Why Save Your Golf Balls? by Brian Hesje

WHY SAVE YOUR BALLS? ^ Golf One manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logic behind collecting golf balls

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“I have a lot of objects in my space, little things, reminders, memories.” – Marc Newson

TA BL E OF CO NT E N TS

I – EARLY MEMORIES

Why Save?

Why Play?

Luck

The University of Alberta – Edmonton, Alberta

Ernst & Young – Edmonton, Alberta

Fountain Tire – Edmonton, Alberta

Pineridge Golf Resort – Seba Beach, Alberta

II – SEVEN MEMORABLE WINS

Royal Mayfair Golf Club – Edmonton, Alberta

The Derrick Golf and Winter Club – Edmonton, Alberta 43 BMW– Mont Tremblant, Quebec

El Dorado Golf And Beach Club – San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico 53 Wolf Creek Golf Resort – Wolf Creek, Alberta

Las Vegas Country Club – Las Vegas, Nevada

Judge Walsh Seniors’ Golf Association – Royal Mayfair Ball 67

III – SEVEN MEMORABLE LOSSES

Canadian Livestock Association Men’s Golf

ATB Financial Classic – Calgary, Alberta

Yellowknife Golf Club – Yellowknife, NWT

Columbia Edgewater Country Club –Portland, Oregon 85 Glenmoor Country Club – Canton, Ohio

Glendale Golf & Country Club – Edmonton, Alberta 93 Windermere Golf and Country Club – Edmonton, Alberta

IV – CANADIAN MEMORIES

101

Birch Hills Golf Course – Birch Hills, Saskatchewan 103 Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course – Jasper, Alberta

107

Pheasantback Golf & RV Estates – Stettler, Alberta 110 The Royal Regina Golf Club – Regina, Saskatchewan 112 Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club – Drumheller, Alberta 115 Kananaskis Country Golf Course – Kananaskis, Alberta

119

Nursery Golf and Country Club – Lacombe, Alberta

123

Waskesiu Golf Course – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan 126 Elk Ridge Resort – Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan

128

St. George’s Golf and Country Club – Etobicoke, Ontario 131

V – U.S.A MEMORIES

135

Firestone Country Club – Akron, Ohio

137

Magnolia Golf Course – Orlando, Florida

140

Sand Hills Golf Club – Mullen, Nebraska

143

Old Memorial Golf Club – Tampa Bay, Florida

147

Mauna Lani South Course – Waimea, Hawaii

150

The Legacy Golf Club – Las Vegas, Nevada

153

The Country Club at DC Ranch – Scottsdale, Arizona 156 Arizona Biltmore Golf Club – Phoenix, Arizona

158

Royal Links Golf Club – Las Vegas, Nevada

161

Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada 165

VI – INTERNATIONAL MEMORIES The Old Course at St. Andrews – St. Andrews, Scotland

171 172

Turnberry Golf Club – Turnberry, Ayrshire Scotland 175 Killarney Golf & Fishing Club – Killarney, Ireland

179

Shanghai Silport Golf Club – Shanghai, China

182

Thai Country Club

184

Port Royal Golf Course and St. George’s Golf Course – Bermuda

187

Golf Las Americas – Tenerife, Canary Islands

190

Golf De Lamalou-Les-Bains and Golf Resort Montpellier Fontcaude – Cap D’agde, France

193

VII – SPECIAL MEMORIES

197

The Masters – Augusta, Georgia

199

Rolex

202

Vatican City

205

Gulf

207

Dave Barr 208 Lars H80 211 Juliette’s Collection 213

About Brian Hesje 215 5

I EARLY MEMORIES

WH Y SAVE ? “The only purpose to your life is the one you give it.” People collect things. They collect antiques. They collect autographs. They collect cards. They collect cars, coins, dice, dolls, rocks, shot glasses, and spoons. They collect and collect and collect. There is one thing that people collect that is lost far more regularly than it is saved. In fact, it’s estimated that over 500 million are lost each year. Every one that is lost is frustrating to its owner—the person who continues to repeat the action that lost it in the first place. On average, these easily lost collectables take 100 years to decompose, so many can be found if one is willing to look. Many are lost to bodies of water, but very few would be discovered in the ocean. Many are lost amid trees, but few would be discovered in the forest. Those “collected” are often put away, though some are displayed in cases made of oak, walnut, or maple. Seldom removed and studied, rarely shown to others, rarely discussed—they seem of little or no interest to anyone but the owner. These objects come in a variety of colours, brands, corporate names, and logos. 9

They’ve been known to cause anxiety, frustration, anger, disappointment, enjoyment, satisfaction, and elation. They are golf balls. Golf balls are far from the strangest item you could collect, but one must wonder why anyone would want to collect them. Financial gain can be quickly ruled out—the odds are very, very low of your golf ball collection increasing in value. The antique ball pictured on the previous page was made by Dunlop, a company that was better known as a tire manufacturer in Birmingham, England. I discovered a similar looking ball for sale on a website for €195 Euro (or over C$300). However, I also discovered the same ball on a different site for C$12. Old balls do not equate to high value. On the positive side, they are not expensive to acquire. You can also rule out that they’re collected to win a competition. You’ll likely never hear, “My golf ball collection just won.” Just as your collection will not bring you fortune, it will not bring you fame.

People rarely collect golf balls for the thrill of the hunt, and those collecting due to emotional attachment require therapy. The social interaction and status gained at car shows or coin and stamp exhibitions are non-existent in the world of golf ball collectors. I’ve asked people why they collect golf balls and I’ve been met with mostly blank stares. One great answer, “To fulfil a dream,” came from a golf course superintendent. She collected balls from welltravelled club members and was hoping to one day play every course represented by the balls. Having a dream can be as important as fulfilling it! My reason for saving my balls was not to fulfil a dream, but to preserve the dreams I have already fulfilled. I hope you enjoy my record of why I saved my balls. Perhaps it will inspire you to save your memories.

WH Y P L AY? You likely wouldn’t save golf balls if you didn’t play the game, and you likely wouldn’t play the game if you were just told the basics. To play, you need a maximum of 14 golf clubs, a bag to carry them, and golf balls. The balls cannot be less than 1.68″ in diameter or weigh more than 1.62 oz. A golf course typically covers between 110-200 acres (0.45-0.81 km2). It will have 18 tee boxes, 18 greens, with 18 flags—each placed in a hole that is 4.25″ in diameter. Each hole will range in distance from about 100 yd. (91 m) to more than 500 yd. (457 m). A game—or “round”—can be played alone, but is usually played in groups of four and takes an average of four hours to complete. The goal is to hit the ball from each tee box to the green and have the ball drop into the hole that is only slightly larger than the ball. If you can accomplish this by hitting the ball 72 times, you will have played a “par” round. Golf may not sound like fun, but many players become addicted. So much so that in 1457, James II, King of Scotland, banned golf because he felt that young men were spending too much time on golf and not enough on archery. That ban would stay in place until 1502. Today, James II would be shocked to discover how much archery has taken a back seat to golf.

Golf developed a “handicap” system to enable players to be competitive with others whether they are better or worse, younger or older, male or female. Your handicap is the number of hits (strokes) over 72, or par, you use in a round. A par golfer would have a “0” handicap, while a golfer whose average score is 90 would have a handicap of 18 (i.e., subtract 72 from 90). If the first golfer shot 72 and the other shot 90, the game score would be considered equal. This way, players at different skill levels can have a competitive game. People who know me think I play golf because I love competition. A fellow golfer once remarked, “The only thing worse than losing to you is beating you.” But he didn’t realize that I play because of my love of teaching. How often have you heard that you learn more from losing than winning? My love of teaching has inspired me to win so others can learn. I also play golf because I love to learn, but not necessarily from losing. If you are willing to learn, golf is a great teacher. You can experience 14

many emotions in a four-hour game. During a round of golf, you can be happy, sad, calm, angry, frustrated, and elated. You can also learn the value of respect, humility, punctuality, and honesty. Golf can also teach the value of patience and practice. I have been slow to learn patience and practice. I have, however, learned the value of luck and capitalized on it manyÂ times. The best reason for playing golf is the many great memories itÂ creates.

