I believe I met Scott at one of the charity outings at the Creek Club organized by Mike Sweeney for his son Dustin's school. Over the years, I had the chance to spend a few days with Scott. While we were not close friends, he made you feel welcome and comfortable. As noted by others, he was generous in spirit and deed.
A few memories stand out. The first is spending an afternoon with him at Canyata in Southern Illinois. Scott, the head pro, the pro's buddy and I were the only people on the golf course...other than the occasional maintenance worker (who, for all we knew, could have been the same guy).
Another time, after a round at Mountain Lake, I found myself at dinner seated by Scott and Mike Policano. I don't believe I have laughed that hard with any other GCA types.
To my chagrin, the last time I saw Scott was too long ago. In 2008, I attended the Bob Labbance fundraiser organized by Brad Klein. As Michael Moore noted, Scott contributed a healthy sum to the auction portion of the event. I remember kidding Scott that my round with JakaB at Norwood Hills only cost me a guest fee and the cost of a caddie.
Later on that trip, Scott hosted me at Old Kinderhook. After the round, he had to stop by his office in Chatham and I tagged along. Scott's office told you most of what you needed to know about him. His desk and credenza had a glass top. Underneath were a myriad of bag tags from courses that he had played. It was clear that he was as obsessed by this crazy game and its great venues as the rest of us are.
There was also a picture of Scott standing by the Cypress Point Club sign. The story was that he had travelled to Northern California for a conference, driven by Cypress, had the picture taken (perhaps by his wife) and hoped that he would be able to play there some day. Needless to say, his wish later came true.
At times like this, it is funny some of the conversations that you remember. I remember Scott telling me about a trip he made on a motorcycle coming from the West back to New York (perhaps after he had completed his service in the Army). I also remember him fretting about whether he could get on the Alotian Club because he didn't know anyone in Arkansas. At the time, the phrase "first world problem" was yet to be coined.
As you can see, I had not enjoyed Scott's company for quite some time. Life got in the way and my trips east became less frequent and less golf oriented. Scott and I corresponded electronically from time to time. The last time was when a friend of mine introduced me to a golf memorabilia dealer who was from the Albany area and knew Scott. It was a reminder of how small the world can seem at times.
I am saddened by his passing. It was way too soon. However, it seems appropriate that he passed away on a golf trip to Scotland. My deepest sympathy to his wife and family.
Whenever people pass from this life, we too often fall back on trite sayings or gross generalizations that ultimately trivialize what someone meant to us. From my experience, Scott was a good man. I had fun when I was around him and enjoyed his company. We should all be so lucky with those we come in contact with in our lives.