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Fore! Vancouver Open Media Day 2013

It's not often that a run-of-the-mill average golfer gets to tee it up with a professional. Fortunately for me, I got to do it for the second time in as many years.

It's not often that a run-of-the-mill average golfer gets to tee it up with a professional. Fortunately for me, I got to do it for the second time in as many years. This past Monday, to promote the upcoming 2013 Saputo Vancouver Open and Charity Pro-Am, members of the media were invited to attend “The Vancouver Open Media Day” at Langara Golf Course.

Hosted by the city’s three municipal courses (Fraserview, Langara and McLeerey), the Vancouver Open boasts a cash and prize purse of $125,000! The three BC pros who attended the media event were Vancouver Golf Tours highly ranked Ryan Williams, 2012 Vancouver Open winner Eugene Wong, and Langley's finest Darren Wallace. The day began with a buffet breakfast and some inspiring words from Vancouver Parks Board Commissioner Trevor Loke, Vancouver Park’s Supervisor of Golf Course Operations Howard Norman, Vancouver Golf Tour Commissioner Fraser Mulholland, and others. The Parks Board does lots of amazing work with the Greater Vancouver YMCA’s “The First Tee” program and they've incorporated bird houses, bat boxes, bee gardens and orchards in and around the courses in line with Vision Vancouver's Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. Also, starting this June, food and beverage carts will be roaming the courses!

Darren Wallace, the pro assigned to my foursome, was really fun to tee it up with. He injured his ankle the day before but battled through the round with a radical one footed finish to spare himself pain. It's always amazing to witness super good golfers hit great shots. It started drizzling on the 7th hole and raining steadily by the 11th. My playing partner Ken Williams (who designed the 10th hole on the Pagoda Ridge Golf Course) came extra prepared and hooked me up with his spare umbrella! Thanks Ken! Also in my group was another country club fellow named John who hit tons of great drives and almost all fairways in regulation.

VIA would like to thank our gracious hosts Jeff and Tara Ciecko, co-presidents of CK Golf Solutions Ltd for inviting us to this amazing event.

For more information on the 2013 Saputo Vancouver Open and Charity Pro-Am (June 11-15) including news, tickets or to volunteer visit www.vancouveropen.ca.