LUC K Most sports have a lofty goal that players strive to achieve. Every bowler hopes to have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;perfectâ&#x20AC;? game. Every poker player hopes to be dealt a royal flush. Every golfer hopes to get a hole-in-one. Although the occasional hole-in-one is made on a par 4 hole, most are made on par 3 holes. A typical golf course has four par 3s, 12 par 4s, and two par 5s. The par 3s are 100-250 yd. (91-229 m) between the tee and the hole; the par 4s are 250-450 yd. (229-411 m); and the par 5s are 450-600+ yd. (411-549 m). There are four chances for a hole-in-one every round: once on everyÂ par 3. GolfDigest states the odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one is 1:12,000. The odds of a professional golfer making a hole-in-one is 1:2,500. Skill counts, but luck counts more.

In theory, to beat the odds you would have to play 3,000 rounds, giving you 12,000 par 3 opportunities. To play 3,000 rounds would require playing a round every day for over eight years. And if you walk the course, you walk slightly over five miles to play a game. To play your 3,000 rounds, you would have to walk the distance across Canada more than three times. A lot of work to get a hole-in-one! Odds are probabilities, and results are facts. Odds calculations do not consider the factor of LUCK. But lucky, I am! I have not played 3,000 rounds of golf in my life, but I have scored three holes-in-one. The first won a $250 credit at the bar; the second, in a tournament,

won a two-year $4,000 car lease and $10,000 cash. The third, also in a tournament, won $10,000 cash. I am an accountant, not a mathematician, so I have no idea of the odds of three holes-in-one with two being in a tournament. Golf has made me appreciate the significant influence of luck on many aspects of life. Three holes-in-one equates to three surreal experiences and three purchased trophies.

TH E U NI VE R S I T Y OF A L BE RTA – EDMONTON , A L BE RTA The University of Alberta campus overlooks the river valley in Edmonton, Alberta. It opened in 1908, and on October 13 of that same year, the University Senate approved green and gold as the school’s official colours. Although Marion Alexander Kirby came up with the idea, it was her husband William Alexander Hardy, the first professor of classics at the university, who suggested these colours to the faculty. It is very unlikely many graduates in the last century know they should thank the Faculty of Arts for their colours. Green represents the vast prairie land of Alberta and the spruce forests that flank the province’s boundaries. It is symbolic of hope and optimism. Gold represents the golden harvest fields and symbolizes the light of knowledge. Golfers are usually optimistic before the start of a game and have hope prior to every shot. Unfortunately, hope is often nothing more than disappointment delayed for many a golfer. The light of knowledge shines so brightly in golf that over-thinking results in many mistakes being made. Golf played no part in my university education. It wasn’t offered in my mandatory physical education class, and it wasn’t played by any of my friends. At that time, golf was not a sport I had ever even considered playing. 21

Why then would I have not one, but two, U of A golf balls in my collection? It’s not because I play with green and gold balls; in fact, I only play with conventional white balls. It’s not because I won a tournament or even a prize at a U of A golf event. It’s because I have two degrees from the University of Alberta. The first was a Bachelor of Education with a major in history, which led me to become a high school teacher in Provost, Alberta. That experience taught me that it is more important to be respected than liked, if you wish to be a leader.

The second degree was a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a major in accounting, which led me to become a Chartered Accountant (CA). The CA designation resulted in an introduction to the business world, which in turn enabled me to have the time and resources to play golf. These golf balls constantly remind me of the importance of education and how it opens the door to many opportunities.

ERNS T & YOU N G – EDMO NTON , A L BE RTA Normally, I wouldn’t save a company logo golf ball but I saved this Ernst & Young ball because my time there gave me the opportunity to learn about business. Ernst & Young is an international accounting firm formerly known as Clarkson Gordon & Company and simply known as EY today. It is unfortunate for company founders Alwin and Theodore Ernst and Arthur Young that this acronym became so popular—their legacy has been transformed to mere letters. Growing up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, the only career counselling we received in high school was in our guidance class where we were given a list of professions in order by earnings. Dentistry was at the top of the list. After a minute or so of contemplation, I decided to become a dentist. One year later, I was staring at a full slate of Fs and a letter from the University of Saskatchewan advising me not to return. Six years later, after receiving my Bachelor of Education degree and completing two years of teaching high school in rural Alberta, I found myself back at the University of Alberta earning my Master of Business Administration degree. A classmate, who was preparing to write his chartered accounting exam, asked me about my plans after graduation. I had none.

He suggested that I become a Chartered Accountant because tax reform was going to triple theirÂ earnings. Again, after a minute or so of contemplation, I decided to become a Chartered Accountant. Two years later, my earnings were identical to the teacher salary I had four years earlier, teaching me just how important it is to ask the right questions. When you triple a little, you still have a little! Contrary to popular belief, there are few opportunities in business for pre-dental flunk-outs with a BEd degree and history major. However, having an MBA and an accounting designation created numerous business opportunities and gave me knowledge that is very important to build a successful business. I acquired knowledge few have, and few want toÂ have. I did not stay with EY after receiving my CA designation but went to a smaller accounting firm. I practiced accounting for eight years before joining a client where I would go on to have a successful business career for many years. EY provided the foundation of knowledge that opened the doors to my future golf opportunities.

F OUN TA I N T I R E â&#x20AC;&#x201C; E DMON TON , A L BE RTA More than 35 years of my career were spent at Fountain Tire. Golf played a significant role in establishing relationships with associates, customers, and suppliers. Many of my best golfing memories are a result of these relationships. Relationships come and go, but memories last. One lasting benefit is the sponsorship of my membership at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club by the president of Fountain Tire. I have made many friends and enjoyed many rounds of golf at the course. Without his support, this would not haveÂ happened. Fountain Tire sponsored many tournaments in the communities it served. Meeting customers, sharing stories, and many laughs were the result. I recently played golf with a person I played with in a tournament in Lloydminster, Alberta over 20 years ago. He remembered playing with me. I did not remember playing with him. I did, however, dig up some golf pictures from a closet. I not only had proof we had played but also who played with us. Memories revived. Our suppliers also took us on golf trips. If it were not for these trips, I may never have played in Scotland, China, Aruba, Tenerife, and many courses in the U.S. Many of my saved balls are from these trips. 28

Fountain Tire, like many companies, used golf balls to enhance its brand. I, too, thought this was a good idea until one day, while playing at my home course, I hit a very erratic shot out of bounds into the park next to the course. I thought I heard the sound of a golf ball and a car making contact so I decided to check. I saw a stranger standing at the course fence with my ball in hand. Thankfully, it was not his car that I hit but it was then I realized that golf balls could erode your company brand as well as enhance it. Fountain Tire was a memory maker for me.

P I NE RI DGE G OL F R E S O RT – SEBA BE AC H , A L BE RTA A 45-minute drive west of Edmonton, Alberta will get you to the Pineridge Golf Resort. It’s at the west end of Lake Wabamun, near the summer resort area of Seba Beach. The nine-hole course, designed by James D. McLean, opened in 1972. I believe the Mr. McLean who managed the course when I visited was the same James D. McLean. He clearly loved the course and was constantly working to improve it. The McLean family managed the course until 2006, when Jeff Richardson purchased it. Pineridge is significant to me because it was the first golf course I ever played. I don’t recall knowing anyone who played golf until I got married. My father-in-law owned a cabin at Seba Beach where I spent many enjoyable days. With ample free time, it was not surprising that golf eventually became an interest of mine. I don’t know the recommended age to begin playing golf but it’s unlikely anyone would suggest waiting until your mid-20s. I am sure it is recommended, though, to take lessons and learn to play the game properly. I never did!

At Pineridge, the par for nine holes was 35; to play an 18-hole round you would simply repeat the course. The course doesn’t play long as it is only 6,244 yd. from the blue tees with just a few sand traps and no water hazards. My goal was to shoot 45 or less for nine holes, or 90 for 18 holes. I didn’t realize it at the time, but striving for what would be a handicap of over 18 at most courses was not a lofty goal. I played many rounds of golf at the course and also played in my first tournament, the Burro Classic. You didn’t have to be a donkey to compete, but it certainly seemed to help if you acted like one. The method of selecting the winner was a well-guarded secret and after many unsuccessful attempts, I finally won.

Just like the winner of the prestigious Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, the Burro Classic winner receives a jacket. Unlike the Masters, it was not green nor was it “fitted” for the winner. It was, however, passed on by the previous winner and you were allowed to keep it for a year. You also got to guzzle a special champion’s drink. Definitely a tournament you might not remember! Had it not been for playing Pineridge Golf Resort, it is likely that I would never have played golf. I would never have learned luck and determination can, and often do, trump skill and practice.

