Merry Christmas From The Coach

The Coach And All His Sheep/Students

The Coach asked me to pass on Christmas Greetings to all of you he considers Friends and the very best in the New Year.

His message is simple; if you take some lessons you will not have to get a bunch of sheep to help you find your ball in the rough.

Coach feels that 2012 will be a great year for golf and hopes that he will be able to touch base with all of you.  Some exciting plans are being discussed to make the Bear Mountain Golf Tournament both a Team and Provincial event.

Stayed tuned to this blog for more exciting things to come in 2012.

Bear Mountain Friday Oct 14, 2011

Lloyd Gauthier and Ray Stewart

Eight Teams teed off this morning at the beautiful Bear Mountain Course in Victoria BC under sunny fall skies. Canadian golf legend Ray Stewart presided over the first tee, showing how a pro can hit those long tee shots. Each player had the option of playing their own first shot or using Ray's drive. Needless to say, many players were glad to take advantage of this option - especially the ladies.

Team # 8 Ken Beresford, Heather Risk, Ray Stewart, Hal McInerney, Don Risk

Team #7 Don DeCotiis, Merilyn Hicks, Ray Stewart, Jacqui WIlkinson, Henry Zipster

Team # 6 George Day, Wendy Lynwood, Ray Stewart, Nancy Moyes, Al Moyes

Team # 5 Peter Tomlinson, Rod Zimmerman, Ray Stewart, Jack Southern, Ron Webb

Team #4 Ken Sandwith, Don Ross, Ray Stewart, Ryan Solda, Ryan Fisher

Team #3 Thomas Axmann, Wes Hadikin, Ray Stewart, Dave Irvine, Ron Wickett

Team #2 Allan Berg, Terry Willey, Ray Stewart, Steve Stern, T.J. Martinuk

Team #1 Bill Willey, Dennis Halabecki, Ray Stewart, Tom Felter, Mike Toller

Final Teams and Golf Times

Team 1  10:25  Bill Wylie  Mike Toller  Tom Feller  Dennis Halabecki

Team 2  10:35  Terry Willey  Allan Berg  TJ Martinuk  Steve Stern

Team 3  10:45  Wes Hadikin  Ron Wicket  Romas Axmann  Dave Irvine

Team 4  10:55  Ken Sandwith  Ryan Solda  Don Ross  Ryan Fisher

Team 5  11:05  Rob Webb  Jack Southern  Rod Zimmerman  Mel Tomlison

Team 6  11:15  Al Moyes  Nancy Moyes  George Day  Wendy Day

Team 7  11:25  Henry Zipster  Don Decotiis  Merilyn Hicks  Jackie Wilkinson

Team 8  11:35  Don Risk  Heather Risk  Ken Beresford  Hal McInerney

Sorry if names are not spelled right, you can blame Lloyd.

Some Final Details About Planned Events and Times

Thursday Evening (Oct. 13), wine, cheese and some dinner at Room 1706 (Penthouse)

Friday Morning...breakfast served in Room 1706 then golfers leave for Bear Mountain.
Friday Evening...wine and cheese get together to brag about golf...Room 1701

Saturday Morning...breakfast in Room 1701 then the bus will take all to Mount Doug around 10:00 am. for 9 holes of golf. 
Saturday...meet in lobby around 4:30 and the bus will leave for Olympic View around 5:00pm for the fantastic Appreciation Dinner.

Final Teams and Times For Bear Mountain Golf October 14/11

Listed below are the final team groups and times for the first tee at Bear Mountain.  May you all have some pars and birdies but most of all have fun.  There may be some minor adjustments made at tee time.

Team 1     10:25  Ab Ablett          Dennis Halabecki     Tom Felter

Team 2     10:35  Bill Willey        Mike Toller            Ken Sandwith

Team 3     10:45  Wes Hadikin     Dave Irvine           Thomas Axmann

Team 4     10:55  Will Willier     Terry Willey      Allan Berg    T.J. Martinuk

Team 5     11:05  Al Moyes        Nancy Moyes    George Day  Wendy Day

Team 6     11:15  Rob Webb     Jack Southern   Rod Zimmerman   Mel Tomlinson

Team 7     11:25  Don Ross       Ryan Solda       Ryan Fisher     Lloyd Gauthier

Team 8     11:35  Henry Zipster    Steve Stern      Merilyn Hicks       Don Decotiis

Team 9     11:45  Don Risk    Heather Risk     Ken Beresford      Hal McInerney

Coach And Friends Bear Mountain Golf Teams

The Coach asked me to post the following 4 person teams for our Bear Mountain Golf on October 14/11.  Over the next week the team compostition may change so this is a preliminary list.

