A Tribute to a Golfer

[SixtySomePing]

There is or was a golfer somewhere who is responsible for you playing the game. Partially or completely, you started playing this great game because someone else did, and they gave you that spark to try it out. Maybe they took you along, or took the time to teach you a thing or two. Or perhaps you never met this person, but their example as a golfer inspired you, and set your path to golf going. What golfer in your life would you pay tribute to?

[golfandfishing]

This will be a very common answer - my dad. He played in a big money game every Saturday and Sunday morning. When I say big, I mean the size of the field, probably 50-80 guys depending on the time of year. The money wasn’t big - $10 buy in for the “A” game or $10 for the “B” game (net). Every group played their side game also. I was about 15 when I was good enough to play with them, and he posted my ten bucks for me, I could keep anything I won. My dad only played the A game because he didn’t like giving or taking strokes, so of course I only wanted in the A game. A year or two later I had a job at a local country club and didn’t play anymore but those games with older players really toughened me up quick.

 

I wish it had meant more to me at the time, but one year I won the junior club championship and he won the senior club championship. I was too young and dumb to appreciate the moment then. He has lymphoma and his time is limited, I’m hoping he’s able to play a few rounds this spring. As soon as the weather breaks in N Ky I’ll be on a plane to play with him. Thanks for starting this thread, I’m looking forward to some great replies.

[TerpFangolfer]

Mine is also easy - my grandfather. My dad took off when my me & my brother were 4 & 2.

 

My grandfather - and to a lesser extent my 2 uncles - were fantastic at filling that void, until my mom re-married ~8 years later (and still married 45 years later! 2nd time is a charm)

 

He was a low-single digit cap (2x qualified for the USGA Sr Am in the early 70s) - he had also played basketball for Univ of New Mexico in the late 30s, and played competitive tennis (he may have been NM state champ at one time?)

 

My early memories are almost 100% sports related (that and travel as the family loved to drive on long vacations) - and at ages 10 & 8 he started my bro and me on golf at Argyle CC in Silver Spring, MD. My brother eventually became a club pro, and I developed my life-long love (and hate!) of this game.

 

in 1991, he was still a 7-8 cap at age 74, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April of that year, and passed in Oct. It was so unexpected as he still played golf & tennis 5-6 times a week - was in great health.

Both his parents had lived until their mid-90s, so it hit out of the blue, and still hurts to this day. Totally unexpected

 

Whenever I accomplish anything in this game I think of him.

[iKOH423]

I am actually not quite sure who specifically but I definitely recall certain events from my childhood that helped shape my love of the game.

 

My first memory that I can remember is from when I was young, between 5-8. I was gifted one of those kiddie bags of clubs, remember it was a bright teal bag that my late Papou (greek word for grandpa) gave me. He would always take me to the range and show me how to hold a club and swing. I don't know if he actually played but he loved watching the game and others that liked to play. This was my first entry point to the game I can honestly say that I was hooked from then.

 

My uncle is an avid golfer so I think growing up I wanted to emulate him and bond over the same things he did and golf was one of those hobbies. Everything and anything we could talk about we would and to this day. I think I have shot my best rounds when I am with him.

[BeerPerHole]

When I was a young man, and young engineer, I happened to work with a very good engineer at a local Air Force Base. His name was Bill Sutherland. I liked him right away. He was sharp, fair, a good leader...many years my senior. When he learned that I was trying to take up golf he invited me to join his traveling league. It was a bunch of much older guys and I hacked it up with them for a couple years...while Bill would occasionally give me pointers. Man...he was so patient - haha. While getting to know Bill I learned that both of his sons were on the PGA tour. On our way home from some golf outings I'd ask him questions about the different personalities on tour, lots of questions about golf. Never met his sons. I hope to someday. I lost touch with Bill many years ago. I like to think he'd be happy with how much I've improved with the game. I know he'd love to meet my kids and see my boy play.

[ohioglfr]

Primarily, Randy Olsen, who invited me to play my first round while overseas in a Naval Mobile Construction Battalion. That evolved into a group of us, playing beer rounds.

 

After retiring, Brian Bradley helped me with the finer points of the short game. I'm indebted to both of them.