II SEVEN MEMORABLE WINS

ROYA L M AYFA IR G OL F C LU B – EDMONTON , A L BE RTA After breaking my wrist from falling off a ladder taking down Christmas lights, I found myself lying in a hospital bed at the University of Alberta Hospital with four pins protruding from my left hand. Clearly it was time for me to call it quits with Christmas lights! The doctor came in to check my wrist and told me I would never golf again. This news came the same week I received a letter acknowledging my approval for membership at the Mayfair Golf Club, and that my five-figure membership fee cheque would be cashed. That did not lift my spirits. It’s fair to say that it wasn’t a great start to the year. As luck would have it, my doctor was wrong. After months of therapy, my wrist regained enough flexibility to continue playing. While I am right-handed, I golf left-handed, so it was fortunate that my left wrist was injured. I would not have been able to golf at all had it been my right wrist that was injured. Little did I know at the time, but my most significant golf achievements would be post-accident. Although the Royal Mayfair opened in 1922, it was not until 2005 that the Mayfair officially received approval of the designation “Royal”–as one of only 64 golf clubs in the world. To receive this designation, 37

a course must have been visited by a member of the British Royal Family or have hosted prestigious events, and ultimately, her Majesty must approve the nomination. Queen Elizabeth II granted the status to the Mayfair, recognizing the club’s long history and commitment to the game. All “Royal” golf courses are in the United Kingdom or Commonwealth countries, except for the Royal Dublin Golf Club in Ireland, the Royal Golf Club Mariánské Lázně in the Czech Republic, and the Royal Homburger Golf Club in Germany. A member of a “Royal” golf club has reciprocal golf privileges with all the other “Royal” courses in the world. I have played three of the six in Canada, but am far from playing them all. Most private golf clubs have an annual member-guest tournament, and the Mayfair is no exception. The odds of winning dramatically increased when the course underwent extensive renovations. The course was not closed, but every hole became a par 3 and had temporary greens. Not a member’s dream, nor an opportunity to show off the course, but a decision was made to go ahead with the member-guest tournament in spite of the course condition. It is the only tournament I have ever played where handicaps were not used. The winner was determined simply by adding the total scores of the member and his guest. Par was 54 for the 18 holes, and my partner and I won.

Often when you win a golf tournament, you will be called a sandbagger. A sandbagger is a person who uses false scores to increase their handicap for an unfair advantage. In this tournament, we could not be called sandbaggers because handicaps were not used. My partner and I went on to win two more member-guest tournaments. To those who called us sandbaggers, I replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are either a sandbagger or a loser and I see you are not a sandbagger.â&#x20AC;? At the start of every game, it is customary to throw a tee in the air and the player to whom it points plays first. You will continue to play first at every hole until you lose a hole. Few people would even think of setting a goal to win this honour on all 18 holes, much less even keep track. I, however, set this goal and actually achieved it once. My opponents were very irritated to discover that they had lost a contest, not knowing such a contest even existed.

On April 23, 1995, we were playing one of our first rounds of the year as a shotgun start, so we didn’t start at the first hole. On the 16th hole, I came within six inches of a hole-in-one. Later, at the 10th hole I picked up my ball after too many shots–an “eight” on the score card, the maximum score for my handicap. I went to wait at the 11th hole while my friends finished putting and while sitting on a bench, feeling very frustrated, I asked myself, “Why do I play this game?” The answer came with my next shot: a four-iron directed my ball right into the hole that was 184 yd. away for my first hole-in-one. How you feel seeing the ball disappear into the hole is best described as surreal. The club gave me a print with my scorecard embedded in it as a memory. A great memory. I have played more rounds at this course than any other. The many memories created here have resulted in many laughs, smiles, and even the rare smirk. At times, I have had trouble wiping the smirk off my face.

THE DE RR I C K GO L F A ND WI NT E R C LU B – EDMO NTON , A L BE RTA In 1959, the Derrick Golf and Winter Club opened in Edmonton as a family-oriented club. When I joined, the facilities offered golf, curling, swimming, tennis, and badminton. Golf and curling were the most important activities to me while swimming, badminton, and tennis were more attractive to my daughter. My golf game moved to a new level after joining the Derrick. I had never had an official handicap before and didn’t even know how the system worked. After playing a number of rounds and “posting” them I had a gross score of 90. After deducting my 18 handicap, my “net” score was 72, which was par for the course. My scores ranged between the mid-80s and 100. Not bad for never having taken a lesson. The first “prize” I remember winning in golf was not at the Derrick, but at the Sherwood Park Golf Course—it no longer exists. There was a trophy for anyone who got a birdie on the 18th hole and I told my playing partners I was going to do it. And I did. I received a small trophy and a taste of the impact that luck and determination would have in my golfing journey.

My first team win occurred at the Derrick Golf Course in an Edmonton Eskimo Alumni golf tournament. I was on a team led by former Eskimo quarterback Jackie Parker. He was a member of the Grey Cup-winning Eskimos in 1954, 1955, and 1956, and is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. We were playing best ball in the tournament and had pars on the first seven holes. Fortunately, the eighth hole was a watering hole. After a couple of shots of vodka, we went on to birdie the next 11 holes and win the tournament. Had I known the great result, there would have been a bottle in my bag and we might have set a record. I still have the large golf bag we won. Years later, I had it autographed by Jackie Parker. A great memory of a fun tournament. I had much more luck at the Derrick after I left to become a member at another club. For years after leaving the club, I played as a guest in the annual member-guest tournament. One year, I won a prize for longest putt and in another, a chance to play in the BMW Canadian Championship. But my most exciting moment was when I got my second hole-in-one in the tournament. At that time, the eighth hole was a 173 yard, par 3. I hit a five-iron that looked mighty fine. When we arrived at the green, my ball was nowhere to be found and the girl “spotter” had not seen it! My partner went over to the hole and there it was. Unbelievable! In an unlikely, never-to-be-repeated outcome, my playing partners had a birdie, par, and bogey. Few, if any, foursomes in the world would record a 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the scorecard for a par 3. The win doubled when we discovered the hole had two sponsors. A two-year lease on a car valued at $14,000 and $10,000 cash, of which $5,000 was donated to the SPCA. Not bad for a single golf shot. The Derrick Golf and Winter Club has hosted the second-most rounds of golf I have played at any one course and many of my top memories of golfing.

B MW – MONT TREM BL A NT, Q U E B E C In 1982, the BMW dealers in England organized the first BMW Invitational Tournament. Amateurs were invited from various dealers to six regional tournaments. The finals were played at the famous Belfry Golf Course outside Birmingham. In 1987, the BMW Golf Cup International was founded in the home of BMW: Germany. The tournament was only played in Germany until 1992, when they integrated the British tournament. Today, approximately 15,000 amateurs compete in qualification tournaments around Germany. There are roughly 100,000 amateur competitors around the world who play in the BMW Golf Cup International to compete in the world final. The odds of a farm boy from Saskatchewan being one of the competitors is obviously quite remote. In Canada, BMW dealers sponsor a member-guest tournament in one of the clubs in each major city. In 2002, the chosen club was The Derrick Golf and Winter Club in Edmonton. The team with the highest score having “official” handicaps wins. I found myself sitting in a golf cart outside the clubhouse of the Derrick. I was a guest before and a former member of the club. The tournament is huge! Each hole has six teams ready for the shotgun start. Instead of the typical four people on two teams to make a group, there were three teams of four people making up each group—an excellent recipe for a six-hour round of golf! 47

