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GOLF QUOTE
It takes hundred of good golf shots to gain confidence, but only one bad one to lose it.
Jack Nicklaus
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Bill Mattick's Happy Hour
3-5pm daily!
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THE FORWARD PRESS
Cordova Bay's June
Newsletter
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Cordova Bay's Golf Week - June 24th - July 2nd
Cordova Bay is excited to be hosting our first ever Golf Week - a week full of events for golfers of all ages and skill levels.
One of our events, the RBC Charity AM/AM, will be raising money for the BC Cancer Foundation to bring a PET/CT scanner to the Victoria facility. This event will be an 18 hole, 1:30 shotgun followed by dinner. You will be joined by a player from the RBC Cordova Bay Invitational - an elite amateur event happening during Golf Week.
To learn more about the RBC PGA of Canada Scramble happening on July 2nd,
please click here. You could win a trip to Cabot Links!
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Doug Grove
September 12, 1929 - May 19, 2017
by Mohan Jawl
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Many years ago on the first day of a trip to Japan, I witnessed a scene that still sticks in my mind - two people bowing to each other in a gesture of thanks. Nothing particularly unusual in that, but this couple, a middle-aged man and woman, did not stop with a single bow. They kept going on and on, in one case, one party chased the other half way down the block to get in the last bow.
Doug Grove and I played out our own version of this Japanese custom, he continually thanking me for allowing him to be part of an organization in which he had such great pride, and my thanking him for being so instrumental in creating an organization in which he and the rest of us could have such pride.
Allowing him to be part of the organization? What a joke! He was here years before I arrived. He and Laurie operated the nine-hole course and driving range which they took over from Bill Mattick in 1975. They built up quite a following, first at Douglas Golflands on Vanalman Avenue, and then out here at Cordova Bay.
And such a loyal following it was. During the construction of the new course, their old customers and friends would arrive in twos and threes and sit outside on a bench in front of what use to be their old clubhouse, now the Administration Office. They were there to bear witness to the destruction of their pride and joy, their "Old Course". We deliberately left the area around what is now the 9th green intact until the last stage of the construction of the new course. When it could be left no longer and the deed was done, one of them wrote a poem lamenting the end of an era, an old gem giving away to something new and fancy, something with no character at all, something which brutally erased all the memories of pleasant afternoons spent in good company.
We could not salvage much of the "Old Course". Just a couple of vital parts ---- a row of magnificent lombardy poplars and the biggest prize of all, the twosome of Laurie Carrol and Doug Grove. On the opening day of the new course, July 6, 1991, Laurie hit the first drive right down the middle of the fairway - a good omen. That first day was reserved for staff. The public opening was the next morning and who was there standing tall on the first tee dressed in all his finery, announcing the first groups, none other than our Doug Grove. The image of these two local golf icons at the opening will be forever embedded in my mind. They got us going and have helped steer the course ever since.
The position of starter, although fairly common today was fairly new back then. Where it existed it was there to regulate traffic onto the first tee. We had something more in mind, and in Doug Grove, we had the perfect candidate to do the job. If Doug enjoyed his work it was because it came to him so naturally. He was given no script. We watched him perform his magic, recorded what we saw and it became the script. Hugs, smiles and words of encouragement for the ladies. Friendly jibes and good-natured insults for the men.
Doug's influence was not limited to the starter's stand. It radiated throughout the organization. He set the standard when it came to customer interactions. We had no need for Super Host training - we had Doug. During his 26 years at Cordova Bay he did more to define the culture of this organization than anyone else.
During the past two years, while battling illness, those who witnessed his reception during periodic visits to the golf course could see the esteem in which he was held. The love and affection that was showered on him helped sustain him during a difficult time. He loved this golf course and all those who came here. And we just adored him. This emotion was on display at the Ladies' Club Championship two years ago when unannounced, Doug showed up to participate in the awards ceremony. The reaction to his appearance was one that will not soon be forgotten by those who were there.
Golf is a great game, but it is just a game. What we have here, what Doug helped create, is something more. We are grateful for the legacy he leaves us and accept the responsibility that goes with it. Thank you Doug ---- and sorry, but this time my friend I get the last bow.
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September 12, 1929 - May 19, 2017 |
Mohan Jawl
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FLOWERS OF THE BAY - Kentucky Coffeetree
by Emily Richardson, Horticulturalist
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The plants and trees are finally catching up with the season as we head towards another gorgeous summer. If you are visiting us for a round of golf you are treated to a variety of interesting plant specimens out on the golf course. However, if you are visiting us for a meal at Bill Mattick's, you might only catch a glimpse of the clubhouse gardens or parking lot. Luckily, some of our most interesting gardens and trees are planted in these areas!
