I spent a couple of days earlier this month at The Raven at Lora Bay Golf Course in Thornbury, Ontario.
The Raven was the 2008 site of the Eastern Canadian Final of the International Pairs golf competition, an idea that continues to grow across Canada.
Winners John Dicasmirro and Don Doswell of Thunder Bay
This event is open to all amateur golfers, male and female, 16 years of age and older and for the third consecutive year our Regional GolfScene Tour has entered a team.
This year’s GolfScene Tour champion team was a father and son combo from Cambridge Ontario. Martin Pemberton and son, James did themselves, and our Tour, very proud, by finishing in third place against amateur teams from golf courses across Ontario and the Maritimes.
In an 18 hole ‘two man best ball’ event, with a stableford scoring system in place, the Pembertons finished with 42 stableford points. Two teams, one from Thunder Bay and one from Georgetown, tied for first with a total of 43 stableford points. A playoff between those two resulted in a win by the Thunder Bay duo of John Dicasmirro and Don Doswell. The Georgetown team of Robert Sampogna and George Frempong finished in second spot.
Runners Up George Frempong and Robert Sampogna of Georgetown
The duo from Thunder Bay will be heading off to Scotland in 2009 to represent Canada at The World Final where teams from over 30 countries will compete.
The Pembertons have played The GolfScene Tour for a few years and both father and son continue to improve their game as a result. In addition to the 13 GolfScene Tour events at courses throughout southern Ontario, they play regularly at The Cambridge Golf Club and have taken periodic lessons along the way from Carla Munch-Miranda, a teaching professional and part owner at the course.
It is always gratifying to see young golfers (and adult amateurs as well) progress and do well in this great game of golf. Congratulations Martin and James from all of us at GolfScene.
International Pairs was conceived in 1998 in the United Kingdom and is now firmly entrenched as a world-class amateur golf event. Local golf courses around the world run qualifier events with winners competing for the chance to represent their country at the World Final.
Martin and James Pemberton from the GolfScene Tour
In Canada, golfers simply pay $30 to participate in their local event. The winner plays the Canadian Final at no charge and the Canadian winners (East and West) play in Scotland, also at no additional charge. Yes, it’s all for just $30!
For more information, check out the web site at www.internationalpairs.ca for details on how you can get your course involved in 2009.
Norm Woods
Editor, GolfScene
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