Although play is slow, the tournament is fun. I, however, found myself thinking, “What am I doing here?” A winner for the tournament is determined using the “Stableford System” of scoring. Points are awarded for your score on each hole, so having one or two high-scoring holes does not mean you cannot win the tournament. Points are awarded as follows: Double bogey (2 over par) = 0 Points Bogey (1 over par) = 1 Point Par = 2 Points Birdie (1 under par) = 3 Points Eagle (2 under par) = 4 Points If you have a handicap, the net score is used. For example, if you have an 18 handicap, you would deduct one stroke per hole. Meaning a score of five on a par 4 hole would net to a four (or par) and score two points for that hole. To speed up play, every hole has a “gimmie” circle of six feet. If your ball is within the circle, the putt becomes a “gimmie” and you take one stroke for it. Scores, with this system, are much better as many short putts are missed even by pro golfers. On this particular day, my partner and I accumulated 83 points. A very high score in this scoring method. If each of us had scored all net pars we would have had 72 points (36 holes x 2 points). We were 11 points better than par, but we were not the tournament winners. Another team had a higher score. However, one of the players on the other team did

not have an official handicap, so we were awarded the BMW Golf Club International Canadian Qualifying Championship for Edmonton. Our prize qualified us for the Canadian Championship to be played in Mont Tremblant, Quebec. Three representatives are chosen from the Canadian Championship to go to the World Finals: One male with a handicap of 0-12, one male with a handicap between 13 and 28, and one female. We decided I would get my handicap down to 12 so my partner and I could both win—me in the 0-12 category and him in the 13-28 category. I played enough that by the Mont Tremblant tournament date, my handicap was 12. The lowest it has ever been! Mont Tremblant is a city in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec and is approximately 130 km / 81 mi. northwest of Montreal. My golf partner and I were each allowed to bring a guest to the Canadian Championship. BMW provided our accommodations and paid for our golf, but travel costs were ours to bear. I suspect that had something to do with the small number of participants. The first day of the competition, we played a practice round that only counted if we were rained out the next day. We were also informed the categories for men would now be 0-10 and 11-28. Yikes. I was then the lowest handicap in my group. After the round, we had a social with our competitors. I told my friends before we called it a night, “I don’t know who will win tomorrow, but I do know it will not be my new friend from Toronto.” The competitor from Toronto had what we Westerners call “the Eastern Attitude.”

The next day came and it didn’t rain so the game was on. I was paired on the cart with my “friend” from Toronto. After nine holes, I only had 16 points and was not in contention. By hole 15, I was within one of the leader. It was a par 5 and we were both on the green—he in four strokes, me in three. I was a long way from the hole, he was not. I knew he was thinking I would three-putt and he would two-putt leaving no change to his lead. Except I drained a long putt for a net eagle and four points. He proceeded to three-putt for a net bogey and one point. I now was in the lead by two. He gained a point on hole 17. One up with one to play. The 18th hole was a par 4, 380 yd. hole. I remember standing on the tee thinking I only needed one more good drive. My ball ended up one yard from the 100 yd. marker. For me to hit a 280 yd. drive requires adrenaline. I hit the green with my second shot and two-putted for par and my Toronto friend got a bogey. I had 37 points! I had not only beat him—as predicted—I was the BMW Canadian Champion and on my way to Mexico for the World Finals.

EL D O RA D O GO L F A N D BE AC H C LUB – SA N J OS E D E L C ABO, M E X I CO Imagine leaving a board meeting in Las Vegas to “Good Luck” wishes. That is exactly what happened to me, but the wishes were not for gambling. They were for a golf tournament. I was flying to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico for the World Finals of the BMW Golf Cup International. The wishes were much more endearing when I heard, “Try to at least beat Estonia!” When the plane arrived in Cabo San Lucas, a BMW representative picked us up and took us to our accommodation. The first night we had a briefing session where we were told that countries use different handicap systems and our prize was being there. The competition consisted of three rounds of golf using the same Stableford System used at the Derrick and Mont Tremblant tournaments. The accumulated scores of the three representatives from each country would determine the winning country. 53

The El Dorado Golf and Beach Club is in an exclusive community with over one mile of coastline along the Baja Peninsula. When I arrived at the first tee, there were flags flying for each of the 37 countries represented. The starter introduced each member of our foursome as we teed off. I was playing with the golfers from Jamaica, Thailand, and Aruba. It was an exciting moment to hear, “Representing Canada, Brian Hesje.” It was an anxious moment as I prepared to hit my first shot. Thankfully, my drive soared straight down the fairway. We were all 14 handicap golfers so I assumed we would be relatively equal players. Not so! The golfer from Jamaica had six natural birdies—most of them for net eagles. I told him six birdies would require a full season of golf for me. Even with his birdies, he was not the lowest score in our division. My hopes of a win were dashed!

The next two days, I played with people from six other countries. How often would one get to play with citizens of nine different countries in three days? The last evening was a memorable event. The low handicap Canadian had won his division, but our female golfer and I did not win. I did, however, search out the Estonia team. The Canadian team beat them so I got a great picture standing “thumbs up” with the Estonian team just for the folks back home. I had, at least, beat Estonia. The prize for me was not only the experience but being included in an article in NUVO, Canada’s premier lifestyle magazine. I also bought a silver-plated golfer and made it into a trophy. Nobody ever asks, “Where did you buy that trophy?”

WOL F C RE E K G OL F R E S O RT – WOLF C R E E K , A L BE RTA A “links” golf course in Central Alberta is not what one would expect to see. But that is exactly what you get at the Wolf Creek golf course. Today, it boasts 36 holes: the Old Course and the Links Course—a successful attempt at creating a Scottish atmosphere. My memories are only from the Old Course. The course is situated on the highway between Calgary and Edmonton and just north of the town of Ponoka. The clubhouse is a rustic log building and a western, cowboy atmosphere is very evident. The course is memorable for me for two reasons. Firstly, it is a course where I played a round of golf with my father and two brothers. I never imagined that ever occurring because my father only took up the game after turning 70. One of his memorable quotes was, “I would have started playing this game a hell of a lot earlier had I known how difficult it was.” The golf was not good, but the memories were great. Equally memorable, or maybe even more so, is that this is the place where I got my second hole-in-one. I was invited to a golf tournament by a men’s clothing store. It was never completely clear to me if I was invited because I had just purchased clothing, or if it was because of my great personality. I lean toward the latter. 57

As I was driving down the highway on the morning of the tournament, I thought, "This is not going to be a fun day. I won’t know the people I am matched with; the pace of play will be slow; and I have a board dinner in the evening and a meeting the next day." I then thought it was very unfair to the team to not show up after accepting the invitation. The energy level was high in the clubhouse at breakfast. Everyone is a winner in their own mind. Before a tournament begins I seldom pay attention to announcements, but did hear the one stating players won $10,000 for a hole-in-one on every par 3. As it turned out, I was paired up with three others who were great players. The tournament was a “scramble” with a “shotgun” start. We were not doing exceptionally well when we arrived at the first par 3. I hit a five-iron for the 173 yd. distance and the ball landed on the green but was left of the pin. However, when we arrived at the green, there was no ball to be found. It was in the hole. I knew about the $10,000 prize, but the others were bad listeners and did not. After congratulations, we played on, with only me knowing I had just pocketed $10,000.

On another par 3 near the clubhouse, a hole-in-one meant a car plus $10,000. Everybody knew this was a prize hole. A small crowd assembled to jeer. I never even hit the green. I also never mentioned I thought two hole-in-ones in one day would be a bit greedy. Word gets out quickly at a tournament when someone gets a holein-one. Many people expressed their sincere sympathy I had not won the car. Those, I ignored. I did, though, donate $5,000 to charity— a condition of the win that I hopefully would have done anyway. Another memory includes the sponsor saying to me, “Now, you will be able to afford some suits.” I responded, “At your prices, I can now afford one.” The story concludes on a happy note. I called the course and got the name of the person who had set the pins that day. I sent him a thank you note for putting the pin in the right place and a cheque for $100. Most days the pin setter is not so thoughtful. If they were, I would have had a hole-in-one every time I hit the green. I never heard back but did get the cancelled cheque.

L A S VE GA S CO U N T RY C LUB – L A S VE GAS , NE VA DA The fleur-de-lis is a stylized lily that is often used as a decorative design or symbol. In French, “fleur” means flower and “lis” is lily. Canadians are familiar with the symbol because four of them adorn the Quebec flag. I was very surprised to see it proudly displayed at the Las Vegas Country Club. Many golf courses have a rich history. The Las Vegas Country Club has a unique history. The property, situated close to the Convention Center and the famous Strip was used as a horse and automobile racetrack in the 1950s. Marvin Kratter, who had dealings in New Orleans, acquired the property from Joe Brown and brought the fleur-de-lis from New Orleans. The course opened in 1967 and the clubhouse in 1968. It boasted the first escalator in a country club in the U.S. The course, then named the Las Vegas International Golf Club, was surrounded by a 5’8” stone wall. The population of Vegas at the time was around 125,000. The Bonanza Hotel and Casino, now Bally’s, acquired the property and renamed it the Bonanza Country Club and Corral. In 1970, the club was sold to a group consisting of Moe Dalitz, Irwin Molasky,

Merv Adelson, and Allard Roen. Thirty-six equity memberships were sold for $25,000 and the Las Vegas Country Club became the new name. Moe Dalitz, whose picture is displayed in the clubhouse, is also displayed at the Mob Museum. Although he was never convicted of a crime, nor served any jail time, a book was written called Mr Mob: the Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz. The Mafia or Mob was very much a part of developing Las Vegas. In 2011, the Canadian dollar was worth more than the U.S. dollar and real estate in Vegas was selling for less than a third of peak value. Members at the Las Vegas Country Club could not escape paying the monthly dues unless they sold their shares. They were paying up to $5,000 to have you â&#x20AC;&#x153;buyâ&#x20AC;? their share. I acquired a share at no cost but refused to take advantage of those down on their luck. It was interesting to meet members who had lived in Vegas for decades and witnessed the city evolve. It was exciting to play a course regularly played by Dean Martin, Don Rickles, and Rowan and Martin. Lanny Wadkins, Fuzzy Zoeller, and Greg Norman were winners of the PGA Tournament at the course. LPGA winners included Cristie Kerr and Lorena Ochoa.

