The February Newsletter
Newsletter Section:
Welcome to 2012
Aaaah... February. There’s nothing like working at a Victoria golf course this time of year. The atmosphere simply vibrates with excitement for the coming year. Those that play all winter grin a little wider as they put the heavy coat back into the trunk before their round. Those who’s clubs get lonely in the closet over the winter months begin to drop by to browse and chat, itching for just a little more sunshine. The Snowbirds, too, start to return home and we’re often one of their first stops – just to reassure themselves that we’re still here and the friendly faces haven’t changed too much.
The staff, too, is busier than any other time of the year. There’s tournaments, Mattick’s Cup, Interclub and, yes, even the Summer League to organize. We also start to slowly welcome back the faces behind the counter that have taken breaks for all or part of the winter. Everyone is full of enthusiasm and ideas for the coming season.
And let me tell you, there’s plenty of new cool stuff coming this year to Cordova Bay Golf Course. We’ve a fantastic new partner in the Pro Shop. Our special events addiction (created last year with the 20th Anniversary) has seen the creation of an International Ladies Day to be held in May. Also in May, the top young players from across Canada will be coming for the National University Championships. I could go on and on, but that would ruin the surprise.
It’s great to be back and we look forward to seeing all of you again this year.
What’s New at Bill’s for 2012
The New Year is here and the summer golf season is just a wedge shot away so you might be wondering what’s going to be new around the clubhouse this year? The answer is, quite a lot.
To begin with we will have some new brews for all to try and by brews I don’t just mean beer. This year we have made a big switch in the coffee we serve at Cordova Bay. We have long believed in the importance of serving the best possible product using the best possible ingredients at the same time being mindful of our impact on the environment. Bill Mattick’s Restaurant now proudly serves the Orca Blend from Spirit Bear Coffee Company. This is a medium-dark roast blend with bold coffee flavours and a smooth, not bitter, finish.
What makes this coffee even more impressive is the company behind it. The Spirit Bear Coffee Company is First Nations owned and operated and is dedicated to sustainability via a Mission Statement that blends Quality, Ecology, Equity & Community. As you might imagine, Spirit Bear is also a fair trade, organic coffee. As part of its mission for sustainability the Spirit Bear Coffee Company has entered into a partnership with our supplier Canterbury Coffee. Through this partnership, 15 cents for every pound sold will be used to enhance & protect the Spirit Bear habitat, including the funding of patrols to prevent bear poaching. We at Bill’s feel that this is a perfect blending of a great product for our customers and responsible corporate practices.
The other new brew will come from Driftwood Brewery this spring and this is your 
opportunity to have a voice in what we have on tap. One of our current offerings, Crooked Coast Amber Ale, will no longer be available on tap so we will be looking to replace it with another delicious Driftwood product. Through the months of February and March let us know your favourite Driftwood brew - Driftwood Ale, Farmhand Ale or Fat Tug IPA. Come April we’ll tally up the votes and the new brew will be on tap for spring.
Another exciting change for this year will be the addition of Wine Makers Dinners. We are currently speaking with some of our BC wine providers to have experts from their vineyard in attendance providing insight into the world of wine making in our area. Look for these events to be multi-course dinners, with wine pairings, on the calendar June through August.
Another big change this year comes after lots of discussion with our Men’s Night players. Instead of the Buffet BBQ of years past, a Men’s Day Menu will be offered featuring a number of specialty menu items developed just for our competitors and changing every week. If those items don’t fit your tastes you’ll be able to order from our regular menu instead. The 
change to the format means there will be no more waiting for the buffet to open and you will be able to order your food whenever your group is ready.
With these and other new events we are looking forward to a fantastic 2012. See you 'round
the clubhouse.
Grant
Valentine's Day at Bill Mattick's
Valentine's - a day for lovers both new and life-long.
Bill Mattick's annual Valentine's Menu offers up wonderful food and beautiful scenery to place everyone in the right mood. (click the image to see the menu)
The Year Ahead
There are many things coming to Cordova Bay this year. Some are small and cool, others are big and boisterous. All are exciting and we’re happy that we have such wonderful people with whom to share it.
The current biggest and most boisterous planned for the year is the 2012 University Championships. Cordova Bay will be welcoming the best and the brightest golfers from across Canada during the last week in May. It’s been a few years since we held a major championship and we’re really looking forward to creating the fair but challenging course conditions that has made Cordova Bay such a favourite stop for high level tournaments.
It’s not just about us, though. With a tournament of this magnitude we’ll need volunteers and community involvement on a massive scale. Keep your eye on our newsletters, blogs and Facebook page for updates on how you can get involved.
Did you know...?
