Nobody was feeling blue when Eaglecrest Golf Club hosted its annual Bull Moose Movember Classic men’s golf tournament, but at least a few of the players looked that way.
An overflow field of 164 golfers — many with their “Movember” mustaches in full flower — took part in the popular cold-weather tournament and raised a record $4,000-plus for the Island Prostate Centre of Victoria.
The Parksville foursome of Ian Cormack, Adam Waldie, Ian Waldie and Mike Thomas took home the coveted Best Team Mustache award. The four dyed their collection of mustaches, handlebars and goatees blue, and Adam Waldie sprouted a blue thatch of hair atop his otherwise shaved head.
“It was pretty much as good as a tournament gets,” said Paul Kim, general manager of the Qualicum Beach club. “It was pretty spectacular to see the age range. It wasn’t a single demographic, and they came from all over the Island. It was a very positive event.”
The local Eaglecrest team of Ian Blaikie, Harold Peltomaki, Ralph Bunker and Jim McKnight won the Most Life Experience Award while sporting whiskers of a more silvery hue.
The low gross title went to Sam Samuel, Will Mounsteven, Don Gosnell and Malcolm Hing of Campbell River’s Storey Creek Golf Club.
The Bull Moose Classic has been held at Eaglecrest for decades as a fun, off-season men’s tourney. But in 2011 it adopted the Movember cause of men’s health and, in particular, prostate cancer awareness. Since the second year, in 2012, it has donated its proceeds to the Island Prostate Centre, which provides support services and education for victims, survivors and their families across the Island.
Island Prostate Centre contributed a slideshow that was shown during the tournament’s breakfast and dinner, and a table was set up with its literature.
“The (Canadian) Cancer Society gets a lot of money through Movember and they spread that all over,” said Kim. “But for the Island, these guys do a good job for us.”
The tournament was originally restricted to a maximum of 144 golfers, said Kim, but quickly ballooned above that number because he was unwilling to turn away golfers with a connection to the cause.
“One of our members has prostate cancer, and he wasn’t given a doctor’s clearance to play until after we’d sold out,” Kim said.
“Another gentleman from Courtenay, whose dad passed away last year, came because of all the stuff the Island Prostate Centre did for his dad.
“A lot of times a golf tournament is just for fun. But this is more than just a golf tournament.”
