[James Edwards]

I apologise in advance for the O.T....  I just had to post this because it threw me a little although there is nothing really that weird about it...

I was sitting in the office of Dusseldorfer Golf Club, Ratingen Germany, where were currently working and just seen a picture of Alice Cooper with his band mates playing golf at the club after a nights gig, looking worse for wear during their recent tour of Germany...   tattoes everywhere, jogging bottoms, tops with all sorts of logos over them, with brand new golf shoes on! Bizarre! I will post the picture once I obtain it from the club - all this at one of the exclusive golf clubs in the country.

I knew he played golf, but Im impressed \ surprised to see him here... although it is undoubtedly a fine golf course!

Any other recent unexpected celebrities you are aware of at clubs you are member or working at?

[Michael Moore]

Recently Sweeney and I were relaxing after a round at CAGC the Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine.

There was a lite commotion in the parking lot, and none other than George Herbert Walker 41 Bush emerged from the fray and ambled towards the first tee. Naturally, we followed him there out of curiousity.

I have a yardage book under development for Cape Arundel, and had brought a few very raw prototypes to show the professional and Sweeney.

Well, no sooner do we get there than Mike is all "I want you to run out there and give Bush one of your yardage books. Come on man, it's the PRESIDENT!"

And I'm all "It's not ready."

And he's all "You GOTTA do it. It's the president."

And I'm all "If I run out there they'll shoot me."

[Bill_McBride]

James, I had an opportunity to play that course in Dusseldorf about 12 years ago.  Assuming it's the same one -- is there more than one private golf clubs in Dusseldorf? -- the #1 thing needed to improve that course would be cutting the foot deep hay  only 5 yards off the fairway down to a couple of inches!  We spent the better part of an afternoon looking straight down and then endangering our hands blasting wedges out of the stuff.

It was quite an experience.  Our hotel concierge sent us out but didn't bother to tell anybody.  We didn't get there until 2 p.m., then had to talk our way on, rent clubs, and paid them I think the equivalent of $100 US to play until dark, maybe got in 12 holes.

The course was pretty well laid out, don't really remember much which fails my standard test.

Still disappointed about missing the round with you at Chart Hills.  And the rest down in Kent.  

[Philip Gawith]

The best I can do James is the occasion ten years or so ago when, as a journalist, I was playing nine holes with Ely Callaway at his home course near San Diego. At the end of the first hole we were let through by Lloyd Bentsen, who was then the US treasury secretary - so a celebrity in a political kind of a way, but lacking the Alice Cooper sex appeal

More recently, playing in the member guest at Queenwood brought one cheek by jowel with Hugh Grant and the normal golf-soccer mafia of Hansen, Lineker, Dalglish etc - but that was not much of a surprise! Personally, I prefer the first story!

Michael Moore: I hope you did hand it over to W!

[A.G._Crockett]

Once played with Lex Lugar (a.k.a. "The Total Package") former pro wrestler.  Unbelievably slow, unbelievable short swing due to being muscle-bound, but just killed it.  Very nice guy, fortunately.

Played with Larry Munson, the legendary play-by-play guy for U. of Georgia football in a charity scramble.  Also a very nice guy, but a little disconcerting because he basically did a play-by-play of the round EXACTLY like a radio broadcast.  "Oh my goodness, he's just KILLED that one down the right side, and Old Lady Luck smiled on him with that bounce into the short grass", etc., etc.  Also pocketed enough range balls before the round to use one on each hole that had water.

[RJ_Daley]

The only celebrities on a golf course are those who make birdies and eagles.

Why would anyone be surprised to see celebrities on a golf course anyway?  

I did play a few rounds over the years with Sir Boab, who knows people, who know people...

[Jerry Kluger]

I was formerly a member at the TPC at Avenel and one Sunday in 1990 after finishing a round a friend and I saw a small group following a foursome as they approached the first tee.  We went over to see who it was and it turned out to be the Chairman of Kemper Insurance, Sam Skinner (White House Chief of Staff), Vice President Dan Quayle and Greg Norman.  It was pretty cool to walk down the fairway with the Vice President and the then #1 golfer in the world.  Quayle is a very good player and was quite relaxed and by no means full of himself, while Norman was far from cordial.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I know THEE Daniel Wexler. You don't get much bigger celebrity then that.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Should anyone be surprised to see a professional football player on the golf course, after all they can afford it and they get most afternoons off?