Both times the Canadian Tour played here, in 1994 and in 1998, our 11th hole was the most difficult hole on the entire tour.
Speaking of community involvement the other big project planned at Cordova Bay is the 2012 Victoria Women’s Golf Festival scheduled for May 12th. What, I hear you asking, is the 2012 Victoria Women’s Golf Festival? Well, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Ladi
es’ Club here at Cordova Bay Golf Course. In typical fashion we decided that a gold watch wasn’t enough. Instead we’re going to have a party celebrating women in golf.
Modelled on the 20th anniversary party from last year, we’re inviting women from around Victoria, around the Island and around the world to come and enjoy the comradeship and natural beauty of Cordova Bay Golf Course, a Certified Audubon Sanctuary, while experiencing the game of golf. Sisters, mothers and daughters, golfers and non-golfers alike, are encouraged to come walk the course with the players. Stay tuned for more details.
Slightly less spectacular but no less important are some changes to our tee sheet. Firstly, instead of the approximately 19 different seasons and rate changes (an exaggeration, but it must have felt that way at times) we’ve decided that an ‘in season’ and ‘out of season’ rate are plenty enough for our members and guests (not to mention the folks behind the counter) to cope with. ‘In season’ will be from April 1st to Thanksgiving and ‘Out of season’ will be from Thanksgiving to March 31st.
Summer League will also get a minor make over. There will still be great golf at a great price but we’ve reworked some of the details to make it better. Those details will available in the coming days.
2012 is already shaping up to be a banner year here at The Bay and it’s still only February. We’re excited. Really, really excited.
See you on the course,
Stephen Binder
Titleist / Foot Joy Join Cordova Bay
Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Casablanca, 1942)
You may have seen a few new items from Titleist featured in the golf shop recently. These items are the first arrivals of a new partnership we have formed with Titleist and FootJoy for the 2012 season.
Long a leader in the golf industry Titleist continues to produce outstanding equipment for players of all abilities. Their current driver offering the 910 D2 and D3 provide two great options to players, couple the option in head design with the adjustability of Face Angle and Loft and you have a myriad of options in one single club. Titleist has complimented the driver with an outstanding line up of fairway clubs and irons to suit players of all levels. Vokey Wedges and Scotty Cameron putters, too, fall under the Titleist umbrella and will be featured in our golf shop for 2012.
Rest assured that Titleist equipment is all able to be custom fit here at Cordova Bay which stays in line with our belief that all clubs should be custom fit for you before purchase.
FootJoy has been making shoes since 1857! Luckily they are not working on the same pair…rather they have been and continue to be an industry leader in the golf shoe business. Perhaps one of the most exciting features that Foot Joy brings to us is the ‘My Joys’ program which allows you to be the designer of your very own custom pair of shoes.
New for 2012 is the launch of a complete FootJoy clothing line. We will feature two of the collections in the Pro Shop this spring / summer. Classic in design, the clothing offered by FootJoy is technical in choice of fabrics that are designed with the golfer in mind. The clothing line is complimented by some of the best rainwear available in the market place.
Look for special events that will feature these fabulous lines and introduce you to our reps who are both here to help both you and Cordova Bay enjoy the game to the fullest.
Lance McCullough
February Happenings
February 12 - The Valentine's Massacre Men's Club Tournament
February 14 - Valentine's Day Dinner at Bill Mattick's
February 29 - Last day to join or renew a Men's or Ladies Club Membership
February 29 - Last day to use your Winter League Gift Certificate for Pro Shop Merchandise, Half-Price lessons and 2 for 1 at The Ridge.
March 11 - Captains vs Presidents Men's Club Tournament
March 12 - Ladies' Club Spring Annual General Meeting.
Thank You:
Tip of The Month:
STUDENT NO
MORE
The teaching staff here at Cordova Bay sit down from time to time (occasionally with a frosty beverage) to analyze our approach, share ideas, and to brainstorm. One of our core beliefs is summed up by the anonymous quote, “Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn.” In 2012 we’re going to put that learning into practice.
During the course of many of our discussions and note comparisons (and before too many frosty beverages) we’ve learned that the nature of the relationships we have with our students is a vital key in their success as golfers – not exactly brain surgery, I agree. The epiphany, though, is that as the relationship changes over time the greatest gains come once we no longer think of our people as ‘students’ and they no longer think of us as ‘instructors’.
The relationship between teaching professionals and golfers begins as a CLIENT/PROFESSIONAL relationship. With a traditional approach to teaching golf, this relationship morphs into a STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR relationship with the instructor providing “how-to” directions at the driving range; all too often that is where the relationship stays.
When we take a close look at which people come back to us with on-course success stories and improved golf scores, we realize that they most commonly come from the group of people who often refer to us as their coaches. They fall into the PLAYER/COACH category of relationship.
