Genuine Golf, or Fritz Golf as it was originally called, was born on a golf trip to the Okanagan in 2021. Jason graciously invited his club builder and friend, Rich on the trip as a thank you for all the great work he had done for Jason throughout the year. The two were hosted by Fred and the golf was fantastic but the connection was stronger.
Lengthy conversations were mainly about starting a golf apparel company like so many others have done via Instagram. There are some truly great companies born off of IG and it levels the playing field for the ‘smaller’ guys. The trip ended but the dialogue didn’t. For the next 6 months thousands of texts were exchanged in the ‘Genuine Golf Storyboard’ thread. The three were sharing their ideas, visions, and what they liked and didn’t like about golf fashion.
The plan was to do clothes and accessories different and better. Then it all changed. Rich sent an emergency text informing the group that an undeniable opportunity had surfaced and they had to pounce. Jason and Fred’s ears perked, and in all honesty they were both salivating at the chance to do something, anything, golf related! They did insist that it be different and better than everyone else. A couple days later a lease was signed on a space in North Vancouver and with neither a business plan nor a budget, they set out to build the coolest golf space in the Lower Mainland.
Rich, who had long been working out of a closet in his carport, had now found his office away from home: 1500 sq.ft. of golf heaven. Armed with who Fred and Jason believe to be the best club builder in BC, and a different approach to how a golf space should be run, we are pleased to welcome you to Genuine Golf.
Rich grew up in the golf industry and from the age of 12, he was working weekends, making cups of tea and regripping clubs. It was at the regripping desk that he started to see the inconsistencies in peoples equipment and the golf industry. This is where his curiosity for club specifications started and still continues today. 28 years later and that inquisitiveness and knowledge has led him to become a proud member of the PGA of Canada.
The year is 1991. Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls have just beaten the LA Lakers in the NBA Finals and DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince’s “Summertime“ is on everyone’s mixed tape. Jason Noel is also on his way to the driving range for the first time. Eleven-year-old Jason has never actually held or swung a golf club before and he naively borrows a 7-Iron from the Pro Shop. But hey, we don’t know what we don’t know. Without any coaching (he probably should have had coaching), Jason excitedly tries to embody every golf pro he has ever seen on TV and lines up his first swing. It is an absolute hosel rocket and nearly takes out the person next to him, but Jason makes contact and his golf story begins.
The next day, Jason begs his mom to buy him a set of golf clubs and of course the most obvious place for such a purchase in 1991 is Zellers. Perhaps Jason’s golf story would read differently today if not for his mom’s support, and Jason will be forever grateful to her for always making sure he had every opportunity to follow his passions.
With his Zellers golf clubs in tow, Jason would spend countless hours at the Rossland Trail Country Club, routinely hitting multiple baskets and playing 27 or 36 holes per day. Golf wasn’t exactly ‘cool’ at this point, and there weren’t many other kids Jason knew who would get a junior golf membership each year for their birthday. Then Tiger Woods happened. A little older than Jason and a slightly better golfer, Tiger brought unprecedented levels of athleticism, notoriety, style, and diversity to the sport and inspired younger generations of golfers and fans worldwide. Thanks to Tiger, Jason would one day have way more friends to play with and eventually sell golf clubs to.
Jason moved to the Lower Mainland in 1998 to attend Simon Fraser University and golf took a back seat for the next 10-15 years while Jason focused on his studies, challenged himself to other athletic pursuits, and began to build his career. He would play the odd round with friends or whilst on vacation, and although he really missed the game, it was not exactly affordable in the city. After visiting Squamish in 2016, Jason had a deep knowing that he would live there one day. Reminiscent of the Kootenays where Jason grew up, Squamish is famously known for its world-class mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and rock climbing. Perhaps less famously, golf. When Jason finally moved to Squamish in 2019, he became a member of the picturesque yet affordable, Squamish Valley Golf Club, and it remains one of his best decisions to date. Jason likes to joke that he is the only person to move to Squamish to golf. Jason met Rich at Squamish Valley and the two became regular playing partners. Rich was always highly proficient at talking Jason out of buying new clubs every time he had a bad round. As a thank you to Rich, Jason arranged a trip to Sagebrush Golf Club in November 2021, where Fred worked as a shop assistant, and the rest is history. For Jason, Genuine Golf is more than just the next chapter in his golf story…it is proof that if you follow your passion, work and play can be one in the same.
Fred’s golf path was not unlike many kids growing up on the Island. Golf was playable year round so he always found time to get out and play with friends no matter what month. He wasn’t born with a golf club in his hand but he was armed with a 120 mph club head speed at a young age. Eventually he would wise up and slow his tempo down but in the beginning it was all about hitting long bombs.
Eventually when other sports started to dominate his life, mainly volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer, golf became a second and third option during free time. He then took approximately 20 years off of golf while playing university and professional volleyball around the world. Only after retirement from professional volleyball in 2019 did he actually realize that golf is without a doubt the best sport in the world.
Winning a free month of golf at Northview Golf & Country Club marked the rekindling of Fred’s love for the sport. Perhaps his handicap would be a lot lower if he hadn’t taken all that time off but the worldly experience checks out. He’s very happy where his golf game is at now and knowing he can play well into his 80’s and still improve along the way is exciting as all hell for Fred.