A couple of years ago a friend and I went to see the Belfry and booked a putting lesson.  We were on the practice green when the pro stopped us and said look there's a big gap down there how would you like to have a try on the 18th green?

So as we walk across the path from the 9th to 10th he (Derrek) says a brief hello to Steve Stone the ex England player who was with Aston Vila at the time.  He's playing with this Viking, really big and athletic, blond hair and real presence.

So we follow the pro down to the bottom tier and he bets us we can’t putt the ball al the way to the top. Two putts later we reach the top tier and he says ok why not have a go at sinking this. The pin is just below the fall onto the lowest tier, and he warns us to be careful and not putt right off the green...  I leave my first putt just short of the last drop and walk up to it and casually knock it about 18” almost due left at right angles to the direct line.  Derek starts to say “No not that way you had the right line …” and the ball picks up speed and drops dead centre!  

At that moment from behind us to the left comes the loudest “F***” you have ever heard.  Schmichael had put it in the drink at 10!  

[Evan Fleisher]

There's some muni track a little north and west of South Beach in Miami.  I was with my wife at a conference, soaking in the topless broads at that hotel I can't remember the name of that starts with an M I think.  I got bored with that....OK, I didn't want to get busted for oogling too much.  So I decided to go play this joint.

I remember nothing about the course or the round except for the fact that I made 2 eagles with rental clubs, which I thought was pretty cool.  After the round I come in for a beer (after all, it's Miami -- it's hot as hell down there).  And in the 19th hole, there's Jim Brown, wearing standard golf clothes and that goofy orange and green beanie thing he wears.  I certainly didn't expect to see him there.

The other odd celebrity sighting was seeking Willie Nelson and his buddies at the Winnetka park district course a few years ago. I thought that was sort of wierd, too, although I probably should have expected it -- given the giant rock star tour bus that took up half the damn parking lot!

That course was formally known as Bayshore (played it many times as a kid)...now known as the Miami Beach Golf Club

http://www.miamibeachgolfclub.com/

[Tony_Muldoon]

Phillip that's quite a cool name drop on it's own.  "Played the member guest at Queenwood".  Isn't Queenwood the nearest we have to the ultra exclusive US course for new money?  

A Kidd design on heathland. How good is the course,  I've never seen it discussed on here?  It seems to allow UK golf journalists to play with celebrities but thats all they ever report on.

[ForkaB]

Christ, I hope Huntley doesn't see this thread......

[Evan Fleisher]

I must have played it before the remodeling because back then, it was just your basic ratass muni.  For all those who questioned whether you can update a muni and get top buck, this is apparently the poster child for a well-off town that can get big $$ after updating their city-owned golf course: $110 - $185 greens fees on weekends.  $3K per year annual pass for residents.

You hit the nail on the head.  Bayshore was definitely your basic "muni"...including being surrounded by less desireable neighborhoods where the course's golfers were routinely held up at gun-point (no shit!).  My aunt and uncle lived within (almost) walking distance from the course, and I played there many a weekend with them.

The rennovation happened within the past few years, and since then a new clubhouse was built and the greens fees shot through the roof.  Doubt I'll ever play there again.

[Joel_Stewart]

Go and play Bel-Air and you are sure to see no less than 5 famous people.  Riveria and LACC are also famous for their members.

The first time I played Riveria I went as a single and was told to join a twosome.  One of those people was Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back Kotter) and now a fairly big time gambler and financier.  Playing a few groups in front of us was Sly Stallone and James Cahn and behind us was Peter Falk.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Should anyone be surprised to see a professional football player on the golf course, after all they can afford it and they get most afternoons off?

Tony,

      Funny that you mention being able to afford it, when I lived in Seattle there were pro sports guys (Seahawks, Mariners, etc) who would play our course all the time and the pro shop would freaking comp them! Like they needed the break.

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