Swinging centenarian: Above par Cape Breton golfer aims to shoot his age
If you see Iver Gillis swing a golf club, you'd have a hard time believing his age.
Just to look at the Cape Breton centenarian you'd think he was at least 15 years younger.
But the long-time member at Lingan Golf and Country Club, just outside of Sydney, N.S. will turn 101 on November 28.
"I have my mother's genes," Gillis explains. "She was 103 when she passed away."
Gillis didn’t start golfing until he was 35 years old.
Now, he has spent more than 65 years playing the game he loves in nearly every Canadian province.
Gillis typically tees off at Lingan at least twice a week.
When asked why he still spends so much time on the greens during his golden years, his explanation was simple – and tongue-in-cheek.
“Why not?" Gillis asked. “If I laid around and just stayed in bed, I'd just have a sore back. So I may as well have it while I'm golfing, and enjoy myself."
Earl Leblanc has been golfing with Gillis for more than 30 years and says part of his friend's secret is the calm demeanour he keeps, even when things aren't going so well.
"Oh, I'll be lucky to stand up at 101, let alone play golf," Leblanc said with a laugh.
"(It’s his) even temperament. I've never seen him throw clubs, never seen him slamming clubs on the ground. If he misses a shot, he misses a shot."
Gillis said in his younger years he sometimes scored in the low 80s.
Now, he has a new goal -- to shoot his age.
"At the time that I was 90, I think. I was determined to shoot my age," he said.
Gillis says he still remembers a missed putt on the seventeenth hole that cost him that day.
A couple of weeks ago, he came close once again, shooting 104 at the age of nearly 101.
His friends say he’s not giving up on that goal, or the game he loves, anytime soon.
‘He went out and bought some brand new clubs," said Leblanc. “So I tell you, he's looking forward to another year."
Gillis admits with a wry smile that the longer he plays golf, the easier it might be to reach that elusive goal of shooting his age.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.