Sadness is upon us again to know that we won’t see that beautiful swing or hear that infectious laugh again. On February 7, 2020, we lost Diane Rands to cancer which she fought long and hard to overcome. We thank you for being such a great friend and for all the good times on and off the course.
For those who do not know the story of Diane’s journey to golfer extraordinaire, as a youngster she would go to the golf club with her Mom, Dad and Brother, but had no interest in the game and just held them up, so she was sent to the sidelines for a muffin or ice cream which was a whole lot more fun.
DIANE RANDS
July 30, 1948 – February 7, 2020
It started for Diane in 1965 when she traveled from her hometown of Kamloops to Vancouver with Marilyn Palmer (now O’Connor and 1999 Hall of Famer), who was participating in the BC Ladies Tournament. In those days, the BC Juniors played at the end of the BC Amateur qualifying round. With only 2 years experience, Diane played at Shaughnessy and came second in the Junior Tournament which qualified her for the BC Junior Team, then onto the Canadian Junior that same year, and won low gross in her handicap division. Marilyn actually won the BC Women’s Amateur as well as the Junior that year. Can you imagine the excitement on the trip back to Kamloops!
The following year, Diane moved to Victoria, deciding to go to University and then into Nursing School which put her golfing career on hold until the 12 hour shifts came into being in 1979. Her nursing career lasted for 33 years.
Some of Diane’s other accomplishments:
British Columbia Golf
1991 – BC Women’s Champion
1993 – BC Women’s Runner Up
1991/93 – Member of the BC Provincial Team
1999 – BC Senior Champion and BC Team Member
2000 – BC Senior Runner Up and Team Member
Zone 5 Women
2004 – 2011 – Course Rating Chair on the Zone
2012 – Continued on the Zone Course Rating Committee until her illness no longer allowed
8 time winner of the City & District (Zone Amateur Championship)
5 Time Runner Up and Medalist
1999 – Zone Senior Champion
1992 – Foursomes winner with partner Lorna Rooper
Uplands Golf Club
6 time winner of Club Championship (trophy was recently renamed the Diane (Phillips) Rands Trophy)
5 time winner of Club Senior Championship
3 time winner of Club Super Senior Championship
1997 – holds Women’s Low Gross Score – 67
Honorary Life Member of Uplands Golf Club