Meet Joe Laramee

Local golfer, Joe Laramee, moved to Kamloops in 1970 from Winnipeg, Manitoba; “I felt like I had died and gone to heaven,” says Joe. Now at the age of 79, he has been golfing for the past 19 years as a way to occupy his time in the absence of his working hours.

During winter months, Joe is shredding the slopes on his snowboard at Sun Peaks Resort. “Where else in Canada can you go up to the local ski hill in the morning, come down from the hill after lunch, grab your golf clubs and go play 18 holes of golf,” Joe states. “Not very many places, you can live and do that.”

Joe loves golfing in Kamloops because of the diverse array of courses. He is a member at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club, and each year tries to play a round at the seven other championship courses in the area. “I can remember back to playing Tobiano and Talking Rock for the very first time,” he says. “Being a prairie boy, it’s just a feast of spectacular scenery.”

Six years ago, Joe’s son Kell experienced a brain injury that put him into an induced coma for over a month. To help with Kell’s recovery, Joe and Kell started golfing together, which also cemented their relationship by having that committed time together. Now every Thursday, Joe and Kell, along with friends and family, hit the links for a round, sharing laughs and building memories.

Follow Joe on Twitter @larameekid

Photo Credit: New Parallel Productions