As golf professionals we get huge satisfaction out of seeing our people improve and hearing the success stories. With this in mind, many of our instructional offerings in 2012 will be geared towards getting our students into the PLAYER category quickly. We realize that everybody begins their relationship with us as a CLIENT but we will be looking to provide opportunities for people to fast-track their improvement by becoming PLAYERS. We will examine the bigger picture, and will avoid getting stuck for too long at the CLIENT and STUDENT stages.
People become PLAYERS by having more opportunity for on-course lessons, discussions on strategic on-course decision-making, and golf mind management. They learn to play to their strengths and away from the weaknesses in their game. They examine how best to spend their practice time. They are given avenues to remove roadblocks that may stem from their fitness, their flexibility, or even the design of their golf clubs. In short, PLAYERS will team up with their coach to look at the bigger picture.
As coaches, we are taking a serious re-examination of how we lead our people. Golf is both challenging and complex. That’s what makes it so much fun. Are you ready to become a PLAYER?
Brian Hann
Lead Teaching Professional
In This Issue
Welcome to 2012
Aaaah... February. There’s nothing like working at a Victoria golf course this time of year. The atmosphere simply vibrates with excitement for the coming year. Those that play all winter grin a little wider as they put the heavy coat back into the trunk before their round. Those who’s clubs get lonely in the closet over the winter months begin to drop by to browse and chat, itching for just a little more sunshine. The Snowbirds, too, start to return home and we’re often one of their first stops – just to reassure themselves that we’re still here and the friendly faces haven’t changed too much.
The staff, too, is busier than any other time of the year. There’s tournaments, Mattick’s Cup, Interclub and, yes, even the Summer League to organize. We also start to slowly welcome back the faces behind the counter that have taken breaks for all or part of the winter. Everyone is full of enthusiasm and ideas for the coming season.
And let me tell you, there’s plenty of new cool stuff coming this year to Cordova Bay Golf Course. We’ve a fantastic new partner in the Pro Shop. Our special events addiction (created last year with the 20th Anniversary) has seen the creation of an International Ladies Day to be held in May. Also in May, the top young players from across Canada will be coming for the National University Championships. I could go on and on, but that would ruin the surprise.
It’s great to be back and we look forward to seeing all of you again this year.
What’s New at Bill’s for 2012
The New Year is here and the summer golf season is just a wedge shot away so you might be wondering what’s going to be new around the clubhouse this year? The answer is, quite a lot.
To begin with we will have some new brews for all to try and by brews I don’t just mean beer. This year we have made a big switch in the coffee we serve at Cordova Bay. We have long believed in the importance of serving the best possible product using the best possible ingredients at the same time being mindful of our impact on the environment. Bill Mattick’s Restaurant now proudly serves the Orca Blend from Spirit Bear Coffee Company. This is a medium-dark roast blend with bold coffee flavours and a smooth, not bitter, finish.
What makes this coffee even more impressive is the company behind it. The Spirit Bear Coffee Company is First Nations owned and operated and is dedicated to sustainability via a Mission Statement that blends Quality, Ecology, Equity & Community. As you might imagine, Spirit Bear is also a fair trade, organic coffee. As part of its mission for sustainability the Spirit Bear Coffee Company has entered into a partnership with our supplier Canterbury Coffee. Through this partnership, 15 cents for every pound sold will be used to enhance & protect the Spirit Bear habitat, including the funding of patrols to prevent bear poaching. We at Bill’s feel that this is a perfect blending of a great product for our customers and responsible corporate practices.
The other new brew will come from Driftwood Brewery this spring and this is your opportunity to have a voice in what we have on tap. One of our current offerings, Crooked Coast Amber Ale, will no longer be available on tap so we will be looking to replace it with another delicious Driftwood product. Through the months of February and March let us know your favourite Driftwood brew - Driftwood Ale, Farmhand Ale or Fat Tug IPA. Come April we’ll tally up the votes and the new brew will be on tap for spring.
Another exciting change for this year will be the addition of Wine Makers Dinners. We are currently speaking with some of our BC wine providers to have experts from their vineyard in attendance providing insight into the world of wine making in our area. Look for these events to be multi-course dinners, with wine pairings, on the calendar June through August.
Another big change this year comes after lots of discussion with our Men’s Night players. Instead of the Buffet BBQ of years past, a Men’s Day Menu will be offered featuring a number of specialty menu items developed just for our competitors and changing every week. If those items don’t fit your tastes you’ll be able to order from our regular menu instead. The change to the format means there will be no more waiting for the buffet to open and you will be able to order your food whenever your group is ready.
