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Tee time right time for 90-year-old Vancouver golfer

Two games a week part of nonagenarian’s health regime

Isabella Brown has accomplished many things in her lifetime but the 90-year-old says she still has one goal alluding her.

“I’m still trying to shoot 90,” Brown told the Courier Tuesday morning. “On Saturday I golfed with my son, grandson and great-grandson and tried to shoot 90, but I made 91. But it was nice having four generations together to play. We’re trying to do that every year.”

Brown was in her 40s when she learned how to golf from her husband, Len, who passed away 10 years ago.

“Sometimes they needed a fourth when someone would cancel so my husband would bring me along,” said Brown, laughing at the memory. “I love golf. It’s my therapy and I love getting outside.”

Brown, who was born in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island and grew up in Cumberland, credits her small town upbringing for sparking and maintaining her interest in sports and keeping active.

In addition to basketball, as a youth Brown took dance classes of every description, a skill she introduced to the many physical education students she taught over 37 years in Vancouver and Burnaby.

“I love to dance and to move,” said Brown. “I’ve golfed all around the world — England, Ireland, New Zealand — but I find as I get older travelling is not so easy anymore, though I did go to the Maritimes two years ago on a golf tour.”

Brown believes staying active and eating well are just some of reasons she’s still so healthy. She also drinks a “jigger” of noni juice each morning, a product thought by some to have health benefits, and completes a morning routine of stretching exercises to stay limber. But, Brown believes, it’s finding happiness and joy in everyday experiences that truly keeps her going.

“And it feels good to bring joy to other people,” said Brown. “I opened the door and introduced myself to our paperboy the other day at 5:30 in the morning and now everyday my paper ends up near the door. Or if I see a woman working a check-out who looks like she’s having a bad day, I’ll say something like, ‘What a lovely ring.’ And she might answer, ‘It was my mother’s.’ It’s the little things you do that make people smile and that brings you joy too.”

Then there’s golf. Brown tees off twice a week at Fraserview Golf Course in Southeast Vancouver, rain or shine. And if for some reason her golf game is cancelled, the nonagenarian hits the driving range. With two hole-in-ones under Brown’s belt, it would be easy to assume she plays a pretty mean game. But Brown plays down her talents and suggests those landmark hits were just flukes.

“I was playing a par-three hole at Ledgeview in Mission and I hit a hole-in-one and someone said to me, ‘You just won a trip to Hong Kong,’” said Brown. “So my husband and I went to China. The other time was at Fraserview and I got my name on a trophy.”

Prior to her 10:30 a.m. tee time at Fraserview Tuesday morning, Brown told the Courier she hoped this day’s game would go well.

“I’m bringing along a girl I used to teach at Killarney and my best friend Rose. I always golf well when Rose is around,” said Brown. “Maybe I’ll shoot that 90.”

sthomas@vancourier.com

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