The facility also boasts indoor and outdoor tennis courts. I took a lesson from the tennis pro Johnny Lane. He coached Andre Agassi at the club. Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King also played here. My most memorable experience was the member/guest tournament in 2013. To ensure you compete with others at your level, you are grouped in a flight based on the total handicap between you and your guest. We went in the “club” flight. It had higher handicaps than did the “spade”, “heart”, and “diamond” flights. Day one is a practice round, but the 16 lowest net scores and 16 lowest gross scores qualify for a “horserace” on day two. I qualified with my low net score and was paired with a young man with a zero handicap. A “horserace” does not use handicaps. You and your partner hit alternate shots. Each hole played eliminates the teams with the highest score. On the first hole, eight teams teed off. My partner hit a very long drive, I hit a very poor second shot, while he hit another great shot just off the green. I told him I would normally putt from off the green rather than chip, like good golfers would do. He said to go ahead. I heard someone in the crowd say “He’s putting,” to which another responded, “He’s Canadian.” Not a confidence builder. The roar of the spectators as the putt dropped for a birdie will always be a pleasant memory. We finished second. The only time I ever was in the money in a horserace.

I was a very tired, excited golfer when I returned to my condo where there was a message to phone my niece. My happiness turned to shock when the news of my eldest brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passing was the reason for the call. In spite of the tragic news, I decided to play the final round on Saturday. I think he would have wanted me to compete. In two years of playing, I never had a par on the 18th hole. It was a par 5 and water protected the green. I remember waiting for the group in front to finish, thinking it would be a miracle if I cleared the water. I hit the ball and my partner shouted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wow, you must have cleared that water by two inches.â&#x20AC;? Two putts later, a par! We won our flight and missed being the overall winners by four strokes. I will never forget the high, the low, and the high of that couple of days. I never dreamt of being a shareholder of a golf course in Las Vegas. I will never regret my decision to become one. The golf course is now possibly being sold. Although my share may have a monetary value, the new owners may change the culture to one not as appealing to me. We will have to wait and see if I stay or not.

J U DGE WA L S H SE NI ORS ’ GOL F A SSOCI AT I O N – ROYAL MAYFA I R BA L L In 1924, the Honourable Mr. Justice Walsh gave a trophy to the Alberta Golf Association for golfers over 50 years of age. The first competition took place in 1925, and the competition has been held annually ever since, alternating between the Royal Mayfair in Edmonton and the Calgary Country Club. By 1926, the minimum age changed to 55 years.The Judge Walsh Trophy is presented to the golfer with the low gross score of all members. The maximum number of times an individual can win the Judge Walsh tournament is three. Eleven men have achieved this goal. In 2009, I played in the tournament at the Calgary Golf and Country Club. My handicap had risen to 21 and I was worried about my play. No need as my playing partners, who were a 16 and 14 handicap, shot 103 and 102. I carved out a cool 101—net 80. One of my playing partners was Bill Walsh Sr. He was the grandson of the Honourable Judge Walsh. His grandfather had been the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta and had retired to Victoria, B.C. and passed away in 1938. The history of the Calgary Golf Club and Walsh family was

very interesting. I was his partner, playing for the South team on day two. We played against two Royal Mayfair members. I shot a 91 for a net 70. No prize, but I was ecstatic that my game was better. In 2016, the tournament was played at the Royal Mayfair. On day one, I was having a very humbling round. After 15 holes, my score was already 83 with holes 10, 11, and 12 to play. Shooting under 100 became a realistic goal. I hit my third shot into a bunker on the edge of the green. Things were not looking good since I had only holed out from a sand bunker once in my life. Much to everyone’s surprise, I did it again that day. My second hole out from a sand bunker—the same sand bunker as the first one. Believe it or not, the course is being renovated and this bunker is going to be gone! So much for hopes of a third bunker hole-out! Good golf can be contagious and I went on to par holes 11 and 12. A feat I’ve never achieved before on this course. My score was 94—net 70.

On day two, I was with a different foursome and experienced reverse luck. After 17 holes, my score was 85 with a relatively easy par 5 to finish. I’m thinking a possible net 66. Instead my score was a 7 for a score of 92—net 68. I couldn’t believe when the winners were announced that my two-day net score of 138 was the overall low net. A win of $250 and the McMillan Trophy! Another important lesson learned. Never think you are too old to win. Luck will always give you a chance.

III SEVEN MEMORABLE LOSSES

C A N A DI A N L I VE S TOC K A S S OC I AT I ON ME N’ S GO L F Every year, the Canadian Livestock Association holds a golf tournament. Suppliers were invited to participate in the tournament and I qualified as a sponsor because of Fountain Tire being a supplier to many in the livestock industry. I participated primarily because my brother was a cattle buyer and he participated. The tournament was held in different locations and I attended the tournament at the Willow Golf Course in Saskatoon and Elk Ridge Resort Golf Course at Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan. I also attended in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Brooks, Alberta. A highlight of the tournament is the “Calcutta” where each of the 36 five-man teams are auctioned off. Calcutta means the golfers can buy teams. Then, all proceeds go into a pot and are divided among the winning teams. The nature of the cattle industry meant that the Calcutta would have professional auctioneers, and professional auctioneers meant more money to split. To maximize the purse, teams were divided into four groups of nine teams. The first winning bid could pick any team. Then the other eight teams in that group would be sold. The 10th bidder would then have a choice of any of the 27 teams left. The 19th 75

bidder had a choice of 18 teams, and the 28th bidder a choice of nine teams. The result was a Calcutta purse often exceeding $100,000. The winning team claimed the lion’s share of the purse. No wonder an independent score-keeper recorded the scores for every team. The tournament consisted of two rounds of golf. After the first day, each team declared if they were in the A or B pool: If you stayed in A, your first-day’s score counted. If you opted for B, your first-day’s score was discarded and a winner determined by the second-day score only. The winnings were much less in Pool B. The risk was a team could opt for Pool B , have a great second day and not win Pool A. The fact that you had to declare your chosen pool while not knowing what other teams were doing increased the anxiety. Cattlemen like risk! I never won the tournament but did win prizes. Some years they had a draw for a golf cart valued over $5,000. One year, my brother won the golf cart. Amazingly, two years later, I won the draw for the golf cart. The odds of brothers winning the same prize on a random draw is extremely low. My brother also won a steer for his team being closest to the pin on a par 3 hole. The boys had a pen of steers right at the hole. Cattlemen like drama! I, on the other hand, bought a couple of mementos. The cattle tee markers and a sculpture. Seven sculptures were commissioned, five were given to the winning team, and two were auctioned to raise money for charity. I bought one of them.

I was the leader of our team even though my handicap was 14. It was obviously an advantage to have a low handicap leader because of the format used. Teams had to use each player’s drive three times, every round and then the best ball was used. A low handicap leader will make better shots after the drive than a high handicap player. But as in any sport, upsets happen. We placed second in Pool A, one year. I told my team we would need scores of 60, or 12 under par each day to win. To achieve that score, all I asked was for each player to have 12 great shots, each day— five players multiplied by 12 shots would get us a 60. We didn’t do quite that well but for a team with a 14-handicap leader, we did very well, considering. We won second place, which got us tickets to the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton plus hotel rooms for the event. Also, I bought our team in the Calcutta and since we were second, my take was $20,000. I had personally bought the team, so didn’t have to share the $20,000 winnings with my teammates, but chose to split the winnings equally. I sent each teammate a cheque for their share. Not one acknowledged the receipt. Cattlemen like fairness. I have many great memories from golfing at this tournament.

