Tim Arnold accepting award from Lexx Potter

Tim Arnold has always been a golfer, and a good one, but not a particularly serious one. That is, until the day he learned that his dad, Jim, had in 1986 and 1987 won something called the BCGA Zone 4 Senior Championship, and with it, the Les Howard Trophy.

“I didn’t know they had these tournaments,” he says. “When he passed I found these little trophies and snippets, and I googled it.” That was a turning point for Arnold, who’s 62 and a longtime member at Kings Links. “I said I wanted to put my name on the trophy.”

As in many recent years, Arnold signed up for the 36-hole event, playing well enough over the opening 18, held at Beach Grove Golf and Country Club, to come in with a 75, which was good for a third-place tie.

Any guesses who might have shot a 70 over the final 18, held at Quilchena Golf and Country Club? Whose 36-hole score of 145 might have pipped second-pace Neil MacLeod by one stroke? Who then hoisted a trophy once won by his dad?

Good guess. Arnold describes his 70 as something of a dream round. “I hit my driver straight and long, I was hitting wedges and nine-irons into the greens. I went on a birdie binge from 7 to 10. I sank some putts. I only missed three greens.” He did hit one bad shot, he allows, but even that happened to be on a par 5, and didn’t hurt him.

Arnold, who finished fifth last year, will be joined on the Zone 4 team at July’s BC Golf’s Senior Championship, held this year in Williams Lake, by MacLeod, Bill Lauzon and Peter Chen.

There’s another “dad” story to go along with this year’s championship. Joining Zone 4 Seniors chair Lexx Potter to present the Les Howard Trophy was his daughter, Donna Simpson. She too spoke of a dad who accomplished mysterious things that have gone on to inspire.

- Jim Sutherland