Ray Stewart, from Abbotsford, one of Canada's most successful PGA golfers, will be an honarary guest and will hit a tee shot for each team on the first hole.  

Team 1	Ab Ablett	Dennis Halabecki	Ryan Fisher	Don Decotiis
	Kamloops	Thunder Bay ON	Calgary AB	Vancouver
2	Bill Wylie	Mike Toller	Rick Toller	Ken Sandwith
	Calgary	Victoria	Buckley Bay	Victoria
3	Will Willier	Terry Willey	Allan Berg	TJ Martinuk
	Calgary	Vancouver	Calgary	Edmonton
4	Wes Hadikin	Derek Nelson	Dave Irvine	Thomas Axmann
	Vancouver	Vancouver	Victoria	Victoria
5	Robert Schmidt	Chris Fitzpatrick	Janet Lum	Tom Felter
	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria
6	Henry Zipster	Steve Stern	Merilyn Hicks	Robin Hicks
	Duncan	Victoria	Vancouver	Vancouver
7	Lloyd Gauthier	Richard Lambright	Ryan Solda	Don Ross
	Victoria	Florida	Calgary, AB	Regina SK
8	Rob Webb	Jack Southern	Rod	Al Greenwood
	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria
9	Al Moyes	Nancy Moyes	George Day	Wendy Day
	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria	Victoria
10	Don Risk	Heather Risk	Ken Beresford	Hal McInerney
	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver

2011 Annual Coach And Friends Dinner Itinerary

Talked to the Coach the other day and he was excited about the upcomming Coach And Friends Annual Dinner and Golf on October 13 to 15 in Victoria BC.  He asked me to pass on some details that have been set so far.

Executive House Hotel at 777 Douglas Street in Victoria will be the main hotel for activity and accommodations.

Thursday, October 13/11...Wine and Cheese meet and greet starting at 5:00 in the Penthouse Suite compliments of Executive House.

Friday, October 14/11...Breakfast in the Penthouse (8-9) then golf at Bear Mountain (teams posted later) starting around 10:30 for first group.  The 10th hole will feature a Hamberger BBQ for a quick snack.  Wine and Cheese get together in the evening (around 6:00 pm) in the Governor Suite leaving the evening open for dinner etc.

Saturday, October 15/11...Morning is open for golf at Mount Doug nine hole course or other activities.  The bus will leave Executive House around 5 to go to Olympic View Golf Couse for drinks and then Dinner at around 7:00.

A special guest and close friend of Lloyd's will be at Bear Mountain to hit a tee shot for each team on Hole 1 and offer some golf tips.  The special guest and other exciting news will be posted later so stay tuned to this blog.

Keep the head down and spirits up by having fun...see you all at the Dinner.

Coach's Update

The Coach gave me a call the other day and asked me to post a quick message to let you all know that he is alive and instructing golf in Alberta.  To be specific Lloyd has been in Calgary at a course called Buffalo Run giving lessons.  He plans to get up to Edmonton in the next week and then help out with a Junior Tournament in the area.

He is looking forward to meeting all of you at the Annual Dinner on October 15/11 and hopes all of you are having a great summer on the golf course.  The tip of the day is: keep the head down and the arm straight, then lift the beer to your lips without spilling a drop.

All the best...from the Coach. 

