2014 was my best golfing experience highlight, and possibly my last. (see explanation below)
Thanks to several wonderful GolfClubAtlas friends here in the U.S. and across the world in Australia, and New Zealand, my wife and I were able to take a trip of a lifetime, that included golf dates and arrangements made by a number of the generous and kind people that are among our world wide list of contributors. Golf Club Atlas friends not only arranged for some dates to play some of the most iconic and wonderful golf courses of Australia and Tasmania, but were there to offer advice and guidance on other aspects of our trip. I am honored that many of you on GCA.com followed our trip and took vicarious interest in our adventures on a multi-week thread here:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57792.0.htmlThanks to Michael "Pup" Taylor (who has battled his own set of very difficult circumstances) and accompanied by Andy Gray, who plays a dual role in my excellent year, arranged a game at Sydney's New South Wales Golf Club. I agree with Pup that it is as beautiful of a course and setting as any on the planet.
On to the Sand Belt and a round at the iconic Kingston Heath with David Elvins and hosted by member Matthew Mollica. It is a true Sand Belt gem in every detail, and the day was followed by a night of true golf camaraderie, and hospitality shared with gentlemen who are all regular golf friends in Melbourne. And, they welcomed my wife to our golf pizza party- 19th hole fest as well. And not to forget a separate happy hour with Mark Furgeson on another late afternoon.
And to Tom Doak, who arranged the pinnacle of my golf dreams, a round at Royal Melbourne playing with that club's CEO, Mr. Rak, and a special tour of the entire two courses and clubhouse and back of the house facilities was the highlight of my highlights in Australian/Tasmania.
A trip up the Great Ocean Road to meet Hundred Hole Brett Morrisey, and tour Port Fairy and Mike Clayton's work with infrequent GCA contributor Shane Gurnett was wonderful.
And my deep regret that I ran out of time and schedule to not go further on to Adelaide to meet James Bennett, who played a big role in getting us set-up and recommended to a wonderful hotel in Melbourne and several great suggestions of things to do and places to see, which we followed to our great benefit of added Australian experiences.
Thanks to Greg Ramsey, of Hobart Tasmania. He is the man who was the initial promoter of the now dream golf destination course of Barnbougle Dunes. Greg gave me a special tour of the Arm End project he has also heavily promoted. Along with GCA contributor Dieter Jones, and an appearance by a famous Milwaukee WI native - now resident of Hobart, a great tour of the land where one of the world's great golf courses will someday be located, was a memorable experience. But, Greg Ramsey's hospitality and generosity did not stop there, he personally drove us to the middle of Tasmania, where in the community of Bothwell, he hosted us on a Sunday that was to also be a milestone evening for his family, where he guided us on a tour of his family homestead, Ratho Farms, which included Australia's first golf course, and a national golf museum. With a final few days at Barnbougle, and a trip back to Melbourne to celebrate our 37th anniversary, it was off to New Zealand, where I did not play golf, but was still guided via some phone calls with Grant Saunders and Ash Towe emails, and a week of great tourist enjoyment, despite a lost or stolen camera. But, thanks to memory chips, not much off the trip was lost and insurance replaced the video camera.
But, my highlight for 2014 was not over. I was able to join host Eric Smith and all the 5th Major group, and team up with my Australian golf pal from earlier in the year when I visited him at New South Wales., Andy Gray. He was on a holiday of his own with his girl friend Autumn, who was attending her sister's wedding in Ohio. So Andy dropped into the 5th Major, and as a team, we managed to win the 5th flight, perhaps a very modest accomplishment, but a thrill none the less.
And, it was a pleasure to meet up once again with Dismal River's General manager and partner, Chris Johnston. He is one of the finest people I have met in the golf world.
And, it is amazing to me how Tom Doak has been so intertwined in my golf life, a man I have only met up with in person once when he hosted us at High Pointe and Crystal Downs and spent and evening showing us the drawings of Pac Dunes, not yet built. Tom's influence has been ever present by virtue of the fact that he has designed several courses I have loved, including BallyNeal of past years played, and this highlight year of Barnbougle, restoring and fine tuning Royal Melbourne and arranging my round there, and Dismal River red.
So, this was my highlight year of a golf lifetime. I may be closing out my golfing life since as a surprise in late September I suddenly acquired the Neuro Muscular disease of Myasthenia Gravis. I have not been able to see single vision, or keep my eyelids from closing without the aid of taping them open, and not able to drive further than a few blocks to the store, and other things like my chewing muscles weakening and imbalance in my walking. There is no cure, but there are symptom treatment drugs and therapies that have widely varied results as to success or not. I am starting the drug therapy this past few weeks, and am not getting any benefits yet. But, it could take time.
I am on the bubble of whether my symptoms can be tamed and that I may re-acquire visual abilities and motor skills to take up golf again. I'll do my best and follow MDs orders.
But, if it has to end this year, I am thankful to my golf friends, and satisfied that with the trip to my personal holy grail of the Sand Belt and Australia in general, and my continued love affair with our own Sand Hills of Nebraska, and the experience at the 5th Major, well... it has been a fine golfing life in deed.