA Tour's answer to Tiger Woods for so many years.

While Tiger feels his best golf is still ahead of him, Annika is already looking toward her future, post-Tour. And that future has brought her to Rossland, B.C. The 70-time winner on the LPGA Tour, who made history at the Bank of America Colonial in 2003 as the first woman to play in a men’s PGA Tour event since 1945, is smashing gender barriers again, this time in the male-dominated field of course design.

Annika is currently working with Canadian golf course architect Tom McBroom on her fourth course, and first in Canada, The Golf Club at Red Mountain. It is expected to open in 2010 or 2011. Starting on page 10, Brad Ziemer talks to her about her latest venture, her course philosophy and her game.

There’s a lot more material in this year’s magazine, including a look at some of the other legends of golf designing courses in B.C., a feature on some of B.C.’s best young golfers, a guide to this year’s local tournaments and eight pages of course listings.

While we’ve once again published our guide in a convenient magazine format — which you can keep in your golf bag or glove compartment as a quick reference throughout the season — this year we’ve also moved online.

Want to find a course in your neighbourhood or a city you’re travelling to? Just visit our website  and try out our searchable database.

The site will also include results from the tours, stories from our local golf community and even tips from pros. Happy reading, happy exploring and, most importantly, happy golfing to everyone.

Bev Wake,
Sports Editor, The Vancouver Sun

Download The Vancouver Sun Golf Guide 2008

PDF format, 15.9MB, 40Pages.

The Vancouver Sun Golf Guide is published by Pacific Newspaper Group
A division of CanWest Mediaworks Publications

President and Publisher, Kevin Bent
Editor-in-Chief, Patricia Graham
Vice President Advertising, Brandon Grosvenor
Sports Editor, Bev Wake
Creative Director, Jim Emerson
Project Manager, Vanessa Pinniger
Production,Mark Hanson, Allan Williams
Design, Dave Pottinger
Advertising Sales Manager, Tony Guarascio

INSIDE:

Masters of the game
They were some of the best players ever to swing a club. Now, golf legends like Jack Nicklaus are turning their attention to course design — in neighbourhoods near you. Page 6

Seeing Red
Red Mountain was home to some of the best female skiers this country has ever produced. Next up? A golf course designed by LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam. Page 10

The stuff of dreams
It’s been years since a B.C. golfer topped the leaderboard on the PGA or LPGA Tour. That could change, in the not-so-distant future. Page 24

It’s never too late
Alison Murdoch says she was a ‘B team’ golfer during what should have been her prime. But some things, it seems, just get better with age. Page 30

Mark this down …
From the Telus World Skins Games at Predator Ridge in Vernon this June — Mike Weir’s in the field! — to the B.C. Amateur at Marine Drive in July, this year is packed with events for fans of the game. Page 34

Taylor Made for you
Or maybe Callaway’d for you. Both manufacturers are promoting clubs this year that allow you to switch shafts before your round, depending on your game and the conditions. But they are pricey. Page 36

Visit The Vancouver Sun Golf Guide 2008 Website

Major Players
If great golfers make great designers, then B.C. residents have a lot to look forward to over the next two years
Brad Ziemer, The Vancouver Sun

Jack Nicklaus. Gary Player. Annika Sorenstam. Greg Norman. Fred Couples.

Besides the fact they are all major championship winners, this fab five has something else in common: each is designing a course in B.C.

Couples will be the first to unveil his work, a collaboration with Gene Bates on The Rise, which sits on the upper benches above Vernon overlooking Okanagan Lake.

General manager Terry Yacyshen, who just moved over from Bear Mountain in Victoria, expects the course to open for public play in late spring or very early this summer. Green fees had not been set at press time, but  will be similar to other high-end courses in the area - likely in the $100 to $125 neighbourhood in peak season.

From the tips - called the "Boom Boom" tees, of course - The Rise will measure just under 7,100 yards. ...

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comments

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Add Comment