ATB FI N A N C I A L C L A SS I C â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C A LGA RY, A L BE RTA ATB Financial supports many different events in many communities throughout Alberta. One such event is the ATB Financial Classic. In 2011, it was held at the Bearspaw Country Club in Calgary. As a newly appointed board member to ATB Financial, I was invited to participate. The Bearspaw Country Club is situated on 200 acres of land on the northwest edge of Calgary and is rated amongst the finest golf courses in the province. It is a member-owned, private course with water features on 11 of the 18 holes. I was surprised to discover my foursome included the Minister of Finance for the Province of Alberta, the CEO of ATB Financial, and Adam Hadwin. Adam was from Abbotsford, British Columbia, although he was born in my home province of Saskatchewan. He had recently played in the 2011 U.S. Open and tied for 29th place. His payday of slightly over $40,000 was the largest of his career and was also great for his confidence. He was not only an excellent golfer but also an outstanding young man. For most golfers on the Canadian Tour they

follow a dream that few realize. Adam was in that group, but you could tell he had the skill and equally important, the attitude, that could carry him to the PGA Tour. Our team did not win. Adam ultimately realized his dream of winning on the PGA Tour. In 2017, he not only won a PGA event he became the first-ever Canadian to score a 59 on the pro tour. The odds of being paired with a future PGA winner on a Canadian tour event is very remote. Once again, luck beats the odds.

YE L LOWK NI FE G OL F C LU B – YE L LOWK NI FE , N ORT H WE S T T E R RI TOR I E S Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories and is located on the shore of Great Slave Lake. It was founded in 1934, and designated as the territorial capital in 1967. The original industry of the city was gold mining, but three diamond mines began operating early in the 1990s. Today, around 20,000 people live in the city. It is hard to believe a group of golfers brought the game of golf to Yellowknife in 1948. Not only was there no airport at the time, there was not even a highway. Despite this, a nine-hole golf course opened with a DC-3 fuselage as a clubhouse. For the first 45 years of existence, the course had only nine holes with sand fairways and oiled greens. Grass fairways are not possible that far north! Although the fairways are sand, you do not play your shot from the sand. Each player is given a 6x10-in. portable mat from which to hit fairway shots from. In the 1990s, three experimental greens were installed, and by 1995 all nine holes had artificial turf. The “greens” are very fast and measure

15 on the stimpmeter—a device used to measure speed on putting greens. In 1999, a major expansion occurred and the course became 18 holes with modern artificial turf technology. Membership is over 300 people and the course now includes a clubhouse, pro shop, club and cart rentals, and a driving range. Yellowknife Golf Club is famous for the Canadian North Midnight Classic golf tournament. The tournament is played each year on the weekend closest to June 21—the longest day of the year, known as Summer Solstice. Yellowknife gets about 20 hours of sunlight on this day and never really gets dark. This tournament was originally called the Midnight Marathon because golfers would tee off at midnight and play as long as they could. In 1970, Sandy Hutchinson set a record by completing 171 holes in 33.5 hours—a record that will not likely ever be broken.

I was “lucky” enough to participate in the Midnight Classic one year. We flew up to Yellowknife in a private plane and checked into a hotel downtown. We, fortunately, registered our foursome to tee off in the morning, not at 11:59 p.m. on the night of June 20. When we arrived at the course, it was evident a great deal of “fuel” had been consumed by some of the golfers; I assumed this was to cope with the black flies and mosquitoes. I knew we would not be picking up any hardware after the first hole. We hit our fairway shots from the 6x10-in. mats but that surprisingly was not a detriment! The greens are a different matter. If your ball landed on the “green,” it bounced like it hit a cart path. Once you did get on the green, the putts were very, very fast. I don’t remember our score, but I do remember the bugs, the crowd not being impressed if a local did not win the prizes, and the amount of fun it was. I also remember promising myself not to do it again.

COLU M BI A E DGE WAT E R COU NT RY C LU B â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PORTL A ND, ORE G ON The Columbia Edgewater Country Club opened on July 11, 1925 and was the seventh 18-hole course in Portland. Arthur Mason designed the course, which is situated on the banks of the Columbia River. The club has reciprocal arrangements with three Canadian golf courses: the Vancouver Golf Club, the Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, and the Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria. A friend of mine in the tire business invited me to be his guest at his companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual member/guest three-day tournament. It is interesting that people who are friends of your friend are most often great people to meet. Such was the case in Portland, the members were great. Although I played in the member/guest tournament more than once, the most memorable was the year we finished dead last. A different format is played each day. Day one may be best ball, day two alternate shot, and day three total net score of both players. Regardless of the format, we played poorly. 85

An 80th place finish should be an embarrassingly humble experience. However it is not what happens but how you react that counts. I returned to Edmonton and immediately bought two trophies. Two beautiful blue vases were engraved as “80th place finishers”. My friend proudly displays his trophy on his mantel. He loves when guests ask, “If you got this for finishing 80th, what did the winners get?” A valuable lesson to learn. Finishing last does not have to mean disappointment. It can be an opportunity to be creative.

GLEN M O OR CO U N T RY C LUB – C A NTON , OH I O The Glenmoor Country Club in Ohio opened in 1992. The most unique feature is its clubhouse, not the golf course. The original site was donated by two bachelor brothers, with the surname Race, for a school—Brunnerdale Seminary High School—that prepared boys for priesthood. The building was built in 1930-1931 in a classic Gothic style, with the first class held in October 1931. The school site sat on part of the Race brother’s farm. Shortly after completing construction, thieves spotted this magnificent building in the middle of a corn field. They assumed the brothers, who did not live in the building, were rich and tied them up then burned their feet with lids made hot from the stove in an attempt to learn where their money was hidden. In spite of having their life savings under the floor boards, the brothers convinced the thieves that they were actually quite poor and had only donated the land for the school. That experience caused the brothers to approach the priests and ask to live in the school. They willed their 400 acres of farmland to the school, providing students and staff ample land to grow food for self-sufficiency while also creating many chores for the students. Enrollment peaked in 1968, with almost 400 male students in the four grades. The last graduation class was in 1980, and it only had 13 students. 89

In 1989, the Wolsteins purchased the land and buildings. After significant renovations, the spa portion opened in 1991. On July 1, 1992, Jack Nicklaus, the course designer, attended the opening of the golf course. In September of the same year, the clubhouse opened with over 90 rooms available for guests. My nephew and I were in Akron, Ohio for meetings with Goodyear and to play a round of golf at the famous Firestone Golf Course. We were also invited by the President of Trelleborg to tour his tire-making factory and play golf at the Glenmoor Country Club. Excited from our experience at the Firestone course, and knowing that tire plant tours can be hot and boring, we decided to have one more night cap and get â&#x20AC;&#x153;lostâ&#x20AC;? going to the plant in the morning. Things worked as planned and we had a short plant tour and headed off with low expectations for a round of golf. Imagine our surprise pulling up to valet parking at such an impressive clubhouse. We had a fun round and learned not to judge without the facts. The plant tour and round of golf that day resulted in a lasting friendship with our host. I have been his partner in the annual member-guest tournament for many years. The format is exciting: they have 10 flights with six teams. You are put in flights according to your combined handicaps and you then play five, nine-hole matches with the other teams in your flight. You get one point for each hole won, half

a point for each hole tied, and one point if you win the match. To keep teams even, the maximum points per game allowed is six. So even if you won all nine holes you would not get 10 points, only six. If you win all five matches, you would have 30 points and win your flight. The 10 flight winners then have a “horse race” to determine a tournament winner who is given a trophy. We have never won our flight, let alone the tournament. We did, however, win something. Every year, they use string on the practice putting green to create a nine-hole putting course. For five dollars, you and your partner can play a round. The team with the most holes-in-one wins. One year, we played so many rounds that our $100 prize was less than the amount we dished out at five dollars a play. A win is a win! No trophy, but I bought my friend a great trophy with a golf ball and engraved it with “Putting Champion.” I have stayed many times at the rooms at the club including the room Tiger Woods used when playing at the World Series of Golf at Firestone. I have bumped into Greg Norman on the elevator the day he was leading that tournament. I have played in this member/guest tournament more than 15 times. I made many friends and had many laughs at this course.