Double Eagle For Mike Perez

July 1, 2011MIKE PEREZ, RENWOOD GOLF COURSE
A double eagle, also known as an albatross, is a rare bird on the golf course - much rarer than the hole-in-one on a par 3. To make a double-eagle requires acing a par-4 hole or scoring 2 on a par-5 hole, it is a score of 3-under par on an individual hole.
Consider the Odds of Making a Double Eagle and then... consider the odds of making a double eagle at 74 years old? And yet, on July 1, 2011, Mike Perez stepped onto the tee box of hole number three. The par four hole that normally plays further back, measured 247 yards on this day to accommodate ongoing fairway renovations and with one swing the 2010 Hall Of Fame Inductee put the ball in the hole.
So just what are the Odds of Making a Double Eagle?
Answer: Double-eagle odds are not definitively known, and different sources give different numbers. The figure of 6-million-to-1 is commonly quoted on the Web and in some print articles. The problem with this figure is that no source is given for it. A 2004 article in Golf World magazine quoted Dean Knuth, inventor of the USGA's slope rating system for golf courses and handicaps, as saying the 6-million-to-1 figure was a little too high. Knuth put the odds at 1-million-to-1. Knuth is such a smart guy, we're inclined to go with his figure. But it should be noted that Knuth's figure is a guesstimate, and that it applies to recreational golfers (the figure for teaching pros would naturally be lower).
Regardless, it's clear that the double-eagle is a very rare feat on the golf course, one that Mike can be proud to add to his list of many life accomplishments.

hole in one

Lloyd my latest Hole In One was friday july 1st 2011 a double eagle on a part 4. (hole in one).
only my 4th hole in one but at 74 years old I can't compline.

The Coach Is Back With A Golf Tip

Got a call from the Coach last week and he was in Louisiana spending time with Ian and Mellisa while making new friends on the Golf Course.  The previous 2 weeks Loyd was hanging out by the ocean with Jerry and Susan in Florida while the rest of us were putting up with either rain or snow.

Loyd told me that he would be in Vancouver on May 5th and asked me to meet him at the office.  For Loyd, the office is at Northlands Golf Club in North Vancouver.  As I walked into the Club there was Loyd sitting next to the fireplace with a pot of coffee and his journal and other papers scattered over a few tables defining his office.  I was greeted with the usual enthusiastic smile  and we sat down to exchange stories about golf and our lives since the last time we had seen each other.

The Coach wants everyone to know that he is back and eager to help his students improve their game.  He went on to relate a number of stories, events and people that have made his life special over the last few months.  Loyd met a young lady by the name of Amber Pederson in Florida who is trying to get on the LPGA tour.  Also he golfed with Joe Perceville, from Lafayette, Louisiana who is trying our for the Mens Senior Championship Tour.  Now both Amber and Joe are part of Loyd's family of friends and two people to watch for in the future.

One tip that Loyd asked me to pass on is how important it is to take your divot after you strike the ball.  If you are hitting the ball "fat" and having the divot start before the ball it is usually caused by a lack of weight shift from back to front causing the club head to come in on a steep angle and strike the ground just before the ball.  Anyway this summer you can get Loyd to check your divot start and path to make sure you are making proper contact.

We didn't get a chance to play any golf at Northlands due to rain but we had the greatest time sitting by the fireplace drinking coffee and exchanging golf stories and tips.  In our minds that day we did par the course.

"I Love This Game"...Wes

   

Jeri And Howard Meet The Coach

"Jeri and I have known Coach since he walked on behind us in Victoria , 2003.  If we believe in free will then we remember his towering shot over our heads on the first hole.  We had noticed and passed remarks in the parking lot at the club.  I appealed to "god" and he thought I was a priest.


In spite of my initial dislike for his unsolicited advice, in the space of three holes he had not only won me over but in effect became my coach, which he still remains seven years later. He has inspired in us a deeper understanding and love for golf.  But more than that, I believe that friends are seeking friends and that different cultures and backgrounds have much in common.  To me he is my best friend and I feel honored by his friendship.


I encouraged him to use his "think Birdie" calling cards and become more “techie” by becoming a cell-phone user as opposed to sending smoke signals...lol!  We had the pleasure of one annual dinner honoring him and found that all attendees are devotees of Coach and golf, in equal amounts.  No one is more dedicated to his students or to this great game.


We have had the great honor of hosting Coach on our yachts:

Chutzpah (in Sydney ), as our very first boat guest, cruising to Galliano and Pender Islands , 2003.  He quickly learned what “Chutzpah” meant and always attempts to pronounce it properlyJ;

Sea Bear (in Esquimalt Harbor ), in 2004.