[whiteout73]

Definitely my dad. At first, it was bowling and baseball. Bowling in the winter, baseball in the summer. I basically grew up in various bowling alleys, watching my dad, who was one of the top bowlers in the area. I started league bowling when I was seven. Then, in the summers, he was always one of the baseball coaches. At that point, my dad played golf once a week, in a Friday league with his high school buddy, and I'd walk with them from time to time. When I was 12, I joined a summer kids golf league (having never played before). I totally sucked the first couple years, but I knew I enjoyed it more than baseball. So, my parents joined the country club around the corner from our house, and summers became all about golf. It was easy to take for granted then, but looking back I was unbelievably lucky. Before I could drive, in the summer, just about every morning, my parents would drop me off at the club on their way to work. Most of my bowling teammates also played golf and were members at the same club, so we'd play all day, mess around on the range, practice green, etc. From there, I went on to play on the high school team, and in college. I wasn't very good then, to be honest, I made foolish decisions, and battled temper tantrums (learned that from dad too :taunt: ), but still, I always had a love for it. I live 800 miles away from "home" now, but still, whenever I see my dad, we play golf. When I go visit, we play with that high school buddy of his. They've been playing together for damn near 50 years.

[Ferguson]

From a personal perspective: My oldest brother. He made me carry his clubs as a youngster and taught me the game from watching him. Got my first set of clubs from him and to this day he is my closest sibling. We currently live 500 miles apart but still get together to play at least once a year.

 

From a professional perspective: It was watching Ray Floyd at the Masters in 76.

I was hooked.

[Obee]

Mine was Jack Nicklaus in 1986. I was in my freshman year of college playing baseball, but I was growing disillusioned with the game. My coach was a macho a**hole who, during practice, tore his players down 100 times for every time he would say an encouraging thing or give a compliment.

 

I started as a freshman catcher and we were nationally ranked (in the pre-season, at least), but we started off poorly, and our coach was just a complete jerk. I wanted out of there so bad. It was no fun to come to practice, and I was the kid that LOVED to practice. That was a tough time for me.

 

I had dabbled in golf in high school and my freshman year in college, but had probably played maybe 10 - 20 rounds in two years. But watching Jack win the Masters lit a fire in me that is still burning to this day.

 

I quit the team the following year, dropped out of college (stupid), went to work, met my (first) wife, and started a family. And I took up golf with a vengeance.... :-)

[Matt J]

My father never played the game, but he always wanted for me to be exposed to it at a young age. He had a junior set of clubs, a 7 club set, built for me at a very young age. It had a super cool red, white, and black wilson tiny leather junior bag and knit headcovers for the woods. I hit wiffle balls around our property and developed my hand eye coordination and sense of excitement in watching the ball fly. It was a real treat to hit a real golf ball and watch it go. As I grew older my uncle and a step-father would occasionally take me to the "big course" and allow me to join them. Then, in middle school, a few friends and I caught the bug again and would beg our parents to drive us to the course and spend our lawnmowing money on greens' fees. Funny, the more I think about it, it was a collaborative effort ;)

[cardoustie]

Mine was a kid in my grade 8 class that played once a month. He was on my hockey team. I was hooked for life after 9 holes

 

Golf eclipsed every sport I competed in almost immediately. Must be 10 plus other sports tossed to the wayside. Hmm. Back then it was limited to cross country running, lacrosse, soccer, hockey, swimming, skiing, skateboarding, football and racquetball. Even sports I started after golf like tennis, squash, martial arts, weightlifting .. they all held a backseat.

 

Once I was started, my Dad got back into it a little and so did my twin brother. It became the most fun and rewarding sport where YOU held all the cards

[Hawkeye77]

Dad.

 

Everything else, including my becoming a huge Nicklaus fan (and I loved Arnie as well and agonized over his "sunset", he just wasn't as competitive in the early 70s when I was watching a lot of golf on TV, devouring my Golf Digests every month so the rivalry never got in my way as a young fan), was the result of my Dad exposing me to the game and providing opportunities to play. Didn't hurt his dad and my mom's dad liked to golf when they could and we would play with them, or they would take me if I was visiting on my own. One of my grandpas loved the little Arnie paperbacks, tips from Golf Magazine and, lol, I remember in the "median" of his long circle driveway at the farm, kept a real golf ball with a screw in it tethered to a long section of clothesline that he would practice with - scary! He loved to tinker and think about the game.

[jpking17]

First set of clubs at 18...my brother in law taught me how to play. Looking back on it I cannot imagine how frustrating it must have been to have me out on the course at first...I was more of a golf ball hunter half the time. Over the years I played off and on...then I started playing in a golf league and when it became competitive I bought good equipment, practiced, studied. A few years later I realized that our natural golf swings could not be any different...but I always remember how amazed I was at how far he hit the ball at first...still can crank his 4 wood better than anyone else I know.

[third-times-a-charm]

yearly fraternity golf scramble when in college...so not a person per se

[cb24]

The guy who took out my knee from behind in soccer. Couldn’t really play sports that involved running, cutting and jumping anymore so only golf was left ???. Wish it was a joke but it’s true and I actually am grateful that it went that way.

