Fathers-Golf-You

[Ron Farris]

Happy Father's Day!

My father introduced me to golf and golf courses by taking me to a course in the Sand Hills of Nebraska where he had just become "Greenkeeper". At the time he knew nothing of turf maintenance, golf, or management. I purchased Jame Beards book, which I still have today, and off to a new world he went.

May 1967- He planted my brother and me on the 5th green on a course that had just converted from sand greens to grass.
He instructed us to pull weeds and NOT BENTGRASS.................. well at age 10 that was a formidable task!
I can still see the first bentgrass in my head today.  It was a misty, moisty, spring day with no sunshine.  We hated the job, but years later I realize it was a milestone event in my life.
 
Not a bad introduction to a golfing world that has allowed me to see and meet some very interesting people.

Share something about your father, golf, and yourself.

[Ken Moum]

Happy Father's Day!

My father introduced me to golf and golf courses by taking me to a course in the Sand Hills of Nebraska where he had just become "Greenkeeper". At the time he knew nothing of turf maintenance, golf, or management. I purchased Jame Beards book, which I still have today, and off to a new world he went.

May 1967- He planted my brother and me on the 5th green on a course that had just converted from sand greens to grass.
He instructed us to pull weeds and NOT BENTGRASS.................. well at age 10 that was a formidable task!
I can still see the first bentgrass in my head today.  It was a misty, moisty, spring day with no sunshine.  We hated the job, but years later I realize it was a milestone event in my life.
 
Not a bad introduction to a golfing world that has allowed me to see and meet some very interesting people.

Share something about your father, golf, and yourself.

When I was three, 60 years ago, my father cut off three hickory-shafted clubs for me, and rewrapped the grips.  He painted a huge K on top of the wood with bright red fingernail polish. I'm told that sometime shortly after, I managed to take out a window on the garage.

He's been gone now for almost 30 years and oh, how I wish he and those sticks were still around......

We'd most likely still be arguing about something irrelevant, but a sublime argument it would be indeed.

K

[Jeff_Brauer]

Was thinking of starting the same topic.

While I can't say I got my real start from Dad - I played first with the kid next door, since they were members of Medinah - Dad and I did trek out to the local courses not long after, and played many times, but not as much as some Dads and sons.  And, a lot less after I started beating him regularly..........

He did bring home a bunch of stuff from NGF and ASGCA when I was immediately fascinated by gca.

Fast forward, and got my own son started in golf.  For all the fancy theories on how to get kids interested, mine was to let him drive the golf cart if he made three good shots in a row.  Did the Pelz short game school together.  Ferried him to local junior golf tourneys, and got him in a speical program where playing golf replaced PE and the inevitable football team.

I used my golf contacts to get him a sponsors exemption in his first AJGA event, and when he made the top 100 his senior year, took him to NC, (and a Paul Cowley course!) for the FootJoy year end tourney, and then to Pinehurst where we played no. 2 twice on Fathers Day (2005?)  He has since turned me down on other great golf tripe - Scotland, Pebble, Bandon, etc., but he did want to see P2.

All that got him a golf scholarship and he always had the right attitude of taking it as far as he could go.  Well, two years at a Texas JC was it.  (He had some 4 year offers, but is kind of a homebody, and those didn't end up netting out as much as a full ride for two years, so it worked for me, too. ) Still plays and regularly shoots 68-74.

One daughter played two years on the HS golf team, without distinction, but enjoying the social aspects.  My oldest daughter never really tried.  I read somewhere that Dad has to convey that sports are just as important for a girl to be interested, which I obviously failed to do, and which I both regret, and advise those of you who have young daughters to strive to do.

[michael damico]

Growing up infatuated with hockey (what else is there in upstate/western NY?) I would ask my grandfather where he went on Sundays. His reply was that he went golfing with his buddies, to which I retorted, "well, I'm your buddy, can't I come?" Well, years later and a couple convictions of some of his 'buddies' while I was able to golf with them, I realized what he meant. It was my great-grandfather who saw me ask my grandfather and later (to which he didn't know I saw him) scolded my grandfather for his response. The next day he took me out to Latta Lea, a simple par 3 course where it all began. He used a 7 wood and always walked, never rode, even at his feeble age; things I do today (just not as feeble, thankfully).

Once, old enough, my grandfather would take me out as much as he could, until I started out driving him... . Growing up without my father, it was these two men that got me to exploring the possibilities of a career in golf design; it is these two men I owe a huge debt of gratitude (and angst) to. Thankfully I can still enjoy a round with my grandfather, but it has been far too long since I was able to enjoy a walk with my great grandfather. It is he who I owe everything to.

[Dan Smoot]

My father introduced me to golf when I was about 7 yrs old, getting me up to sit with him and his golfing partner on a golf bench to wait for sunrise and the starter to show up.  I pulled his cart and loved every minute of time with my Dad.  Home finances did not permit me to take up the game until later when I was in my early teens.  I would grab his old Northwestern clubs and sneek onto a par 3 course close by.  By the time I reached high school, I really got serious about the game and my dad started playing golf again with me.  We enjoyed hitting the course before dawn and my dads passion returned. 

I matured, graduated college, married, had children and moved significantly away from home.  Everytime we got together, we centered our time together on finding a place to play.  We were fortunate to take a couple of golf trips together.  My father was an outstanding man who never knew a stranger and taught me the value of hard work and the grace of forgiveness.    I found through some extraordinary circumstances at 33 yrs old that he wasn't really my biological father.  An incredible revelation at the time that did nothing but draw us closer together for the rest of his life.

He and I played our last round of golf on July 30, 2009 in western Colorado.  As we had a great time that day, something just wasn't right, 30 days later he was diagnosed with cancer and he was gone before Thanksgiving.  He was a great dad, who became a great friend and a wonderful golfing partner.  Father's Day is a great time with my children but so bittersweet with missing my father and the time we spent together.  All in all, I am a lucky man, blessed by God for the person he brought into my life.

[Jay Flemma]

Here's an article about that from my week at Torrey Pines:

http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=930

http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=931