 

Then Coach visited us in our home for 10 days, Ventura , CA , 2000.  There I introduced him to surf survival and swimming in the great Pacific Ocean .  Here, religiously every morning at 6:30, he was out on the largest sand trap known to man, i.e. “the beach”, practicing bunker shots and converting early-morning beach walkers to golf.

 

Coach, we love you and look forward to every phone call and too-infrequent reunions!

Hugs,

Howard and Jeri"

Having Lloyd over for dinner in Victoria

I met Lloyd last fall on the ferry from Seattle to Victoria, so this time when he was visiting Victoria I invited him over for dinner February 24th to catch up and meet my husband. Victoria had a snowfall so it was touch and go as to whether the roads were drivable, but it all worked out.

We had a lovely evening having dinner and chatting by the wood fire afterwards and Lloyd is so appreciative, it is a pleasure to have him as a guest. One of the nice things he said was that we had created something special in our home, maybe because of all the work we did as foster parents for nine years.

Lloyd clearly enjoys fires so when it was time to leave and we suggested he stay the night, he was happy to sleep on our pull out couch so he could enjoy the fire for the rest of the night. Our cat also enjoyed having Lloyd's company and it was nice to wake up in the morning with the fire still going!

We had a leisurely breakfast and Lloyd showed me an Irish book he was reading that I also really like called Anam Cara (means Soul Mate in the Irish language) by John O Donohue. After Lloyd left, I felt blessed and warmed by his presence for several days afterwards.

ONE YEAR LATER: HAL AND COACH

February 12, 2010
 I was travelling by sea bus to catch a flight from Vancouver to London Ont. I was in the midst of some pretty stressful personal stuff.  I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to meet Lloyd for the first time.  I originally thought that he was a homeless person looking for a handout.  Instead he just wanted a little information on how to get to the airport by sea bus and Canada line.  I asked him to join me and over the next 40 minutes I began to learn about a person that would have an amazing impact on my life.  He had his putter and wedge with him so our discussion started with golf and moved on to many other topics. I told him how I was a struggling 10 handicap and was hoping to play more in 2010 to get my index back down to the 7 range. He asked about my business and he volunteered some ideas to help me grow my business.  There was something unique about this guy. I enjoyed the most peaceful 40 minutes that I had experienced in quite some time.  It is amazing how people come into your life at just the right time. When our journey ended at the airport, he asked for my business card and told me that the next time he was in Vancouver he would call me and we would play a round of golf. To this point he had not mentioned anything about his coaching.  I assumed he was just another golfer and that I would never hear from him again.
March 2,2010
Lloyd called to say that he had a tee time at Northlands on Friday March 10 at 1:30 and that he had invited a guy named Wes to join us.  I thought this was about helping to build my business.  Was I wrong.  It was much larger than that.
Friday March 10, 2010
I was meeting with a client at my office . The appointment ran late and at 1:00 I realized that I might not have enough time to make our tee time. I thought for a moment that I would call Lloyd and blow off the golf game. After all it was just a round of golf with a guy I had met on a sea bus.  For some reason I knew that I had to make it to this golf game.  I raced from downtown Vancouver and made it to the golf course at 1:35. Lloyd and Wes and Bernie (one of Lloyd's clients) were standing on the tee.  Lloyd introduced me to Wes.  Lloyd told me that he had thought about blowing off the game also because he had to take the ferry to Victoria.  For some reason he knew that he had to make it to this golf game also. We hit our tee shots and wandered down the first fairway. Wes walked over to me in the middle of the first fairway and said "You look like you have got some pretty stressful stuff going on in your life".  How did he know this? I had not discussed my personal stuff with Lloyd.  Beside that, I had just hit a 250yd drive down the middle of the fairway.  That doesn't sound stressful. It is amazing how people come into your life at just the right time. This was the beginning of the most amazing day that I have ever had on a golf course.
God had given us a beautiful day of sunshine.  If you live in Vancouver, you know that sunshine isn't something we see in early March.  After 5 holes I realized that I was even par, as were Lloyd and Wes. Bernie, the student seemed very relaxed also.  We continued our steady play throughout the day but for some reason, the golf didn't matter.  I had some time to talk with Lloyd and found out about his coaching. Wes and I had some time to discuss my stressful life. I can remember both Wes and Lloyd looking up at the clear blue sky beating down with sunshine and saying "I love this game".  This was repeated many times throughout the round.  We were discussing some pretty amazing stuff and Lloyd mentioned his spiritual belief. This was the beginning of one of the many spiritual discussions that Lloyd, Wes and I have enjoyed over the last year. I suggested that maybe God had put us in each others paths for a reason and no one disagreed.  The day just got better.
We were standing on the 16th tee, a short 150 yard downhill par three. We were looking directly into the setting sun. Bernie hit his shot onto the green. Wes hit a 7 iron to about 15 feet and I hit a 7 iron to about 20 feet.  I looked at Lloyd as he walked to the tee and noticed that he had a 7wood in his hand.  That had to be too much club. What was he thinking?  Little did I know of the history of Lloyd and his seven wood. (That's another story for another time). With a smooth 3/4 swing Lloyd hit his ball into the sun. We knew it was at the flag but lost it in the sun. It landed on the green. As we approached the green we could only see three balls on the green. We all had the same thought " It must be in the hole" I was going to say something but Lloyd said  "Don't Jinx it".  The group on the next tee confirmed that it was in fact in the hole. We congratulated Lloyd on his shot. We high fived a little but this had to be the quietest hole in one ever experienced on any golf course.
We moved to the 17th tee, a 460yd par 5. We all drove in the fairway. Wes was at the 150 yard marker after a 310 yard drive.  He had warned us on the tee " hold onto your hats because there will be a vacuum in the air following this swing." He was right.
I was standing with a 5 iron in my hand and was thinking wouldn't it be amazing if i hit this in the hole for a double eagle two, just after Lloyd had made his hole in one on the previous hole. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but I did hit it to 15 feet. What happened next was way more amazing then a double eagle would have been.  Lloyd and Wes walked ahead of me by about thirty yards. They were walking into the setting sun. There was a glow all around them. I stopped in the fairway.
For the last three months I had been praying every day that God would help me to deal with my messed up personal life.  Standing in that fairway, I realized that God had sent me two angels to help me on my journey.
I cried a little (a lot) as I approached the green.
Lloyd and Bernie both one putted for birdie, Wes two putted for his birdie and I knocked in my eagle put. We had just played the 17th hole in 5 under par after witnessing an amazing hole in one on the previous hole. What a day.  As we walked off the 18th green all I could think of was " I LOVE THIS GAME" I don't remember what I shot that day but I know that it was my best day on the golf course EVER.
Did I mention that I have been playing golf for 40 years?
Lloyd and Wes continue to influence my life every day but that is a story for another time.  Stay tuned.