 

My dad definitely didn’t encourage me to play, told me I would hate it growing up because I would be terrible and it’s too hard, lol.

[Malvern]

Was Greg Norman for me, saw him on the TV win in 1976 (I was 10). Think we had just got a colour TV the year before so it was pretty exciting.

[s1mZ]

My brother, Frank.

He probably nagged me for years and years to play, but I was busy with soccer & basketball. Now I am addicted. He had actually slowed down his golf time, but after he taught me, he is playing better and more than ever. We practice together, play together and compete when we can. He is an absolute beast with the driver, and has won some big tournaments here.

 

We both big Mizuno fans, so always cool when we play together with similar tools.

 

Always grateful

[ezpz]

Justin Rose, was on a holiday in the UK when there was golf on the BBC and they aired the open with Justin Rose as an AM playing and I thought the game looked pretty easy so wanted to try it. Sadly I was wrong about the easy part but had a lot of enjoyment since.

[Ryan3773]

My dad 100%. We got in an arguement (I was being an idiot) when I was 11. He left the house and came back with a new set of Nike NDS irons for me. It was an unearned act of kindness and love and I am so happy he got me into the game so we could play together.

 

Since then we’ve played Whistling Straits, Old Head, Ballybunion, Waterville, and a host of other amazing courses and made so many memories together.

[kgeisler13]

My grandpa and my dad. Mostly my grandpa he use to come over in the summer when i was in 1st and 2nd grade and ask if I wanted to go golf with him. He passed away when I was in 3rd grade, I'm 28 now, I wish I had a better memory of our time on the golf course together. My dad is still alive and I enjoy golf with him, now I'm the one giving him swing tips instead of the other way around.

[RSinSG]

I’m like cb24. Got tackled playing football and my knee was trashed. After rehab I couldn’t do much of anything so I started playing golf. I lived closed to the Muni (Now Tahquitz Creek Legend in Palm Springs) and the starter let me play 9 for $.50 (this was 1969.) Occasionally my buddies would play too, but often I would go out and walk as a single.

 

Even after my knee healed and I was back in college sports I continued playing golf, mostly as a single, and I’ve been playing ever since.

 

[nikegal]

Mine was my PGA Mentor/Pro, Harry Welford “Pete” Snead, who was also the father that I never knew or had. He was an incredible man and had the typical Snead swagger, but he was softer and kinder than Sam or his other brothers, especially with the ladies, hahaha. I owe my passion for the game and even more so, my passion for life to Pete. He gave me away in my first marriage even though he had warned me about and couldn’t stand my future husband, also a golf pro(sometimes love blinds us). He still walked me to the alter and then was there to pick me up, hold and comfort me and help me to see that not all men were ***holes when the marriage ended. He introduced me to Richard. After my first experience with an “athlete,” I was very leery of the whole persona however he assured me that Richard was different, and besides, Richard really was “a football player masquerading as a golfer,” hahaha, as though that was supposed to comfort me and give me confidence, hahaha. After I got my card, up until his stroke, we would go out in the evenings at his and Richard’s club and ride a cart around by ourselves, jumping around the course until dusk, riding, hitting and talking about life. He was an incredible man who I love with all of my heart and not a day goes by, especially when I’m with a student or on the course, that I do not think of him, or when I was on the course with Richard, because he has so many of Pete’s mannerisms, even though he denies it, from twirling his driver in his right hand then bouncing the head off of his right toe prior to planting his tee to removing his visor/hat prior to putting, hahaha. My only regret is that Pere will not be able to walk me down the isle with Richard, though we both know that he will be there in spirit. Pete was one in a million and I was one of the luckiest girls in the world behind his wife and daughters :) Madison

[sailfishchris]

My ex father-in-law. I made him go fishing with me. He made me golf-still play with him 4-5 times a year. I think if the ex and his wife knew they'd be none to happy. But, we enjoy each others company for a few hours a couple times a year

[dcfas]

Yeah, my dad. He could be a tough guy but on the course he was like a buddy. Took me forever to finally best him in a match, I think I was like 30. Whenever there is the scent of a Dutchmaster or White Owl on the course I almost expect him to be there. Now I’m hoping to play golf with my son as he grows up, and into adulthood.

[Ryan3773]

Yeah, my dad. He could be a tough guy but on the course he was like a buddy. Took me forever to finally best him in a match, I think I was like 30. Whenever there is the scent of a Dutchmaster or White Owl on the course I almost expect him to be there. Now I’m hoping to play golf with my son as he grows up, and into adulthood.

 

Exactly like my dad. There were so many times where I would be in striking distance to beat him and I would always fall apart!

[Quasimoto]

I did not take up golf until I was pretty close to 40.

