The Watkins Motors Semi-Invitational Golf Tournament was held at the Vernon Golf and Country Club on the May long weekend in Vernon. This popular tourney was enjoyed by a full house of competitors from all over the Province.....many golfers are returnee's from years back....I have been a participant in this tournament for many years and look forward to it every year. It is a two day affair and the challenging nature of the course is a test of skills and in some cases endurance....my good friend Don Bossenberry from Salmon Arm explained it to me this way..."I love this course and this tournament but it eat's me alive, and I keep coming back"....Don's wife (Mary) might think differently as she won the low net in the 2nd flight of the Ladies Section with a two day total of 147.

I was part of the endurance section due to one of the worst storm to hit the North Okanagan on the Saturday Round in years... fortitude, and the golfers favorite prayer was needed to get through the 60 to 70 KM winds ..and torrential rain that met you face on , inverted umbrella's could be counted in the garbage buckets throughout the course where the soaking wet and frustrated players deposited them....Tim Fitzgerald of the Morning Star news paper took my picture on the 18th green ....notice the wind blown tree's in the back ground and the wet clothes that adorned my old body !.....I was not a happy camper....however, I survived the two days and though I didn't place in the major prizes...I did manage to pick up two deuces and a closest to the pin award...All was not lost...a most enjoyable weekend.

My special thanks to Hall Thomlinson (General Manager of the Vernon Club) and to my friend Kevin Mitchell (Sports Editor of The Vernon Morning Star ) for the use of their article describing the winners and other details of this tournament.