'They're always happy': 80-something golfing buddies brighten up Belvedere

They don't always keep score, they might throw their golf balls out of the sand trap instead of chip them out, and they tease each other relentlessly.

Paul Taweel, 85, Thane Doyle, 84, and Bill Mulligan, who turns 80 in December, have been playing golf for decades at Belvedere Golf Club in Charlottetown, often with their other buddy, 83-year-old Frank Hughes.

And though some ailments have slowed them down recently Doyle is back this summer after a hip replacement, Taweel fell and broke his rotator cuff in July, and Mulligan suffered a stroke last year they have no plans to quit anytime soon.

"If it doesn't become fun anymore, then I'd probably give the game up," Taweel said.

For now, however, fun is clearly what they are having, said Belvedere operations manager Jeff Affleck.

"They're always happy and they always have some very entertaining stories to tell us," he said.

"They bring humour. Everybody loves stopping to talk to them if they're out in the dining room for an hour. There's many people, they'll just stop by the table'Hey how you doing?' It's always good for conversation."

They have been fixtures in Charlottetown their whole lives.

Mulligan and Doyle went to the old Queen Square School, and Taweel went to West Kent School when it was located on Kent Street. Mulligan used to work at the City of Charlottetown recreation department, Doyle was a nursing care administrator at the old Prince Edward Home, and Taweel's family owned a grocery at the corner of Queen and Fitzroy streets.

Plenty to talk about

When they get together on the golf course, there is plenty to talk about Islanders and UPEI hockey, politics and anything else in the news.

We're competitive, but if you don't get it done, we're not going to sulk and cry about it. Bill Mulligan

"We like the camaraderie," Mulligan said. "We get along pretty good together we can call one another down. And then we'll get over it. It doesn't go outside of here or anything."

Mulligan said they are competitive, but don't take themselves too seriously.

"We're not out there goofing around. We're trying to hit the shot that is required to hit and we do the best we can at it. And if it doesn't happen we'll get up and take another whack at it the next time. We're competitive, but if you don't get it done, we're not going to sulk and cry about it."

That means a duff doesn't go unnoticed.

"You might be told you hit a bad shot or if you get a good shot, you're lucky there or something like that. We can have that type of a conversation and not be hurt by it," Mulligan said.

They usually play a few times a week, teeing off around 8 a.m. so they're done in time for lunch. These days, Doyle only joins them for the back nine.

He said he enjoys coffee in the clubhouse afterward as much as making a par.

"I'm still trying very hard to learn the game, and I never will probably ever learn it," he said. "I'm still trying at 84. And I'll keep doing that until I can't play anymore."

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