A little rain doesn’t
have to Keep you away

Deana Lancaster

News Reporter
deasa@nsnews.com

DON’T let a forecast
for rain keep you from
hitting the links in the
coming months.
‘With the Lower Maintand’s
mild fall and winter seasons,
_ there’s no reason not to enjoy
golf year-round.
~ “EF you don’t play in the
rain then you don’t play much
‘ -in: Vancouver,”. says Andrew
Ripley, assistant professional at
Seymour Golf. and Country -
Club. “But you do need to be

prepared —the better Pre

= pared you are, the better your .
‘chances of shooting. some-
“Where” “Rear, your, norinal -

"Ripley learned. this lesson
: the hard way. He moved here
from ‘Alberts i in the fall of 1994
and didn’t realize how i
wetwenher for
wet weather. .

so be prepared to spend more

- to keep the rain ont.

“If you: normally carry a

“bag on your back, Isuggest

you switch toa bigger bag on
a pull-cart.” This will allow
more room for extra gloves,
-. towels and warm winter cloth-
ing. Your will be easier to
manage, flirty accessible, and

“with a plastic cover that fits
~.over the bag and cart, every-

> thing will stay dry.

wae e

ju pay for, he adds,

tulligans, jus
‘ball near where you

tic up, Sand ‘othe green. As.

aré.'walking up to the.

grcen you can putt out. Then ~
them to tee off. before

ae _or she: may.”
from the. .
rank with.

‘chat

sense. Th:
‘think you’ are just
of the. fules, “It is

dy “gol can really help
“speed ehings along, but
everyone; in“ your - group
knows that you are going to
hit‘and that you are aware. of
here fe yone your. Sroup

“A. good: umbrella is, of
course, really important,” says

umbrella will
“Some models have bend-

, -able plastic veins, which makes

“them Higher and less Prone t to.

is. You cértainly do not want

a) hit, someone who is. not
-:, paying’ attention, nor do you:

want several people hitting @ at.
one time.” an

Golf Carts : . :
You:don’e ‘need a driver's
license to drive a golf cart on

“the course; but you do ‘need
some’ common ‘sense and: a
great:deal of respect for. the.
course and the | players around «

If} you are driving 4 a inotor

open for other golfers.
Depending «on: weather

conditons and’ other vari- ”
“ables, courses will post differ-'.
_ ent rules relating to the use of -

carts, Be sure’ to -obcy. the.

‘course rules regarding carts.
-N Kecp ‘carts on paths at all>.

times — this is a-rule that
courses use if the ground is
very wet and they don’t want -
the ‘tires of the . motorized |

carts ta damage the fairway
8190 Degree Rule — tis rule

requires you to stay on the -

cart: path until you are even
(at-a 90 degree-angle) with
your ball, Then you may drive

. your cart straight’ ‘out.to your

all, When you've. taken ou

“shot, drive’ straight ba
’ the cart path, Adhering to this

before: you hit be sure ‘that ...
- fairway

rule-. minimizes: damage to-:
as well, but. still
allows golfers‘ to drive fight -
Te to their ball. < -
Always, under all « circum-

,

a -Ripley. “Some. people think’
in..- cheap: is the’ way. to go, but.
-. having a.
igh © make a di ce.”

snapping.

Once you have your equip-
ment and rain gear ready, you
can head out on the course.

On the North Shoze, it’s
not always possible to play
tight through the winter.
Seymour switches to winter
greens once the course is at a

“saturation point,” says Ripley.
Ar thar point it’s no ljonger.a
full-size course.

Over at Northlands Goif
Course, there is a new “rain
check policy” in place. If you
quit by the end of the fourth
hole, you get 2 full refund. Play
holes five through nine and get
2 $20 voucher towards your
next round. If you play on to
the tenth, however, you'd bet-
ter have - your umbrella,
because no refunds are issued.

_ Often. courses in South

Vancouver, Richmond and ..

Delta will be open when the
North Shore is not “not playable.

Once you’re out there —
warm, dry and well-prepared
_ you'll have to adjust your

Cc.

“The air is heavier so the
bali won’r travel as far,” says
Ripley. “There’s almost a two-
club difference. If you would
normally use, say, a 7-iron
from 150 yards, you might
consider using a 6 or a 5.”
Most important of all, shave

es 's actually amazing ‘how
le it can be with a little

bit of rain and ‘a fitde bit of
wind. That’s golf too,” says

, ipley.

“janees, keep all carts, motor- -
ized or pull-carts away from —

the greens and off the teeing
"ground. Often the course will
~ post signs giving directions as

to. where they want you to -

- park "your. carti follow the:

ized cart, drive at a moderate
speed: and: keep” your: eyes: -

directions.

November in
Malaysia.

See 2-man teams of -..
top pros, Tiger
eR Mark
‘O'Meara of USA play
’ 8.rounds of golf cn
‘World Class courses.
Luxury 5 star hotels...
Visit 4 areas of
- Malaysia. Entrance .
fees, carts & caddies,
transfer 8 porterage,
breakfast and numer-
= Qus tours included. .
Escorted by Tom Rose

| ‘ROSEWAY,

Wednesday, October 6, 1999 — North Shore News - 27

* All tonne clothing, : a d

Club Repair Speciats: —
‘2 for the price of 1 regrip.
‘on any of your golf clubs’:

: (edecscd ap sles)

“ae