Just happened to move to a small town with a golf course, and this was a first for me.

Went out and walked the course and just fell in love with the tranquility and scenery.

Bought a set of clubs (and from then on a new set every year thereafter)... I guess I was WRXer before there was WRX!

Still love the game, being on a golf course and testing new equipment.

I also took up working on golf equipment in the winters.

[Forged4ever]

For me, it was two individuals, as they were almost inseparable to me in that one, my Grandmother, a 4-Time State Woman’s Amateur Champion, started me in the game at 7yo and then passed me off to the next individual at the age of 14yo, Pete Snead(Maddie stated his legal name above and no, a Snead boy wasn’t goin by “Harry,” lolol), who would be my Teacher, Mentor & second Father for the next 32+ years.

 

She gave me a 9i and Putter and lemme run wild for a year, and the following year a 5i & 7i and the third year the rest of the old beginner set-up, however my irons were her old Mens’ Regular Staff Dyna-Powers, cut down(She received new Staff irons & Mac woods every other season). So much for proper weighting, balance and fitting, lmao

 

Hey, they worked, lolol.

 

I’ve told a lot of stories about Pete, me and how he drop kicked me three times for, well, for lack of a better description, “behavior detrimental to the game,” lmao.

 

As he stated often, especially when he was pissed at me, I was nothing more than “some football Player masquerading as a golfer,” lolol.

 

He introduced me to Madison though I’d seen this adorable leggy blonde at the end of the line previously, where it was well known that you only dropped balls there if invited to do so by Pete, lol, and had asked about her.

 

He told me to forget her and he’d determine if and when he’d introduce me to her, lmao.

 

I’ll just leave it at I learned to hit a cut shot quicker than his introduction??

 

I too Loved him to pieces and not a day goes by that I don’t visualize him and a scene from our three decade plus relationship.

 

Sam was cool but Pete was waaaaay cooler, and with Sam, he never let ya forget that he was Sam friggin Snead, but with Pete he was just his younger kid brother that he had taught how to swing a golf club and Play the game.

 

Pete had a way with people, whether you be a corporate CEO and ANGC member or a lost 14yo kid on his first day tryin to find the caddie master, that made em feel like a million bucks!!!

 

My Baba, along with being Pete’s mixed BB Partner, was the female version of him, personality wise, lolol. She could control a room full of guys back in the day when women were supposed to be seen and not heard, unless spoken to.

 

Lmao, God Bless the poor SOB that mistook her for that type of woman, lolol.

 

They both were the absolute Best & I miss em every day

 

Cheers?

RP

[Obee]

For me, it was two individuals, as they were almost inseparable to me in that one, my Grandmother, a 4-Time State Womans Amateur Champion, started me in the game at 7yo and then passed me off to the next individual at the age of 14yo, Pete Snead(Maddie stated his legal name above and no, a Snead boy wasnt goin by Harry, lolol), who would be my Teacher, Mentor & second Father for the next 32+ years.

 

She gave me a 9i and Putter and lemme run wild for a year, and the following year a 5i & 7i and the third year the rest of the old beginner set-up, however my irons were her old Mens Regular Staff Dyna-Powers, cut down(She received new Staff irons & Mac woods every other season). So much for proper weighting and balance, lmao

 

Hey, they worked, lolol.

 

Ive told a lot of stories about Pete, me and how he drop kicked me three times for, well, for lack of a better description, behavior detrimental to the game, lmao.

 

As he stated often, especially when he was pissed at me, I was nothing more than some football Player masquerading as a golfer, lolol.

 

He introduced me to Madison though Id seen this adorable leggy blonde at the end of the line where it was well known that you only dropped balls there if invited to by Pete, lol, and asked about her.

 

He told me to forget her and hed determine if and when hed introduce me to her, lmao.

 

Ill just leave it at I learned to hit a cut shot quicker than his introduction

 

I too Loved him to pieces and not a day goes by that I dont visualize him and a scene from our three decade plus relationship.

 

Sam was cool but Pete was waaaaay cooler, and with Sam, he never let ya forget that he was Sam friggin Snead, but with Pete he was just his younger kid brother that he had taught how to swing a golf club and Play the game.

 

Pete had a way with people, whether you be a corporate CEO and ANGC member or a lost 14yo kid on his first day tryin to find the caddie master, that made em feel like a million bucks!!!

 

My Baba, along with being Petes mixed BB Partner, was the female version of him, personality wise, lolol. She could control a room full of guys back in the day when women were supposed to be seen and not heard, unless spoken to.

 

Lmao, God Bless the poor SOB that mistook her for that type of woman, lolol.

 

They both were the absolute Best & I miss em every day

 

Cheers

RP

 

What a great tribute. Thank you.