GLE NDA L E GOL F & CO U NT RY C LU B – EDMO NTON , A L BE RTA In 1959, the Glendale club was registered as a non-profit entity by a group of Jewish businessmen. In 1960, nine holes were opened on land originally intended for a housing development. In 1961, the second set of nine holes opened. In the early stages of development, 10 members used personal assets as collateral to prevent the bank from foreclosing. The club issued more shares and one new shareholder was Ernie Afaganis. He was a very popular sports announcer in Edmonton and had a very popular weekly television show called “Par 27” that was televised from the 13th green and greatly increased the course exposure. It also greatly increased interest in shares. The club has hosted many major golf events over the years. In 1985, Lee Trevino was at the course to participate in an exhibition event. Having never seen Glendale’s course before, he went out and shot a course-breaking 64. In 1998, the course hosted the Canadian Tour for the Telus Edmonton Open. I was a guest at the Pro-Am Tournament on Presidents’ Day.

The tournament was interesting because I had a caddy with my name on his back. The caddies were all volunteers and some would caddy for the young men in the tournament. The tournament was a shotgun start and my team started on the par 5, 12th hole. My first drive was less than outstanding and our pro gave me the old, “Why do I get golfers like you?” look. I proceeded to hit my three-wood twice. The second shot landed on the green. I drained the putt for a birdie with four strokes. My “pro” had par 5. He did not have a good round so he said he was practising. He was practising how to play out of the rough, out of the sand, out of the trees, and even out of the drop area after hitting into the water. I finally said, “Why don’t you practise playing off the fairway like the rest of us?” An entertaining round of golf but I did not need help carrying the prizes to the car.

Another memory I have at the Glendale is a day that was a big “if” day. There are a lot of “if” golfers. If they had shot better, they would have scored better. The 15th hole is a par 3 with an elevated tee box. When we arrived, the sponsor serving drinks knew me. He introduced me as the hole-in-one king, because I had previously had two hole-in-ones in tournaments. For this round, in spite of the rain, I hit a good shot and it was tracking toward the hole. I missed winning a car by less than six inches. If only! The Glendale Golf and Country Club is a great tribute to a group of men who were determined to make a difference—and they did.

WIN D E R M E R E GO L F A N D COU NT RY C LUB – EDMO NTON , A L BE RTA The Windermere Golf and Country Club was incorporated on July 5, 1957. The course is located in the river valley of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta.The first nine holes were played on August 23, 1958, and in 1959, all 18 holes were opened for play. The new clubhouse that was completed in 1960, had a very short lifespan. On April 25, 1965, the club hosted the “Men’s Open Night Smoker.” It turned out to be a more spectacular event than planned, as the clubhouse burned to the ground. Today, I assume, more thought is put into the naming of the special events. Windermere hosted the Canadian Tour in 1997, 2003, 2008, and 2012. I was fortunate enough to play in the pro-am a couple of times. Very few of these players ever qualify for the PGA Tour, but many go on to have rewarding careers in golf-related activities. My big feat during this tournament will never be in the record books even though it will likely never be duplicated. One of the par 4 holes of the course plays across the road to get to the clubhouse. Along the road, there are power lines that are a potential hazard but one that would very seldom come into play. 97

When we stepped up to the tee box I asked the pro what is the rule if your ball hits the power line? His response was that it is an automatic “reload.” In other words, you must hit another ball, without penalty, even if you would like to play the ball where it landed. I promptly stepped up and my ball hit the power line. One of the members of our foursome said, “I’ll give you $20 if you can do that again.” Minutes later, I pocketed $20 and said, “What will you give me if I hit it for a third time?” There were no takers. I then hit it for a third time just to impress the boys. The likelihood of anyone achieving this feat is significantly less than the likelihood of getting a hole-in-one. I hoped fame and fortune would follow me. It didn’t.

IV CANADIAN MEMORIES

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B I RC H H I L L S GOL F COU RS E – BI RC H H I L L S , SA S K ATC H E WA N Birch Hills is a small town in northern Saskatchewan, population of about 1,000, with the slogan: “A Small Town with a Big Heart.” I grew up on a farm about 17 miles northeast of the town, and Birch Hills was where we hauled our grain. It was also the town where I completed high school. Although it had a golf course, I never knew it existed. I was encouraged to drive a tractor, stack bales, and milk cows—not waste time playing golf. The first settlers arrived in Birch Hills in the 1870s and it was established as a hamlet in 1903. The name was chosen because of the abundance of birch trees and the neighbouring hills. In 1907, village status was obtained and two years later, the village acquired 160 acres of land. Today, the quarter of land has a small airport, sports grounds, and the golf course. Golf was played on this site as early as the 1920s. Initially it was a four-hole course with sand “greens” and it was not until 1954 that a new and improved six-hole, sand greens course was completed. Ten years later, three holes were added to create a nine-hole course and in 1995, a fully irrigated, nine-hole grass green course officially opened.

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Many golf course names include “Club” at the end, but for Birch Hills, this was not the case. Birch Hills named its facility the Birch Hills Golf Course, perhaps because it doesn’t have a clubhouse. It does, however, have a trailer where food and drink are served. For years, payment to play was based on the honour system. You would put your money in a locked box when you played— if you were honest. If you were not honest, you played for free. Today, the course still has nine holes with grass greens. The men’s par is 35 and women’s par is 37. Par for 18 holes, which is the same nine twice, is 70 for men and 74 for women. A standard golf course par is 36 for nine holes and 72 for 18 holes. A standard golf course with nine holes would have two par 3s, five par 4s, and two par 5s. For men, the Birch Hills Golf Course has three par 3s, four par 4s, and two par 5s, creating the 35-par total rather than 36. For women, there are four par 5s, three par 3s, and only two par 4s for a total score of 37. Nice to be different! I’ve had many memorable rounds at the Birch Hills Golf Course but one especially prominent memory was with my father when he was in his early 80s. He had a golf cart so he could travel to different courses and ride rather than walk around the course. He normally played at an 18-hole course in Prince Albert and was not pleased when I suggested we play at Birch Hills—about 40 kilometres away.

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I explained to him that I had friends who played at famous courses such as Pebble Beach and often asked me if I had played them and my answer was always “no.” I wanted to respond by saying “Have you ever played the Birch Hills Golf Course?”, knowing the answer would always be “no.” Once my father understood my reason, we were off to Birch Hills. My dad couldn’t hit the ball very far so I suggested we take alternate shots: I would hit his ball for the second shot and he would hit mine. We ended up having a much closer game. Unfortunately, he miss-hit a number of putts that were not good for me but enabled him to win. Apparently, my competitive nature was not a fluke but a learned trait. It was a very memorable round of golf.

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JA SP E R PA RK LOD G E G OL F COU RS E – JA S P E R, A L BE RTA In 1925, Stanley Thompson designed a golf course in Jasper National Park. Situated in the Rocky Mountains with three holes along Lac Beauvert’s crystal clear water, the setting is spectacular. The lodge, rather than a hotel, makes for a very unique atmosphere. There are no elevators and a variety of different rooms and cabins in several different buildings. When I graduated with my Chartered Accountant designation, the association had its annual convention at the lodge. It was a fun event with a golf tournament as part of the activities. The format used to determine the winner ensured that my friend and I would never have a hope of winning. Rather than be discouraged, we purchased a large trophy and named it the FCA Cup. FCA can mean Fellow Chartered Accountant, a designation bestowed upon those members who have rendered exceptional service to the profession. Our FCA Cup could only be won by beating my friend and I in a game where we set the rules. Only once did that happen. The first year we won the “losers” were having

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a celebration drink with us, and the wife of one of the unfortunate losers couldn’t understand why he was so down when he had finished second. It is not unusual to see wildlife on the course. I have seen a coyote chase after a cart that got too close to its den. I saw a man hold a rake over his head saying the elk would think he was a huge male elk with antlers and move away. Not sure if that worked, but the elk did move away. I have also seen wildlife officers called in to move bears from the fairway. And last but not least, I saw an elk take the flag out on the 16th hole and leave it on the ground. I suspect the next group playing the hole cursed the golfers in front of them rather than the real culprit. The Squires organize my golf trips to Jasper. The Squires are a very exclusive group of men at the Royal Mayfair who have gone up to the Jasper Park Golf Course for over 50 years. Their events usually include 16 golfers over three days of golf. I always learn a great deal at these outings, but very seldom do I learn much that is valuable. It is an enjoyable time with a group of seniors that know how to have fun. Oban is a very expensive Scotch that is always at the Squire’s cabin. Since the cost of liquor is split evenly, some non-Scotch drinkers become very determined to get their “share.” Interesting how people think money is important but they will run out of it before they run out of time. Time usually wins! Jasper Park Lodge is one of my favourite golf destinations in the world.

