LANGARA’S GOLF PROFESSIONALS
Alexander Nathan (Nat) Cornfoot 1926 – 1939
Bill Barr (Professional Glen Oakes Men’s Club) 1927 – 1930
Ben Colk 1939 – 1960
Lyle Crawford 1960 – 1967
Ray McInnally 1968 – 1991
Muncie Booth 1991 –
ALEXANDER NATHAN (Nat) CORNFOOT
Nat, the second son of five children, was born in the home of golf St. Andrews Scotland. Like most male youngsters his age he attended school until about age fifteen then began an apprenticeship as a club maker in one of the local factories likely the Forgan or Stewart factories.
Thomas Cornfoot (Nat’s older brother)
Thomas’s story is a very sad one. Ironically his older brother Thomas did not follow the standard. He apprenticed as a stonemason. He arrived in Montreal in 1909. At the US border crossing in 1911 he declared himself a stonemason. But like many Scotsman he soon became a golf professional. Golf flourished on the east coast and golf clubs required professionals to layout the courses and to teach the new members the finer points of the game. Of course any person from St Andrews would know golf; so these men were recruited as the local club professionals.
On his 1912 marriage New York marriage certificate Thomas listed himself as a golf professional. In 1915 he and his wife returned to Montreal to live with sister Annie. In October 1917 he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force declaring himself a stonemason and a widower. Upon his release in 1918 he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to assume the golf professional job at Gorsebrook GC. When Old Ashburn opened in 1920 he transferred. The family including daughter Annie occupied the gatehouse at the golf course. Over the next thirteen years he established a reputation as one of the best professionals in the Maritimes. Tragically everything came to a sad ending on December 20th, 1933. While hunting for a suitable Christmas tree for his daughter he fell through the ice on the golf course reservoir and drowned. Mrs Cornfoot, his second wife, died soon after in December 1936. Annie headed west to live with her uncle “Nat” in Vancouver, BC. She died in Vancouver in 1971.
Nat’s colourful golfing career began after completing his apprenticeship in 1906. He travelled the world seeking work at the exclusive golf clubs. First he worked in Algiers but stayed the longest at the Heliopolis Sporting Club in Egypt from 1912 – 1916. Why Nat moved to Halifax with his wife to work as a car chauffeur in 1916 is unclear. In 1917 he joined the Cameroon Highlanders. While serving overseas he lost part of his left hand during a battle. This handicap did not deter him from a long and fruitful golf career as a noted teacher. After the War he served the Lingan G&CC 1920 – 1926. Nat Cornfoot probably accepted the professional position at the new Langara Golf Links in Vancouver because his sister Annie married a Vancouver businessman after the War. During his thirteen-year tenure at Langara he became noted in Vancouver as a premiere golf instructor with and incredible knowledge of the theory of the golf swing. Fortunately the CPR constructed the first driving range in Vancouver at Langara. Golfers came from all the private clubs to improve their game under the tutelage of the local guru Nat Cornfoot. According to manager Frank Soutar: “Nat would work ten hours a day seven days a week at the range to satisfy the demand from the local golfers – public and private course players.
In 1933 Nat travelled throughout the Orient for six months selling a new line of golf equipment for the local manufacturer Pro-Made Golf Company, Vancouver, BC and laying out golf courses.
Although he was well past his prime news clippings indicate he enlisted in the Canadian Army during the Second World War. For three years the fifty year old served in the Royal Artillery and the Merchant Navy. After the War he became the professional at the Port Alberni GC and retired from golf in the mid fifties. Upon his death August 22, 1962 his obituary listed second wife Marion, daughter Catherine Cornfoot, and niece Annie Jane McCarty as survivors.
BILL BARR
Upon the opening of the Langara Golf Links course the Glen Oaks Golf Club formed on August 20th, 1926. Following a standard practice at many courses in Scotland several golf clubs played on the one course. Each of the clubs associated with a golf course hired their own golf professional. Glen Oaks followed this practice. In 1927 the club hired Bill Barr – a recent arrival from Great Britain. The club members probably loyally patronized Bill by taking lessons and purchasing golf supplies because he worked for the membership for the handsome sum of $1 per year. He remained in this position until 1930 when he moved to Quilchena. News clippings indicate Barr became disillusioned with golf in 1935. He did various jobs through the late 1930’s and worked in the Boeing Factory at Sea Island during World War Two. After the War he operated his golf schools in Richmond until his death on December 7th, 1982. Son Peter, and daughters Jean Littlejohn and Wilma Lechkabet survived him. His tenure in Vancouver will be remembered by his love for teaching. In his self published book “GOLF THE BARR-WAY” he describes his roots and his teaching philosophy.
