Canada: Club's language policy lost in translation; Vancouver and LPGA worlds apart

[Harold Schiffman]

Club's language policy lost in translation
Vancouver and LPGA worlds apart

Kent Gilchrist The Province


Sunday, August 31, 2008


The fact the private Vancouver Golf Club has had its membership policy
requiring new members to be able to communicate in English for eight
years and was not linked to the LPGA's recent bombshell announcement
seems to have escaped those who demanded VGC general manager Brent
Gough be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail.

Or worse.

You're free to make up your own mind on the Vancouver club's policy,
but don't be upset with it because of the way the LPGA is restricting
the inclusion of Asian players -- the Korean ones were put on notice
-- who would otherwise qualify to play and earn a living golfing on
the women's tour except for a lack of the ability to speak English
well enough. They are as different as ProV balls are from gutta percha
ones.

The Vancouver Golf Club policy was in place long before Gough was
named general manager four years ago. Friday was one of his worst days
in the position.

"At least the board is standing behind me," said Gough, who worked for
VGC for six years on the food and beverage side before his promotion.
"But there are some knives in my back and CBC called at 6 a.m."

For the record, Gough would like you to know the VGC application
states the following: "VGC welcomes application for membership without
restriction based on race, religion or culture. All members must be
able and willing to converse and correspond with the club and members
in English."

That's it. It doesn't make it right, but that's it.

"We have a diverse and ethnic membership," said Gough. "We want all
our members to be happy and feel cared for."

The PGA of B.C. president Troy Peverley said he knows of no other
course, public or private, that has a similar membership policy.
Peverley is general manager of the West Coast Golf Group, which owns
Hazelmere, Belmont and Swan-e-Set Bay Resort. He said he would welcome
any Asian golfers who might feel more comfortable playing under the
WCGG umbrella.

"We feel it's incredible that an organization would attempt to
preclude individuals from membership or participation based solely on
their ability to speak English," said WCGC president Mike Stuart.

A passionate golfing friend of mine, who emigrated here from Uganda
and was looking for a club to join in 1986, had a less than positive
experience at a private club near his home in Coquitlam. But he was
welcomed by the then head pro Mel White at Seymour in North Vancouver.

"I told him I wanted to test drive the course," related my friend
Anwar. "He took my clubs and told me to put my shoes on and where he'd
meet me at the first tee. He even played the round with me and didn't
charge me."

Every case is different, of course, and perhaps my Ugandan friend was
simply unlucky at the first course he tried. But he has been a happy
member of Seymour ever since. Capilano once turned down Stan Smyl for
membership, too.

Every couple of years a new board of directors is elected at every
private course and they all have their ideologies. Most of the time
they work pretty well.

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=8b5f3ff9-ce77-4384-b597-197bcf3bac5e

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