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I have previously featured the handkerchief tree, Davidia involucrata, which is in full-force right now outside the pro-shop windows. The Katsura trees, or Cercidiphyllum, on the kiosk lawn are another interesting tree with a sneaky fall treat. One tree that goes mostly unnoticed is the Kentucky Coffeetree planted in the perennial garden and overhanging the parking lot. If you have ever parked under it in the fall, you might know which tree I'm talking about!
The Kentucky Coffeetree can be identified by its rough, furrowed bark and large seed pods. Native to the United States, the tree gets its common name from the pioneers who used the seeds as a coffee substitute. I wouldn't recommend trying the same, but I would suggest admiring the large dried pods, some of which are still hanging from the branches today.
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The Kentucky Coffeetree is of the last trees to emerge in the spring; it has only recently started to break new buds with this late spring we've been having. It is also one of the first trees to drop its leaves at the end of the season, exposing the interesting branch structure and seed pods. This means that the skeleton framework of the tree is featured for most of the year. When the leaves emerge in the spring, they are large and airy, changing from a dark blue-ish green in the summer to yellow in the fall. You're lucky if you snag a parking spot under the shade of this tree if only to admire its unique qualities.
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You can hear about other interesting specimen trees on our Tree Walk this coming month.
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PRO-SPECTIVE: How to cope with "bad golf"
by Doug Mahovlic, PGA of Canada
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One of the many things that I hear about during a lesson program is "losing it" during a round or a good front nine followed by a bad back nine. "How can I go from so good to so bad?"
Understand this,
everyone goes from really good to mediocre to really bad in any given round. Sometimes all of those on one hole. Have you watched golf on television?
Accept "what is" hope for "what may be" and look for what makes your good happen.
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BE YOUR OWN BEST CADDIE
Talk yourself into better golf with positive self-talk:
Self-talk, otherwise known as internal dialogue or intrapersonal communication, is one of the main functions of our conscious mind. It allows us to make sense of our conflicting thoughts and express our ideas and feelings to ourselves. Most of the time we talk to ourselves internally and sometimes, particularly after a bad shot, we share our self-talk with everyone in earshot.
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Self-talk really comes into its own when we are internally analyzing and evaluating complex choices in our lives. A good example is when you are starting your pre-shot routine and deciding on the type of shot you're going to play. Have you ever had one voice in your head proposing an ambitious shot with a driver and another one encouraging you to make a more conservative shot with an iron? Don't worry about it, it's perfectly normal!
The concept is that whatever we consciously think about, our unconscious mind does its best to deliver.
Self-talk is the most powerful and influential mechanism for conscious thought. So if you talk to yourself about the bunker you're trying to avoid, rather than the green you should be aiming to hit, your unconscious is likely to put you in the bunker! It's important to think and talk to yourself positively about your target and your desired shot - the one you visualized earlier, perhaps.
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What you say to yourself after you hit your shot is just as important as what you say when you're hitting the shot. Internal communication has a really significant impact on your mood, attitude and effectiveness. Berating yourself angrily is only going to make you feel bad. It also means that you're likely to relive that same feeling the next time you have a similar shot to play and consequently hit an equally bad shot. It's important to learn from a bad shot, as long as you do it positively and release it to the past where it can't hurt you.
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Positive self-talk is even better for you than negative self- talk is bad for you. So talk positively to yourself about the shot you're about to play,
be your best friend, be the person you would like to play with.
One of the best ways to do this is to talk to yourself positively about the shot you want to make, visualize the shot vividly and think about your visualized shot as you hit the ball. It's difficult to allow negative self-talk to enter your head when you're focusing completely on something positive.
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The same applies to your post shot routine, especially after you've hit a good shot.
Relish your good shots, feel really good about them, review them vividly in your mind and tell yourself how good they are. That way, you'll feel really good the next time you have a similar shot.
Positive self-talk is what you're looking for and the only person you can rely on to say those positive things, is you.
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THE PROGRAM
THE PROGRAM is your opportunity to really improve your ability to play the game. The foundation of THE PROGRAM is
two private lessons each month
, with the professional of your choice. Schedule these lessons to suit your timetable. To augment your private lessons, join us for
any six of eight "Scheduled Opportunities" offered each month. Contact Brian Hann or Doug Mahovlic to chat about THE PROGRAM!
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Doug Mahovlic
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NEW IN THE PRO SHOP: Callaway Chrome Soft X
by George Ahara, Cordova Bay Pro Shop
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Introducing Callaway's new Chrome Soft X Golf balls.
Chrome Soft X is designed with Callaway's innovative dual softfast core that is designed to simultaneously elevate speed and feel for an unbeatable combination of distance, feel and control.
These new balls are longer and softer for a piercing, workable ball flight combined with a high degree of greenside control.
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Callaway Chrome Soft X balls will be available in the pro shop June 2017.
