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It's hard to believe this will be the final newsletter for the year 2009! Almost 1200 golf enthusiasts are receiving this piece each month and overall the response has been encouraging.
2009 has been an interesting year at the Museum, and this serves as a great opportunity to look forward to 2010 – an Olympic year in Vancouver and a Telus Skins Game year in Victoria – and all that is in store for the golf community.
Please send your feedback on our newsletter and continue to look at our web site as we update the appearance and the content over the next couple of months.
Remember, golf is the game of a lifetime! Encourage a friend or relative to learn to play this year!
Sincerely,
Barrie McWha
Executive Director
2545 Blanca St., Vancouver, BC, V6R 4N1
604 222-4653 (GOLF)
www.bcgolfmuseum.org
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Major Events for 2010
One significant project already underway is a Strategic Plan for the society. It has been said (by someone more famous than me) that "if you are still doing things the same as you were five years ago, you are being left behind". For that reason the Board has determined it is time to examine the plan for the Museum and Hall of Fame and the Society itself. While the public face of the organization is the BC Golf Museum and Hall of Fame, the actual corporate name is BC Golf House Society. It will be interesting to see what comes out the discussions that started this fall, and you will certainly read about it here first!
Normally each February you will find the Museum display at the Vancouver Golf and Travel Show at BC Place. Due to the Olympics using BC Place stadium there won't be a show this coming year.
However, on the calendar for next year will be the Tradition Golf Classic, the major fundraiser of the year for the Museum, scheduled for Wednesday May 26th at University Golf Club! I invite you to check out the information on our web site regarding the details of the event. Remember those that play always have first opportunity to enter the following year's event, which we are delighted to announce will be at the Vancouver Golf Club in 2011, Shaughnessy G&CC in 2012 and Beach Grove G&CC in 2013!
Hickory days are now being developed on for golf course men's days / nights. Watch for the details in the newsletter in 2010. Our plan is to hold 10 of these events as a great way to showcase the equipment of a bygone era and have some fun and prizes, as well as raise some revenues for the continued operation of the Museum.
On the that note we are also working on plans for a Hickory Golf Classic for later in the season in 2010....details to be announced soon!
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Item of Note
A website chronicling the life and career of Albert Murray, the youngest person to ever win the Canadian Open and one of Canada's great players, teachers and architects is now available through the links on the Museum web site. I encourage you to browse through it.
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Thinking of a Gift???
Arv Olson's new book chronicls the life and times of the late great Stan Leonard, a member of both the Golf Hall of Fame of BC and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame is available at the Museum at a cost of only $24.95 $19.95 (Christmas special pricing) ....the perfect gift for the golfer in the family
The Museum will be open each afternoon, Wednesday through Sunday until December 18th.
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Thanks to Our Volunteers
This season we were fortunate to find several volunteers to help out at the Museum and I would like to take this space to introduce them and thank them for their invaluable contributions of time and energy.
 Glen Muri
Glen is originally from Saskatchewan, moving to Vancouver at a young age. He graduated from UBC and managed the family hardware and building supply business, retiring in 1995. He became a golfer just prior to retirement starting at Seymour GC. He is now active with the Wednesday men's club at University GC. Glen has been contacting golf courses in the interior and the Kootenays to raise awareness of the Museum's golf course history reference library.
 Denny Peck
Denny Peck has been a fixture around University GC for as long as most can remember. He started playing golf here in 1977 and then began working in the old pro shop (beside the current 17th tee) in 1980 and did so until the course renovation in 1985. For a time he worked elsewhere and then returned to join the Course Maintenance department in 1994 where he worked until a disability forced him into early retirement in 2005. He continues to play with weekend men's club and will also play with the Wednesday men's club next year.
 Bob Tate
Bob, a graduate of McGill University was in the golf business for almost forty years. He and his wife Pat were responsible for bringing Cobra golf clubs to Canada and were instrumental in the early success of that company, along with developing their own clothing brand. Bob is a member at Beach Grove G&CC and has been contacting golf clubs on Vancouver Island to raise awareness of the Museum's course history reference library.
Mitzi Bonshor
Mitzi Bonshor is a combination part time employee and part time volunteer at the Museum. She has been so very helpful in cataloging all the trophies on display as well as keeping the database of members and email contacts up to date. As more people take an interest in the Museum there are more records to keep. Thanks so much Mitzi!
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National Golf Course Owners' Conference
The NGCOA annual national conference was in Vancouver in early November and the Golf Museum was invited to participate at a reception for the 300 plus delegates, held at the Vancouver Aquarium. President John Snyder, Historian Mike Riste and Volunteer Bob Tate represented the Society with displays of old clubs and balls and conducted a putting contest that was a big hit! Our display was part of a BC pavilion within the reception.
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Langara and Zone 4 Meet at the Museum
The Langara Men's Club held their Fall meeting at the Museum on November 7th, followed by the Zone 4 Fall meeting. There was an excellent turnout for both, and once again allowed golfers to tour the Museum and become more familiar with its exhibits. These meetings are a result of the move to encourage groups to use the Museum for meetings.
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Financial Challenges Ahead!
The Golf Museum and Hall of Fame is not alone in dealing with the challenging economic times. This past fall we learned that the Lottery funding that has been available annually would not be available this year, and we certainly aren't anticipating it will return any time soon! Typically that would amount to approximately $20,000 that would cover capital equipment purchases, building repairs or renovations, artefact acquisitions and such items. The challenge now is to create a capital fund to handle such matters!
We are currently examining new and innovative ways to be of value to the golf community and to seek out individual and corporate patrons. The BC Golf House Society is a registered not-for-profit society under Revenue Canada rules and is able to provide tax receipts for donations. If that fits with your year end tax planning, please keep the Museum in mind.
I also encourage everyone to go online and become a supporting member of the BC Golf House Society. While the membership fee, good through 2010, is always helpful, so is it important to see the interest and participation of a vibrant membership base.
Please check the website for the up to date list of Members of the BC Golf House Society.
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The List of Patrons Grows!
Thank you one and all for your continued interest in, and support of, the BC Golf House Society.
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CK Golf Solutions
Coast Hotels and Resorts
Ron Chong
Golf Fore Gals
Don Griffiths
Lanagara GC Men's Club
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Pacific Northwest Golf Association
Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club
Vancouver Golf Club
Val Westell
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Dick White
Ken Wood
Marty Zlotnik
Zone 4 Men
Zone 4 Women
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Happy Holidays!
 On behalf of the Board of Directors, and myself, please enjoy the coming holiday season with good health, happiness and prosperity.
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