“I was born in Rothesay, Scotland on December 14, 1898. As soon as I was old enough I began golf as a caddy at the local course. At age seventeen I enlisted with the 51st Highland Division and served in the First Great War until 1918. After working at various courses in Scotland and England I immigrated to Vancouver in 1926. I worked for the Glen Oaks Club at Langara and operated downtown golf schools until 1930.”
His little booklet summarizes golf as follows:
Keep yer heid doon-
Dinna hurry yer swing,
The ba’will wait for ye;
It will na run away’
Good Luck
BEN COLK
Born in 1909 in Victoria, British Columbia a question immediately comes to mind with regard to Ben Colk. “Was Ben the first BC born professional in the province?” The answer is “No”. This distinction goes to Walter Gravlin who was born in Victoria in 1898. After the Great War Walter continued his baseball career in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1920 the Macaulay Point Golf Club in Victoria enticed Walter to return home to become their professional. Walter convinced the membership to build a new eighteen-hole golf course that opened in 1922 under the name the Uplands Golf Club.
Colk described how his love for golf began. “My first love was soccer actually. I was a pretty fast outside right. As a matter of fact I had an opportunity to play professionally. My uncle was a great sportsman and in 1922 he took me to Royal Colwood to watch the Pacific Northwest Amateur Golf Championships. From that day on I became more and more fascinated with the game. A short time later I was walking by a golf course (the newly opened Cowichan GC) in Duncan and I saw a player hitting golf balls. I decided I’d go and watch him and after a few minutes he asked me if I wanted to make a quarter. Sure. Go and pick up the balls. He knew I wanted to play so he sent me to Bill Heyworth the club professional. Bill always had old clubs lying around so he gave me an old hickory. Bill loved to encourage youngsters to play golf.”
Little did young Ben realize this relationship would last a lifetime. Ben soon began what would be called in Scotland – his apprenticeship to become a club maker/professional. At fifteen he won the Cowichan Junior championship. After his success he became a permanent fixture at the club – caddying, repairing clubs, cleaning clubs, and playing with the members.
In 1929 at age twenty Ben followed Bill to Hastings Park Golf Course in Vancouver. During his days in Vancouver Ben enhanced his skills as a club maker, teacher, and player. He won the Pacific Northwest Assistants tournament twice. He remained with Bill until 1934 then joined Harry Winder at University as an assistant and he worked for Pro-Made Golf Company to enhance his club making skills. All the steps in the club making process at Pro-Made were done by hand. Finally from 1936 – 1939 Ben worked for the dean of the local professionals Alex Duthie. Because of Alex’s recommendation Ben Colk became the professional at the Langara Links Golf course on April 1, 1939.
Fortunately for young Ben he could now pursue his first love in golf – teaching. Walt McElroy became one of his first students. Soon Ben married Charlotte McElroy, Walt’s sister. Ben played an instrumental role in developing Walt’s golf swing. With Ben’s influence Walt won the 1951 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. With this reputation every promising player in the lower mainland came to Ben for advice. Ben’s stable included Bob Cox, Bob, Kidd, Al Kennedy, Alvie Thompson, and Laurie Roland. Outside Walt Ben’s favourite was clearly Lyle Crawford. Under Ben’s tutelage Lyle raised his game to international levels.
After the War Ben and Stan Leonard became travelling buddies on the winter golf trail in California. When Ben did not qualify for the PGA event he caddied for Stan. Always on the lookout for a business opportunity Ben saw the introduction of the Wagner pull cart to the California golf courses in 1946. The enterprising Ben convinced the owner to give him the Western Canada rights to distribute this new two-wheel caddie.
