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Meet The Pro
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Jeff Dinn at Fairwinds
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above
with Fred Couples, 2010
opposite
with brother, Barry Dinn in 2007
by Jen Groundwater
Starting in the summer 2020 issue of Passions, we will bring you regular golf tips from Fairwinds’ amiable Assistant Manager of Golf, Jeff Dinn.
You wouldn’t have expected young Jeff Dinn to become a golf professional. Nobody in his immediate family played golf; his dad was a keen runner who participated in many marathons and his mom wasn’t particularly into sports. And until the age of eleven, Jeff, like many other Canadian kids, enjoyed playing team sports like hockey, basketball, and baseball.
Olympic View Golf Club acted like a key that unlocked the world of golf for Jeff, who grew up beside this well-known Victoria course. Reflecting on it now, he says, it was “the beauty of the course, the green grass, the trees all around, the challenge of it” that attracted him to the game. He got his first set of clubs for Christmas when he was 11 (“back when woods were actually made of wood,” he laughs), and began playing at a nearby nine-hole course the following summer.
He joined Olympic View as a junior the summer after that—“Fun times… it was like Christmas when I got there,” he says—and spent the next several summers haunting the course, often playing 36 holes a day with other juniors and whoever else would let him join them. By doing this, he “really learned how to play with and talk to adults,” and he enjoyed being around lots of different types of people, which, although he didn’t know it at the time, was excellent training for becoming a golf pro all these years later.
As a young player, he was awe-struck by Tiger Woods’ golf skills and inspired by the humanity and personalities of players like Fred Couples and Mike Weir, for whom he felt a particular affinity: “As a junior, I worked really hard and practiced a lot,” he says, just like Weir, renowned for his work ethic.
At 15, Jeff got a summer job on the grounds crew. He would mow the dewy
fairways in the early morning, then practice and play for the rest of the day. At the end of the season, he won his first junior club championship with a blazing 78—the first time he’d ever broken 80.
Jeff represented BC on the national amateur circuit for several years (his dad went with him until he was old enough to travel alone). Along the way, he notably challenged legend Fred Couples in a $20 closest-to-thepin contest at Bear Mountain during the 2010 Telus Skins Game. (You’ll have to read Jeff’s blog to find out who won.) He also notched several wins and a top-10 finish in the Canadian Mid Amateur, which is for golfers over age 25, before turning pro in 2013.
Like many golfers, one of the things Jeff loves most about the game is the social aspect. He’s still tight with friends he’s made through his years of working, playing, and competing. And, he says, “The dayto-day work at a golf course involves a lot of interaction with staff, members, and guests. It is the most rewarding part of my job.”
As a teaching pro, he gets to introduce new golfers to the sport and help people improve their game. Individual lessons can help a frustrated player fix what currently ails their game, and group lessons are fun because they often bring golfers of varying skill levels together, so everyone can learn from each other’s questions.
Fairwinds offers a variety of ladiesonly, junior, and co-ed group lessons. “It’s good value—you get an hour of practice, unlimited range balls, and a couple of good tips,” says Jeff. Spring tuneup clinics got underway in March 2020 before the pandemic shutdown, and will continue as soon as they’re allowed.
At the time of printing Jeff, is just as thrilled as every other Fairwinds golfer that the course is resuming operations before summer. He offers a recommendation to watch his favourite golf movie (Caddyshack) and a preview of his regular Passions golf tips for eager golfers anxious to hit the links.
Getting Back in the Swing of Things
HAPPY GOLF SEASON,
EVERYONE! We started a little later than usual this year, but I’m guessing we all have the same goal – lower scores! I’ve included some tips that will have you playing your best game quicker than ever. Here are your three S words for 2020.
START GRADUALLY. If you’re someone who normally plays 3+ times a week, you’re going to have an adjustment after not playing for a while. Start with putting/chipping and then short irons on the range. Slowly make your way through the set to longer clubs.
STRETCH. It’s always important to loosen up, but even more so after a layoff. Focus on your shoulders, hamstrings, and hips.
SMILE! You’ve been waiting all spring for this, so enjoy the course, the company, and the exercise. Lower scores happen when you’re smiling!
If you’ve tried these three tips and the scores aren’t dropping, book a lesson to get on the right track.
