I wanted to put this post up and thank you guys for helping make 2011 the best year of my entire life. Golf pulled me out of a tough place in my life and Golf Club Atlas played no small part in that.
I won’t bore you will non-golf details, except to say my family had a wonderful 2011…business has never been better…and my health will never be what it was, but with the help of golf, I’m fine with that.
**FYI, I think I got all the major golfing items in this post in the correct time frame…however I may have made some mistakes…my apologies in advance if that occurred**
On the golf front, January was kicked off with the “Thaw Out”. Due to a snow storm in Atlanta, Harbour Town and Penny Branch were cut out of the trip for me…but I was still able to check out Old South and Secession. But more importantly, I got to see some great friends (all from GCA) and to meet some new GCA’ers as well. What a way to kick the year off!!
From this...
To this...
In March, I snuck up to check out the “new” #2 with, you guessed it, some GCA’ers. We also played #1, Southern Pines, and The Dormie. And while we were there, we met up with even more GCA’ers who make their home in the Pinehurst area…and, yes, I’m insanely jealous of them!!
Master’s Week was NUTS!! First off, a GCA’er from Chicago was in town, so we played some golf at The River Club…great time. Darius Oliver was in Georgia for The Master’s, so I worked it out so Chris Cupit could have a golf get together/meet and greet at Rivermont with Darius. Some GCA’ers and some non-GCA’er golfing friends of mine took part in this…it was great fun. After that, I hosted a group out at East Lake…and then high tailed it down to Seminole for a nice quick getaway (no GCA’ers at Seminole this time however).
Two weeks later, I was hosted at Sage Valley…by a GCA’er.
A few days later, I played The Farm (barefooted for most of the round) with some GCA’ers.
(Worst round of my life...shot over 100...fell in a creek to add insult to injury
)
Then in May…I was off to Scotland.
Muirfield as a single…met two members at the turn and ended up finishing the round with them. Great fun!
Renaissance as a single. Met a GCA’er who works there…who invited my wife and I over to his house and to dinner with him and his wife. Amazing generosity!!! And a great time.
Then North Berwick and Old Musselburgh as a single.
Off to St. Andrews, where I met up with a GCA’er for a boondoggle to Crail Balcomie…which was set up by a GCA’er. This was one of the great times of my life.
Then Jubilee and The Old Course. And then I hightailed it to Askernish…what a great adventure that was.
A few weeks later, I day tripped it to Shinnecock due to an invite from a GCA’er whom I has down to East Lake the month prior.
In June, I set up a getaway to Rock Creek and, of course, a number of GCA’ers joined me on this adventure.
July 4th weekend was the 5th Major at Dismal with a quick stop at Ballyneal and, of course, the focal point of that is getting together with one of my best friends and many other GCA’ers…including one who owns Dismal.
A few weeks later was my annual family retreat to Kiawah…and a few rounds at The Ocean Course.
And a few weeks after that I had business in NYC so I figured I’d hit Baltusrol, Tallgrass, NGLA, and Sebonack with some GCA’ers beforehand.
August was a “business trip” with clients to Dismal River and Ballyneal.
A few weeks later, I had business in Chicago…so why not hit Shoreacres and Old Elm?
A friend and GCA’er invited me for a daytrip to the Honors a week or so after my Chicago business trip. And later that weekend a GCA’er from Canada was swinging through my neck of the woods, so we met up with another GCA’er in Augusta for a round and then spent the weekend at Chechessee Creek.
September 12th I took part in the most unbelievable of all golf tournaments.
The East Lake Invitational. I had the pleasure of getting two GCA’ers out there to round out my foursome. All I can say about that experience was WOW!!! I was dumbfounded by that experience and I am pumped for next year!!!!!!!
And that next weekend, I went to Dismal with someone who is technically a GCA’er...but isn’t a huge participant anymore.
A few weeks later, I had business in Indy…so I took the chance to hit Harrison Hills as a single. Upon returning, I linked up with a GCA’er who was in Atlanta for the weekend and we hit East Lake together.
Then in October, I went to Bandon Dunes for a Golfweek retreat.
A few weeks later, a GCA’er from New York came down and we hit Rivermont (which he has subsequently joined as a national member) and East Lake.
Like I said, I post this to say “Thank you” to all of you guys….this experience on the day-to-day front has been amazing. Talking golf all the time, learning new things, hearing different perspectives from people with the same passions…it is amazing!! But beyond the day-to-day, it is even better. The “Thaw Out”, 5th Major and other events that I’ve yet to get to (Dixie Cup, etc) set up times to actually meet one another and begin to have real and meaningful relationship with, again, people who share similar passions. It is so incredible that I struggle to put into words how fortunate I feel to be part of this.
In addition to saying thanks, I also want to mention I’ve taken to heart the fact that golf has had such a meaningful impact on my life and I’m trying to share that joyful impact with others. I’m involved with The First Tee, I’m a member of The National Amputee Golf Association, I’m involved with The East Lake Foundation, and I’m a supporter of The Tufts Archives.
Furthermore, I see what takes places on the positive front from you guys and some of the people you are associated with…and that stuff spurs me on. One item of specifc note on this front is, The Ben Cox event that Jim Colton did. WOW!!
I’ll stop/shut up now…but as I look back on this year and think how bad 2008 was for me (most specifically on the physical front) I am humbled, amazed, awe-struck, and overwhelmed that a year this wonderful was even possible. And you all are no small part of why something this wonderful is possible. Thanks again!!
(I thought about deleting the detials of all the golfing rounds for fear it would be taken the wrong way...but I left it there because I feel this kind of stuff is how this website can be taken to the next level. And that is by actually meeting the people who post rather than just post. To me, it doesn't matter if we meet to play Old South...or Shinnecock...East Lake or Lane Creek...it is spending time with people with the same passions...who usually turn out to be great people).