Coach's Journal: January 28, 1988

Our Coach, Lloyd Gauthier, left me his 1988 Journal packed with golf and life tips.  The Journal is an interesting insight into the mindset of our Coach as he attempts to master this game of golf that we all love and make some sense out of this gift of life that we all enjoy.

January 28, 1988 was a Thursday as Lloyd continued his golf mastery quest.  In his journal he wrote: 

"In the golf swing you must take dead aim because the proper set up counts for 80% of the effectiveness of the shot.  The set up provides the foundation to the swing as the lower and upper body work as one unit.  To hit the ball really solid I must make sure to transfer my weight to the left side while making contact with the ball.  The shoulders stay fairly square to the target line on the downswing and my spine angle and head stay down until impact."

On a life note Lloyd wrote:  "Learn to have Patience because Greatness comes one step at a time."

Well that's some more wisdom from the Coach's Journal...Enjoy and Take Dead Aim.

Coach's Journal: January 12, 1988

Our Coach, Lloyd Gathier, left me his 1988 Journal packed with golf and life tips.  The Journal is an interesting insight into the mindset of our Coach as he attempts to master this game of golf that we all love and make sense out of the gift of life that we all enjoy.

January 12, 1988 was a Monday as Lloyd continued his golf mastery quest.  In his journal he wrote "today I discovered the four characteristices of a golf shot:"
1.  Distance
2.  Trajectory
3.  Direction
4.  Spin

He went on to state that the 4 characteristics respond to ball flight laws as follows:
1.  Club head path at impact.
2.  Club face postition at impact.
3.  Squareness of club face at impact.
4.  Angle of attack.
5.  Club head speed at impact.

If you want to know how to apply these ball flight laws, that create that perfect golf shot, give the Coach a call.

