B.C. Golf Hall of Fame member Bill Hobbis remembered for on- and off-course contributions
Bill Hobbis Was Made A Lifetime Member At Royal Colwood in 2020 - Images Courtes Royal Colwood
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
Bill Hobbis, a member of the British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame and a life member of Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, died July 15 after a lengthy illness. He was 80 years old.
Hobbis represented British Columbia on two Willingdon Cup teams and was part of B.C.’s national championship team in 1975. He also played one Willingdon Cup for Alberta in 1978 when he worked in that province.
Hobbis won more than 60 invitational, open or amateur championships over his career. He won the Saskatchewan Amateur Championship in 1978 and the New Zealand Senior Championship in 1979. Hobbis collected many wins in northern B.C. while living in Prince George, including three Simon Fraser Opens.
Fellow B.C. Golf Hall of Fame member Doug Roxburgh remembers Hobbis for his quick wit and how much fun he was to be around. “With his short swing and homemade putter he was very under-rated as a golfer,” Roxburgh said. “He could play. Bill, Cec Ferguson, Muncie Booth and myself won the Willingdon Cup in New Brunswick in 1975.
“Bill flew us all up to Prince George in the fall for a promotion for their annual snow golf tournament. But we were really there to do some fishing and Bill surprised us with a float plane ride to a remote lake. Bill was a really fine person who gave countless hours to golf.”
In 2020, Hobbis became only the third person to be named a lifetime member of Royal Colwood. Hobbis was a two-time club champion at Royal Colwood and was a club champion 21 times at nine other courses. Although he excelled at golf, Hobbis was much more than a one-sport athlete. He played basketball for the University of Victoria and was a member of a number of Victoria-area championship softball teams.
Bill Hobbis' BC Golf Hall of Fame Plaque
In a 2020 interview, Hobbis told Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times-Colonist that he preferred team sports. He particularly loved his Willingdon Cup experiences. “They were such wonderful moments to play with teammates such as Doug Roxburgh,” Hobbis said in that interview.
Hobbis, who worked in the insurance business, was inducted into the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame in 2019. “I am humbled, to say the least, about the career accolades I have received from Royal Colwood and the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame,” Hobbis told the Times-Colonist.
Hobbis made significant contributions off the course to the game of golf. He served on the board of British Columbia Golf and was an associate governor and governor with Golf Canada. He sat on the board of six different golf clubs and was one of B.C.’s top rules officials. “Bill was a true gentleman, said Kris Jonasson, chief executive officer of British Columbia Golf.
“He broke the barrier between northern and southern B.C. and was the very first strong player to come from the north. After his playing career, Bill gave back as a volunteer and was one of B.C.’s best officials. Bill will be missed by all who knew him.”
Hobbis is survived by his wife Elaine, daughters Erin and Kari, his brother Barry, sister Beverly and granddaughters Zoe and Brooklyn. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at Royal Colwood.