Jason Andrew

Head Golf Professional

Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community

Courtenay, BC

Mentors Made a Difference

Jason Andrew is one of the top golf professionals in Canada.

Why?

Because he’s still willing to learn from the pros who came before him.

Andrew, head golf pro at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community, in Courtenay, B.C. has been a professional since 1985, and stills taps into the wisdom of his mentors to help him solve everyday golf-related problems.

“I have them all on my speed dial,” he says.

Andrew, who grew up in Calgary, has been at Brown Isle Resort for 10 years, and considers himself fortunate to work at one of the prettiest and most unique facilities in Canada.

The Vancouver Island course, designed by Graham Cooke & Associates, is a par-72 gem, and site of a huge 48,000 square foot Resort Centre. With villas for rent (92 rooms located off the first tee) and residential development on site, it’s a multi-functional facility.

The golf component also sports a superb driving range and a small golf academy.

Andrew taps into Robert Ratcliffe, one of the RCGA’s national coaches, to teach at the academy. In all, there are six golf professionals and 20 employees in and around the golf shop.

With a small but growing membership, outside players, and a corporate component to the clientele, Andrew has to be creative in keeping golfers happy.

How creative?

The course sports modified shotgun events, and a moveable tee sheet. There’s also a Super Skins night that might see as many as 30 players teeing it up in one group, or a Long Drive Contest with tee off at midnight. That event, with glo-in-the-dark balls was held for a tournament featuring members from the RCMP in B.C.

“We ask our golfers, ‘what do you need?’” says Andrew.

What they need is great customer service, a pro staff that does the little things well, and a head professional who loves his job.

Andrew credits people like Ron Laugher, the current pro at Priddis Greens (home to this year’s CN Canadian Ladies’ Open) with getting him into the golf business when he was a renowned junior player at Elks Club in Calgary.

His older brother Greg, who manages the Stewart Creek Golf Club in Canmore, Alberta, also had a huge impact on his choice of careers, as did the McLaughlin family in B.C. First, father Jack, the head pro at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, and sons Jim (now senior vice-president of Troon Golf in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Ed, GM at the posh Hollyburn Club in West Vancouver.

Andrew turned to TaylorMade adidas three years ago, and thinks the R9 driver and hybrids are the best he’s ever played.

A former pro on the Canadian Tour, he likes the trend to adjustable drivers, and makes measuring players for clubs that much more scientific.

“At the end of the day, golf is golf, and doing the little things for players is what’s appreciated,” he says.

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