The Great Northlands Challenge 2012

       Seated at Coach's office at Northland Golf Course clockwise is Hugh, Coach, Wes and Hal.

Each Spring when the Coach first arrives in Vancouver it is time for the Northlands Golf Challenge.
The competition is a best ball match play format with Coach and Hugh Forster taking on Hal McInerney and Wes Hadikin.

Last year the Coach and Hugh were victorious in winning the Challenge with Coach posting an incredible par 71 on the tough Northlands layout and beating Hal and Wes one up with one to play.  However, for 2012 Hal and Wes were ready and out for revenge.  When the dust settled on April 14, 2012 both Hal and Wes each shot their best scores ever of 72 recording a best ball 5 under score and beating Coach and Hugh 2 up with 2 to play.  The victory was sweet revenge and the beer and burgers tasted just that much better. 

There is already trash talking going on about the 2013 Northlands Challenge but for this year Hal and Wes will enjoy well deserved bragging rights.

24 Laws of Golf

Dennis Halabecki sent me the following 24 Laws of Golf that seem so true, here are the first 12 Laws with more to come:

LAW 1:
No matter how bad your last shot was, you should have Inner Peace knowing that a worse one is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

LAW 2:
Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever.  The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

LAW 3:
Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.  Expensive clubs have been known to be partly made with this most unusual natural alloy.

LAW 4:
Golf balls never bounce off of trees back into play. If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

LAW 5:
The higher a golfer's handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

LAW 6:
A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group.

Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and an IRS agent -- or some similar combination.

LAW 7:
All 3-woods are demon-possessed. Your Mother in Law does not come close.

LAW 8:
Golf balls from the same "sleeve" tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water. See LAW 3.

LAW 9:
The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

LAW 10:
Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

LAW 11:
All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset.

LAW 12:
Since bad shots come in groups of three, your fourth consecutive bad shot is really the beginning of the next group of three.

Thanks...Dennis

Friends of Coach Giving Back

This morning I got a call from one of Coach's friends who loves golf but also loves helping others.  This is Doug's story about helping others he wishes to share with Coach and Friends.

I was talking to Lloyd, and told him briefly about our trip to Guatemala.  Ten of us from Bonavista Baptist Church travelled to Guatemala on March 3, and returned March 11.  We built eight houses for local families identified with a need for “help”.  We work under the “Arms of Jesus”, an organization based in Pickering Ontario.

The local Arms of Jesus school in Parramos, Guatemala is schooling 500 kids, and helping in whatever capacity in the local area.  We also painted a section of the school, and in addition helped pour a slab of cement for four additional classrooms.  (the old fashion way, I may add)

So the first link is our Blog, while there, and it is:  http://bbcguatemalamission2012.blogspot.ca/

and the small video on You tube is:  Link:  http://youtu.be/OT5jYLkHXBc

   

Thanks;

Douglas Goble

Global Seismic Repairs Inc.

Calgary, Alberta

Count Your Golfing Blessings

For my golfing friends, you can appreciate that if you aren't feeling really good today, or you had a bad night, or your cleats are slipping, or your wife nagged at you, or the weather isn't too good, or any other excuse you
have, just watch this guy!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=aw-nt0eTb2w

Henry Zipser

Rembering Lynn Jackson: Lloyd's Thoughts

There are few people that come into your life that you can truly call a "friend of the heart", I lost one of those special people earlier this month and my heart continues to ache.

My friendship with Lynn and Norm began ten years ago when they welcomed me into their life and their home. Lynn was an integral part of the Coach And Friends Event, not only for her organizational skills but by sharing her "Voice Of An Angel" with us. I know that her magical voice will comfort us for eternity.

Whenever I met with Lynn my spirit was uplifted .Whenever I needed a special favor she was the first to respond. She shared her love for life with everyone she met.
Norm, you are an amazing and loving man . You are so lucky to spend so many years with Lynn. I know that there will be times when YOU need a special favor, I promise you that I will be the first to respond.

I will miss Lynn "my friend of the heart and spirit"
I will think of her every day:

All my Love- Coach Lloyd

Sad News The passing of a great friend and golfer

Lynn Jackson was one of Lloyd first clients and a very dear friend. Here is the obituary from the Times Colonist newspaper.

JACKSON, Lynn M. The world is a sadder place today due to the passing of Lynn M. Jackson, also known as Sparkle the Clown. For over 30 years Sparkle was an entertainer of children and adults alike. Through her original music, magic show and balloon artistry, Sparkle was a consummate thespian. With her musical partner Kenan Sweezy, she performed at The Islands Folk Festival, Folk Life inSeattle, Hillside Mall, Clown Fest at Galey's Farm, and elsewhere. Lynn was born
in 1946, at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables Florida when it was a military
hospital. She grew up in Louisville Kentucky, moved to Canada and met Norman
Jackson in Edmonton. Norm and Lynn have been married for 32 years. For 21 of
those years they owned Selkirk Guest House BB in Victoria, BC. Lynn is
survived by her children Rachel Cooper, and Dave and Douglas Jackson,
heartdaughter Laura; eight grandchildren; mother 88 year old Tilly; brothers
Robb and Charlie; sisters Lisa and Barbara. Lynn had Cancer for 4 years and
passed away in Victoria Hospice February 6, 2012. A Bahai service at Royal Oak
Burial Park in the Woodlands section will take place on February 8, 2012 at
2 pm. Costumes are optional. Donations in memory may be made to the Cancer
Agency or Victoria Hospice. A celebration of Lynn's life will take place at
Norway House on February 17th, from 3 to 10pm. Please bring musical
instruments. Sparkles costumes will be silently auctioned with proceeds to
Victoria Hospice.

The Golfer: Part 1 By Mitcho

You can have your marijuana, you can drink your beer and rye,

Just give me a scenic Golf Course and a cloudless summer sky.

A man needs no other incentive except a true love for the game,

Add a ball, some golf clubs and a friend who feels the same.

It’s really a wonderful feeling when you set the ball on the tee,

You may be playing a four par but you hope to knock it in for three.  

The next hole I hit a fantastic tee shot with this drive I hope to lower my score,

I see another golfer way down the fairway so I quickly yell “fore”.

He looks back and waves when he sees me and tells me to go ahead and play through,

I take dead aim and hit a real hot sizzler, would you believe it rolls into the cup for two.

So have your wine and spirits and other opiates too,

But give me my scenic Golf Course and in my mind I will shoot a seventy-two.  

      

                          ---Poem by Mitcho (Mitcho's Storey will be featured later)