On a life note Lloyd had what he called the thought of the day and it was "having peace of mind at the end of the day," thanks for that reminder Coach. 

Till next journal post, "take dead aim"....Wes

Coach's 1988 Journal On Golf and Life (January 1,1988)

Our Coach, Lloyd Gathier, left me his 1988 Journal packed with golf and life tips.  The Journal is an interesting insight into the mindset of our Coach as he attempts to master this game of golf that we all love and make sense out of the gift of life that we all enjoy.

January 1, 1988 was a Friday and across the top of the journal Lloyd wrote down this goal:
"Learn one thing today that will make you a better golfer tomorrow."

Lloyd identifed a number of things that week to help him be a better putter:
1.  Keep the putter low and inside on the take back.
2.  Keep the head steady while putting.
3.  Learn to putt with arms and shoulders instead of wrists.
4.  The left hand/arm does the leading in taking back the putter.

At the bottom of the page Lloyd had referenced Psalms 1:3 which states:
"He will be like a tree firmly planted by steams of water, which yeilds its fruit in its seasons and its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers."

Psalms 1 talks about being blessed and living a righteous life...something that all of us can agree with.

Untill next journal entry, squeeze the joy out of golf and life...Wes

Happy New Year from the Coach

Happy New Years everyone - Coach Lloyd here - back in Victoria. I wanted to tell you about my trip to Phoenix.
I left Victoria on Dec 27th and arrived in Phoenix - unfortunately my golf bag did not arrive with me. That golf bag had my favorite 7 wood and a 48 degree club that goes exactly 80 yards every time I swing it. I stayed with my good friend Gary Lamontagne and his wife Sharon.
Day One - I used Sharon's clubs to play my first round of golf in Phoenix. The second shot on the first hole was on a side-slope hitting to the green with a 5 wood - I slipped and lost my balance. There and then I realized street shoes won't cut it. At the next tee, I took off my shoes and played in my Footjoy socks. After that I pared the next 5 holes. After 9 holes, Gary felt sorry for me and had his daughter Terry-Lynn bring a share pair of golf shoes from home and deliver them to the course. However, the shoes were a little tight and Gary took pity on me again and graciously switched shoes with me. These shoes were a little bit larger and my feet were now happy.
Day 2 - 2nd game - my clubs are still AWOL
Day 3 - I awoke at 4 am. At this point I surrendered my favorite clubs to the fates. At 6:20 am the phone rang to say my clubs had been found!!! Lesson Learned - You never know how precious something is until you don't have it.

Things got better from that point on. I visited the PING factory in Phoenix. I wanted to get a new shaft for my driver that had cracked a while ago. While I was there a staff members saw that the head was also cracked and they replace the whole driver at no cost. I was so impressed with the helpfulness of the staff that assisted me and I have nothing but praise for PING.

The best shot of the holiday was with my 7 wood (of course) which came to within inches of getting an eagle on the 3rd hole (570 yds par 5) at the Trilogy Golf Course in Gilbert (southeast of Phoenix). The course was in fabulous shape and the greens were fast. I enjoyed playing with Gary and his neighbours Brian & Scotty, who may well be joining us in October for our annual Coach & Friends dinner.

For the first couple of days, Phoenix was experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in their history. There were frost delays & rain most days. (but better than 3 feet of snow in Alberta and Saskatchewan.) By the time I left the temperature was returning to normal in the mid 60's.

Every day after a cold round of golf I enjoyed happy hour and a relaxing soak in the hot tub at Gary's place. This holiday was a much appreciated break from 2 months of survey work in Alberta & BC.

A big thank you to Gary & Sharon for their great hospitality and also to Terry-Lynn, Thomas and their 2 wonderful boys Cohen & Cole, who made the Christmas holiday feel like home.

New Years Greetings From Phoenix

Got a phone call from the Coach New Year's Eve wishing all his friends and students a fantastic 2011.  Lloyd wants all of you to "Think Birdie" for 2011 and have the most fun ever.

The Coach is in Phoenix for the next few weeks with plans to move on to Florida if the Universe agrees.  Right now the weather in Phoenix is a little chilly but still great for golf.  As they say, "a chilly day on the golf course beats a warm day at the office." 

Happy New Year To All and Think Birdie