“Ben has only a small shop, but if you should happen to visit him recently you will find great difficulty getting into the place. He and his assistant Dave Dixon having used all the space to assemble the new pull carts Ben has just imported from California. The two have managed to assemble 250 carts and you’ll see some of them around the city clubs, in Victoria and in the Fraser Valley. So next time you shell out your thirty-five cents and trundle off with your two wheeled caddie give a thought to brave, bold Ben Colk who made it possible.”
In 1948 the Bag-Boy Corporation formed in Portland, Oregon. Within a few years Bag-Boy became the dominant pull cart on the market. On May 31, 1959 Ben passed the torch at Langara to his number one assistant and travelling buddy Lyle Crawford. Ben moved to the new Richmond Country Club. There he laid the groundwork for the development of a great Macan golf course. In 1964 Vince Baker became the head professional and Ben assumed the title Director of Golf. In April 1974 the Richmond club membership assembled to give Ben a shotgun farewell. Members and friends jammed the dining room to pay tribute to this fine professional who served the Vancouver region for fifty-five years.
Upon moving to Parksville Ben managed to remain connected to the golf community by assisting in the renovation of Sunnydale and Eaglecrest and the construction of Fairwinds. Looking back on his teaching career Ben coached five Canadian Junior champions and five runners-up. Most of the top players of the province visited Ben at some point in their career.
LYLE CRAWFORD
Discouraged by his lack of success on the PGA Tour Lyle returned to Vancouver in 1959. When his friend Ben Colk announced he planned to leave Langara for Richmond on May 31, Lyle applied for the vacant position. Crawford won the Langara job over ten other applicants, most of whom were local assistants. After a brilliant amateur career, Crawford turned professional as Colk’s assistant in 1955. This long relationship with Langara likely landed him the job. See Lyle’s complete story at http://www.bcgolfhouse.com/about-the-hall-of-fame/2013-inductees
RAY McINNALLY
Ray and his wife, Marie, arrived in Vancouver in March 1954. The local Province newspaper announced this arrival as “Local Divoters Beware! Irish ace Arrives Here” Ray came with the plan to live and work in Vancouver. As an amateur he finished second to Joe Carr in the West Ireland Championship at Lahinch in 1953. He represented Ireland in fifteen International Matches before his departure. “When I was a kid we could see five courses within view of our home but the one where we played our serious games on was Portmarnock.”
“I turned professional in 1954 and my first job was at the old Grandview Driving Range.” Prior to the opening of Hazelemere in September, 1962 Ray spent two seasons at the Lions Gate Driving Range in North Vancouver. After assisting Hazelemere through its growing pains from 1962 – 1967 Ray succeeded Lyle at Langara. Again Ray arrived at a golf course that was in a transition period. The City Park Board had just purchased a portion of the course from the CPR. Ray now had two bosses: the Langara Links Golf Society and the CPR. Using his Irish charm he managed to improve the course and make the relationship work.
For the next twenty-four years Ray McInnally “can take great pride in the fact that Langara’s success is due in large part to his skills and experience in helping public golfers enjoy the thrills and benefits of a well organized public golf course”
MUNCIE BOOTH
In 1975 Muncie Booth, a Marine Drive member, decided to quit his regular ordinary job to pursue golf full time. With heavy winds all week at Nanaimo Golf Club Muncie led the BC Men’s Amateur Championship by 3 strokes after three rounds. Unfortunately on the final day he soared to a 79 finishing fourth. In the Men’s Invitational to choose the Willingdon Cup team for BC he managed to regain his form to finish second behind Doug Roxburgh. Besides Doug and Muncie, Cec Ferguson and Bill Hobbis formed the 1975 provincial team.
Over the next decade Muncie added the BC Assistants Championship and the 1985 BCPGA Steel Bros Match Play Championship in partnership with old friend Cec Ferguson to his accomplishments. When Ray McInnally retired in 1991 from Langara, the Vancouver Park Board, after an exhaustive search, awarded the head professional position to Muncie in 1992. He came to Langara during tumultuous times. Although the course opened in 1992 Muncie had no pro shop to supply the public golfer with the basic necessities. Finally in 1994 the new clubhouse/pro shop opened for business.
At Langara in 1999 Muncie began the Inner City Youth Golf Program which is aimed at providing disadvantaged children living in the downtown east side of Vancouver with an opportunity to learn and to play golf plus learn the other life skills golf can provide. Today Muncie is recognized as the Director of Golf for the Langara Golf Course.