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Courtenay golf course, general manager earn PGA of BC awards

Crown Isle’s manager, facility honoured by the industry
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Bill Kelly, general manager at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community, has been named executive professional of the year by the PGA of BC. Scott Stanfield photo

Bill Kelly, general manager at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community, has been named executive professional of the year by the Professional Golfers’ Association of BC, while the course itself earned facility of the year honours.

The PGA of BC held an online broadcast Wednesday of its 2020 awards celebration.

“We’ve got a great team,” Kelly said. “I think the people are key…The golf course has been in fantastic shape, and the facility itself is really second to none with the property we have. It’s a combination of the property, the facility, the people.”

The Crown Isle team includes professionals Rod Prieto (director of golf), Brian Wise and Mark Valliere. All three played in the PGA of BC Championship, which Crown Isle hosted in August.

“It was a tough year this year,” Kelly said. “I think we handled the COVID pandemic very well by keeping everyone safe and following all our protocols. We were one of the only courses that didn’t close throughout the pandemic.”

Kelly joined Crown Isle last October after 14 years as head pro at Glacier Greens Golf Course in Comox. He has previously won a few regional awards — including teacher of the year — but this is his first provincial honour. The national awards will be announced in January.

Kelly no longer teaches golf. As general manager, he oversees various departments at the resort.

“We were very dynamic, and we were thinking out of the box to be able to host some of the events that we didn’t think we could host due to COVID.”

One such event was the Mayor’s Charity Golf Classic in September, which raised more than $20,000 for local charities.

PGA of BC executive director Donald Miyazaki credits Crown Isle as being a first-class operation that is more than deserving of the Golf Facility of the Year Award.

“Bill and his team provide a tremendous experience to all guests, including our competitors in this year’s TaylorMade & Adidas Golf PGA of BC Championship,” Miyazaki said. “What’s unique about Crown Isle is right in the resort’s name – it’s a true golf community, and it’s the people there who really help take things to the next level.”