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Northview’s new head pro tees up day-long Golfathon fundraiser with group

Annual event has raised more than $1.9 million in 15 years
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Greg Pool (left), Quinn Vilneff (middle) and Theo Tanski in the new-look golf shop at Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey. (submitted photo)

Greg Pool and his new crew at Northview Golf & Country Club will swing into a Golfathon for ALS fundraiser with a couple of goals in mind.

“We’ll try to do as many holes as possible that day,” Pool said of the June 22 event at the Surrey course, on 168th Street.

“Personally, my goal is 100 (holes), which I should be able to get done, no preparation needed,” he added. “There are guys at Glacier Greens (a course in Comox) that go and do 200-plus holes, which is amazing. For us it’s nice to get out as a team, because it’s a good team-building day as well.”

Pool is the new head golf professional at Northview, which is involved in the PGA of BC Golfathon for ALS for the first time in the event’s 15-year history.

His group that Monday (June 22) will also include Theo Tanski, Quinn Vilneff, Keaton Cameron, Justin Gaukel and George Thibodeau, who collectively aim to raise $5,000 for the cause.

Pledges are sought at golfathonforals.com.

• RELATED STORY, from April: Some Surrey golf courses reopen with new rules to push physical distancing.

On a set day during the month of June, golf pros at 30 B.C. courses will play from sunrise to sunset to support those living with ALS. To date, more than $1.9 million has been raised over the years.

Also involved in the fundraiser is Surrey Golf Club, where Mark Gamache and Derek Whipple golfed 108 holes in one day last June, starting at 6:50 a.m. and ending at 8:50 p.m.

Pool has found a home at Northview after leaving Capilano Golf & Country Club.

The Langley-raised head pro played college golf at Western New Mexico University before joining the PGA of Canada in 2009. Nine years later, he was named the organization’s Class ‘A’ Professional of the Year.

“I’ve been at a few different facilities in town,” said Pool, a Port Moody resident, “and I’ve travelled the world playing golf, private and public, and I view Northview as one of the premier facilities in town, with a rich history of golf. People like to play here because it’s where the pros played.

“It’s a place that’s always been in my heart, because I played junior here, I’ve caddied for some celebrities here at pro-ams,” he added. “Growing up in the area, it means a lot to be here now.”

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Pool said he’s excited about recent renovations to the golf shop at Northview.

“The renos started in the fall and came to completion in March,” Pool said. “When we reopened in April we were able to show off the finished shop. It’d hadn’t been really touched in 25 years, so it’s a big change and looks amazing. It’s nice to have a modern golf shop now, which includes some of our past PGA Tour history.”

READ ALSO: Surrey golf courses makes plans for scaled-down summer tournaments.



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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