They join our current Callaway stock of:
- Callaway Super Soft - $28/dozen
- Callaway Chrome Soft - $50/dozen
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George Ahara
Cordova Bay Pro Shop
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BILL MATTICK'S: T'is the season for rosé
by Grant Soutar, Restaurant Manager
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Rosé. There, I wrote it, in your mind you said it and we both cringed. For most people, mentioning the word Rosé conjures up bad memories of 70's, cheap, sweet and pink wines made by the truckload; sold as fast as it was made and consumed just as quickly. The name Mateus may even come to mind...
shudder
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That's how I used to feel. Now I relish the idea of an afternoon on a sunny patio (we have 2) with a rosé. Particularly a bubble rosé because I now understand you don't have to suffer through poor quality to drink rosé. Quality producers have breathed new life into this often maligned wine style and the experts predict that 2017 will be the "Year of the Rosé". You just need to know what to look for.
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Rosés come in many styles and flavours. They can be made as still wine, sparkling, dry or sweet. Name a red wine grape - it is probably used to make rosé somewhere. In most major wine regions, the same grapes that make red wine are used to make their rosés. Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault dominate in Provence. In Bordeaux, all 5 blending grapes can be found in rosé. Pinot and Gamay Noir in Burgundy and throughout France. In Italy, Sangiovese, Lambrusco and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo make rosé. Even Nebbiolo, the grape used in one of the worlds boldest reds, Barrolo, is used to make beautifully complex rosé wine. Final colour and flavour are determined not only by the grape but also what happens in the winery. There are essentially 3 ways to make Rosé (pink) wine.
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Note: the flesh of essentially all wine grapes is clear. What makes a wine red is not the colour of the juice but the process of Maceration. The crushing of grapes and subsequent fermentation with the juice left in contact with the skins. The skins impart the desired colour on the wine.
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1. Skin Contact:
Grapes with black skins are picked and crushed but rather than removing the juice immediately, as in white wines, or leaving the juice in contact through fermentation, like red wines, the juice is left in contact for a few hours to a few days. The resulting pink juice is then fermented into a still, rosé wine with the same process used to make white wine.
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2. Saignée (bleeding off):
Some red wine makers wish to concentrate colour and flavour in their wines. To do this, they will bleed off and save a small amount of juice shortly after crushing. The reduced volume absorbs more tannins, colours and flavours resulting in a more robust red product. As in step 1, the removed pink juice is fermented into rosé.
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3. Blending:
In some parts of the world, wine makers will produce separate white and red still wines then blend them together. A little red in a lot of white makes the desired pink colour. This method is uncommon and even banned in some wine regions, particularly France (except in Champagne where very good quality bubble is made using this method).
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Southern French regions of Provence, Rhone Valley (Tavel), Languedoc-Rousillon are probably the best known source for quality rosé, but many other wine regions are producing fine examples as well, including BC.
One of the greatest attributes of quality Rosé wine is the balance between the flavours and aromas of red wine grapes and the crisp, clean and refreshingly cool flavours you expect from white wine.
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So, how do you chose a rosé and not be disappointed?
1. Look at the vintage.
Rosés are generally not age-worthy so for this summer you should be looking for 2016 wines. That said, some rosés will retain enough freshness, acidity and fruit to be good for 1 or 2 years but it will be hit and miss.
2. Decide on a style.
Are you looking for still or sparkling? Dry, off-dry or sweet.
- There are some fantastic sparkling rosés made using the traditional champagne method. Look for a French "Cremant de (Bourgogne, Bordeaux or Loire) Rosé" Very good at a fraction of Champagne cost.
- Most old world rosés are dry. Whether old or new world, check the label. If it doesn't tell you if it is sweet or dry, the alcohol by volume can help. Generally 12% or less will be off-dry to sweet. 13% or higher will be dry.
3. Ask about the grape.
Some grapes produce a more fruity style (eg. Sangiovese, Grenache, Cinsault); some savoury (eg. Syrah, Tempranillo or Cabernet); Sweet (zinfandel); elegantly fruity (Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir) and some more floral (Mourvedre).
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I tend to like the more fruity with a balance of acidity and floral, but it is all personal preference. There is no downside to experimenting with different styles and grapes until you find your favourite. Now that summer is apparently here, I look forward to seeing many of you sitting on one of our beautiful patios, sipping a cool, crisp rosé. Or hearing about the rosé you enjoyed on your patio at home. Fabulous.
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Grant Soutar
Bill Mattick's Restaurant Manager
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CANADIAN ANTI-SPAM LEGISLATION
As of July 1, 2014 a new legislation was put in place to combat spam marketing and email.
Cordova Bay fully supports this legislation and wants to make sure all of our emails are sent to those wishing to receive them. We hope you continue to read our newsletter, but if you wish to unsubscribe we always provide this option in all of our communications. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Cordova Bay Golf Course
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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