With these and other new events we are looking forward to a fantastic 2012. See you 'round
the clubhouse.
Grant
Valentine's Day at Bill Mattick's
Valentine's - a day for lovers both new and life-long.
Bill Mattick's annual Valentine's Menu offers up wonderful food and beautiful scenery to place everyone in the right mood. (click the image to see the menu)
The Year Ahead
There are many things coming to Cordova Bay this year. Some are small and cool, others are big and boisterous. All are exciting and we’re happy that we have such wonderful people with whom to share it.
The current biggest and most boisterous planned for the year is the 2012 University Championships. Cordova Bay will be welcoming the best and the brightest golfers from across Canada during the last week in May. It’s been a few years since we held a major championship and we’re really looking forward to creating the fair but challenging course conditions that has made Cordova Bay such a favourite stop for high level tournaments.
It’s not just about us, though. With a tournament of this magnitude we’ll need volunteers and community involvement on a massive scale. Keep your eye on our newsletters, blogs and Facebook page for updates on how you can get involved.
Did you know...?
Both times the Canadian Tour played here, in 1994 and in 1998, our 11th hole was the most difficult hole on the entire tour.
Speaking of community involvement the other big project planned at Cordova Bay is the 2012 Victoria Women’s Golf Festival scheduled for May 12th. What, I hear you asking, is the 2012 Victoria Women’s Golf Festival? Well, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Ladies’ Club here at Cordova Bay Golf Course. In typical fashion we decided that a gold watch wasn’t enough. Instead we’re going to have a party celebrating women in golf.
Modelled on the 20th anniversary party from last year, we’re inviting women from around Victoria, around the Island and around the world to come and enjoy the comradeship and natural beauty of Cordova Bay Golf Course, a Certified Audubon Sanctuary, while experiencing the game of golf. Sisters, mothers and daughters, golfers and non-golfers alike, are encouraged to come walk the course with the players. Stay tuned for more details.
Slightly less spectacular but no less important are some changes to our tee sheet. Firstly, instead of the approximately 19 different seasons and rate changes (an exaggeration, but it must have felt that way at times) we’ve decided that an ‘in season’ and ‘out of season’ rate are plenty enough for our members and guests (not to mention the folks behind the counter) to cope with. ‘In season’ will be from April 1st to Thanksgiving and ‘Out of season’ will be from Thanksgiving to March 31st.
Summer League will also get a minor make over. There will still be great golf at a great price but we’ve reworked some of the details to make it better. Those details will available in the coming days.
2012 is already shaping up to be a banner year here at The Bay and it’s still only February. We’re excited. Really, really excited.
See you on the course,
Stephen Binder
Titleist / Foot Joy Join Cordova Bay
Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Casablanca, 1942)
You may have seen a few new items from Titleist featured in the golf shop recently. These items are the first arrivals of a new partnership we have formed with Titleist and FootJoy for the 2012 season.
Long a leader in the golf industry Titleist continues to produce outstanding equipment for players of all abilities. Their current driver offering the 910 D2 and D3 provide two great options to players, couple the option in head design with the adjustability of Face Angle and Loft and you have a myriad of options in one single club. Titleist has complimented the driver with an outstanding line up of fairway clubs and irons to suit players of all levels. Vokey Wedges and Scotty Cameron putters, too, fall under the Titleist umbrella and will be featured in our golf shop for 2012.
Rest assured that Titleist equipment is all able to be custom fit here at Cordova Bay which stays in line with our belief that all clubs should be custom fit for you before purchase.
FootJoy has been making shoes since 1857! Luckily they are not working on the same pair…rather they have been and continue to be an industry leader in the golf shoe business. Perhaps one of the most exciting features that Foot Joy brings to us is the ‘My Joys’ program which allows you to be the designer of your very own custom pair of shoes.
New for 2012 is the launch of a complete FootJoy clothing line. We will feature two of the collections in the Pro Shop this spring / summer. Classic in design, the clothing offered by FootJoy is technical in choice of fabrics that are designed with the golfer in mind. The clothing line is complimented by some of the best rainwear available in the market place.
Look for special events that will feature these fabulous lines and introduce you to our reps who are both here to help both you and Cordova Bay enjoy the game to the fullest.
Lance McCullough
February Happenings
February 12 - The Valentine's Massacre Men's Club Tournament
February 14 - Valentine's Day Dinner at Bill Mattick's
February 29 - Last day to join or renew a Men's or Ladies Club Membership
February 29 - Last day to use your Winter League Gift Certificate for Pro Shop Merchandise, Half-Price lessons and 2 for 1 at The Ridge.
March 11 - Captains vs Presidents Men's Club Tournament
March 12 - Ladies' Club Spring Annual General Meeting.