18 Holes 18 Questions: Randy Blake

September 21, 2023

GOLF NL

18 Holes! 18 QUESTIONS!

Name:   Randy Blake

Glendenning Golf Course

Biography: Randy is the second oldest of 4 siblings. He graduated from MUN in 1992 with a BA in Economics along with a Business minor and subsequently completed my CGA(CPA) designation in 1997.

Currently CFO at Raven Enterprises Canada for just under 4 years. Prior to that, I served as CFO at the N.D. Dobbin Group for 25 years. Active Board member and director of various companies which doesn’t leave a lot of spare time, hence still being a bachelor, and with golf his passion golf is what fills most of his leisure and travel time.

  1. What is your full name?

Randy Blake

  1. Where were your born?

Gander, NL, grew up in Victoria Cove in Gander Bay, NL

  1. Where do you live today?

Portugal Cove – St. Philip’s, NL

  1. What would people be surprised to learn about you?

That I’m a huge movie and music buff. For example, I’ve seen 200 films at the theatre since the beginning of 2018, not many, even my closest relatives know that little tidbit. Would have been many more if not for the various Covid shutdowns. Also own well over a thousand films and albums!

  1. Are you a member of a golf club and what club?

I’ve been a member at Glendenning Golf (formerly the Woods at Southlands) since it’s opening date in 2000. Currently sitting on 895 rounds played there, yes I know the number and all the stats to go with it, it’s the accountant in me, and quite the elaborate spreadsheet!

  1. Who do you regularly play golf with?

I regularly play with a revolving group of 8 others depending on the day and whether it’s league play, tournament play, or just a weekend round, they’d include: Harold Walters, Paul Pinhorn, Neil Butler, Darryl Short, Paul Duke Sr., Keith Crann, Loyola O’Drsicoll and Randy Foote.

  1. What’s the favorite course you have ever played?

 So many to choose from, both here and abroad, but I’m gonna stay local with this one and say The River Course at Humber Valley Resort in Little Rapids, NL.

  1. What course would you like to play anywhere in the world?

No-brainer for this one … Augusta National – the annual home of the Masters Golf Tournament

  1. Where and when did you start golfing?

I’d say I started fiddling with my uncle’s clubs in Kippens and Jeffrey’s on the west coast of the island during summer visits when I was around 12 or so, practicing pitches, chips and putts in the backyard mostly, but only started playing regularly on courses up at Admiral’s Green and Captain’s Hill in Pippy Park around 1996 once I was fully established with work life.

  1. Can you (briefly) tell us your most memorable golf experience.

There’s several to choose from here, but oddly after reflecting, I’d have to say it was my final round last season. After having at one time been able to routinely shoot a round in the 70’s a few times a season, I’d gone 15 years without breaking 80, with 82 being my lowest score any season since 2008. So, long story short, with a day that started with a magical hole-out for eagle on the 2nd hole from the trees, and ended with a 77, that’s gotta be the most satisfying day I’ve ever had on the course.

  1. Can you (briefly) tell us your funniest golf experience.

At some point, in virtually every round, something unexpectedly hilarious takes place, it’s why we love the game, humbles you at every opportunity it seems. Though it’s much funnier when it’s at someone else’s expense versus your own. A classic example was one time one of the boys sculled a tee shot, it ran along the ground, hit the tee block of the forward tee and ricocheted 50 yards backwards behind where it started!

  1. What is your greatest golf accomplishment?

I take great pride in helping organize the event and captaining team Glendenning at the Billy Morrissey Ryder Cup Invitational at Terra Nova each late September for these past few years. It’s a ton of work, that often does not lead to playing well myself, but the sense of camaraderie and accomplishment I get from that experience, win or lose, is priceless to me. I’ve also organized my own event at Humber Valley for 14 years now, with a similar feeling, even if it is just for my own close knit group of buddies, can’t beat those experiences.

  1. How do you like to relax?

Touched on this earlier, movies, listening to music, season seat holder for all iterations of St. John’s hockey teams since the baby Leafs in the early 90’s. I’d say golf too obviously, but the game often is more stressful than work if you let it be, which I’ve been guilty of on occasion.

  1. What is your best/worst quality on the golf course?

Best quality: Course management. I’m also pretty accurate and a good putter, I earned my nickname “Radar” honestly. Worst Quality:  I tend to be pretty hard on myself when things don’t go well.

  1. What 3 professional golfers would you like to join you at a dream dinner party?

 I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the game, so I’d love to pick their brains and listen to what Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Tiger Woods think about the game and shot-making over an extended dinner.

  1.  What 3 local golfer would you like to join you at a dream dinner?

From a pure story-telling perspective, I think sitting down with any of the elder generation of local golfers would be quite entertaining, if I’m forced to pick just 3 I’ll go with a few I know, John Mulcahy, Billy Williams, and Billy Morrissey.

  1.    Have you ever had a hole-in-one?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have carded 3 aces over the years, all at Glendenning, the 1st at #4 in 2000, followed by 2 more at #11 in both 2001 and 2002, so 3 consecutive years, but nothing since other than a few close calls. Fun fact, there’s 7 aces among my normal 4-some, 2 of them with 2 apiece, and the other with none, so he gets a good ribbing to say the least.

  1.  What is your best score ever?

This is sort of a trick question, as I think it depends on the course. In terms of a pure low number, it was a 75 at Glendenning in 2004, but I personally consider a 76 in 2007 at The Willows, and a 78 at The Wilds in 2005 to be equally as good, if not better.