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PHE A SA NT BAC K G OLF & RV E S TAT E S – S TETT L E R, A L BE RTA Stettler, a town in east-central Alberta, was founded in 1905, and is named after Swiss immigrant Carl Stettler. In 1995, the Pheasantback Golf & RV Estates opened 10 km north of town. The 18-hole course is unique in that it presents natural water hazards on all 18 holes. The course was voted one of the Top 100 courses in Canada and one of Alberta’s “Top 10 Must Plays.” One year, Fountain Tire sponsored a customer appreciation tournament at the course. The event was designed to be fun, so a Texas Scramble format was played, meaning each team member hits and the best shot is used by all for the next shot with a minimum number of each team member’s drives being chosen. The winning scores are normally more than 10 under par. To make the day more interesting, there was a contest to guess the number of balls that would be lost during the tournament. I guessed 420, thinking that would be too high. Each team kept track of the balls that were lost in the water, trees, or out-of-bounds, and while I can’t remember the exact number, it was over 700. Never before had it occurred to me how many golf balls are lost every day! 110

There has been little research done on the impact of golf balls on the environment. The Danish Golf Union research team estimated it takes between 100 and 1,000 years for a golf ball to decompose naturally. With estimations of over 300 million golf balls lost or discarded each year in the U.S. alone, it is likely over 500 million balls are lost annually in the world. It’s surprising there has not been significant use of biodegradable golf balls. Unfortunately, past success does not guarantee future success. In 2012, the Pheasantback golf course went into receivership, and the 137-acre course was purchased by Gary Grant for $500,000 in late July 2013. At a County of Stettler council meeting in November of the same year, the new owner asked for a tax break. In his presentation, he said, “As a golf course, it has less value than if I put cattle out there.” It would be a shame if this great golf course was to become a cow pasture.

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THE ROYA L RE GI N A GOLF C LU B – R E GI N A , SA SKATC H E WA N The province of Saskatchewan was created in 1905 and the Royal Regina Gold Club is its oldest golf course. The Royal Regina Golf Club was established in 1899 in Regina, then the capital city of the Northwest Territories. In 1901, the golf course moved to another location in the city because of a mosquito issue that was created by clouds of mosquitos that followed Tom Waitron’s herd of cattle wandering home to their barn and some of the mosquitos stayed to feast on the golfers. The course is one of Canada’s six “Royal” golf courses, and one of only 64 total in the world. In spite of the Royal name, it is a semiprivate course. I doubt if any of the other five Royal Canadian courses sell unrestricted memberships for only $2,750. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have a large training centre in Regina and this course has enjoyed a relationship with them for over 100 years. Although I was raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, my visits to Regina were few so I was very surprised to receive an invitation to play in the Regina Saskatchewan Party Golf Tournament. At the time,

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Brad Wall, the leader of the Saskatchewan Party and Premier of the province, was supported by many Albertan residents (including yours truly). It was not, however, the premier who extended the invitation to me; it was the former president of NAIT, a large technical school in Edmonton. I was on NAITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board when he was recruited but he had moved on to promote the use of propane and had a propane-fueled vehicle at one of the tournament holes. Each team had an elected representative of the Saskatchewan Party on it and the game format was to play best ball. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember the names of my playing partners but do remember talking to the premier. I also remember not having to worry about taking a prize home on theÂ plane.

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DIN OSAU R T R A I L G O L F & CO U NT RY C LU B – DRU MH E L L E R , A L BE RTA Drumheller is a town located in the Badlands of east-central Alberta. It boasts having the “World’s Largest Dinosaur,” which is a 26-metre high fiberglass Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. It has one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur skeletons and attracts approximately 450,000 visitors a year. The Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country Club opened in 1925, a traditionally designed nine-hole course. The back nine opened in 1996 in spite of the jagged hills, ancient boulders, ravines, and cliffs. The site has 75-million-year-old dinosaur bone beds! It is one of the most unique nine holes of golf one will ever play. What would a unique golf course be without a unique golf tournament? For years, the course held a “Celebrity Golf Tournament” with the celebrities frequently being football players, wrestlers, and presidents of companies that did business in Drumheller but had corporate offices elsewhere. This category made me an invited “celebrity.” Each year, I had to deal with the disappointment of my team when they learned that their celebrity was a total unknown. However, one year we tied for second place. The rules stated that the team captains would each have one chip shot from the edge of the green to break the tie and the one closest to the hole would be the winner. My competitor

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My competitor was none other than George Reedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a star running back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders CFL team who was born in Mississippi. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and his number 34 jersey has been retired. A team captain who did not disappoint his team. A true celebrity! The stage was set for a Canadian left-handed golfer (me) competing with an American right-handed golfer (George Reed). On the same weekend, at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois, a Canadian lefthanded golfer, Mike Weir, was in the final pairing with Tiger Woods, an American right-handed golfer. They, too, were tied but in a PGA Championship Tournament, not a celebrity tournament. Tiger Woods shot 72 and won the tournament. Mike Weir shot 80 and finished tied for 10th. George Reed lost the closest to the pin chip off to yours truly. One American wins, one Canadian loses. One Canadian wins, one American loses. Many people knew that Tiger Woods won, few people knew that I did. Even though few, if any, remember my brief moment of glory, I do, and it is a great memory.

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KA N A N A S K I S CO UN T RY GOL F COU RS E â&#x20AC;&#x201C; KA N A N A S K I S , A L B E RTA Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd, two championship 18-hole courses in Kananaskis Country, were designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened in 1983. They are named after two mountain peaks in the Canadian Rockies and are less than an hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive from Calgary, Alberta. The courses are almost 1,700 yards above sea level and the mountain peaks are twice that height. Every spring, golden eagles can be seen soaring through the sky headed to Alaska. Every fall, they are seen again flying to Mexico. I am told that they rest overnight on Mount Lorette and wait for the morning sun to create a strong updraft before continuing their journey. The eagles then spiral upward toward their destination with little or no effort. An amazing sight to see! 119

When these two Kananaskis courses opened, they were advertised as belonging to the people of Alberta since the Alberta Government built them in a Provincial Park. People took the message seriously because it was not uncommon for some to take over six hours to play a round of golf when it should take closer to four. If you own the course, why not take the time to enjoy it? A few can ruin the day for many. To correct the problem of slow play, two changes were implemented. Before beginning your round, you recorded the time on your score card and again when you finished. If you finished in less than four and a half hours, you received an â&#x20AC;&#x153;I kept the paceâ&#x20AC;? ball marker. To help you get the marker, the marshal asked you to skip a hole and just enjoy the scenery if the group in front was more than one hole ahead of you. The few that disliked the policy paled in comparison to the many who were thankful. I have the marker! I have many great memories playing these courses but the most vivid ones are playing at the CA Convention golf competition. Especially the year I played with the use of only one arm since I had broken my wrist, as mentioned in more detail in the Royal Mayfair story. It went surprisingly well because my left wrist was broken but I golf left, meaning I could freely swing a club with my right hand. The ball did not go far but it did go straight. It was a definite example of determination! The 16th hole on the Lorette course was a par 3 with the river running the length of the hole. I hit my tee shot into the river but to our amazement, the current carried the ball downstream where it must have hit a rock and bounced out of the water onto the edge of the green: A par that would never be duplicated by me or anyone else. They say the scorecard has no pictures but this feat should have been photographed!

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I have never been a long-ball hitter so I’ve never set a goal of winning the “longest drive” in a tournament. But as luck would have it, a CA tournament opened the door for such a victory. We were the last group playing the long drive hole and I was the only one to hit the fairway. One in my group hit into a sand trap where the long drive sign had been placed by a previous participant. To win a long drive hole, your drive must land on the fairway, so that other drive was ineligible. Other golfers didn’t see the sign so never marked their distances. I had just won my first and last longest-drive in a tournament. Better to be lucky than be good. Unfortunately, a flood in 2013 ruined about 30 of the course’s 36 golf holes. It is great to hear that the province has approved restoration of the courses and plan to re-open them in 2018. These are two of the most magnificent golf courses that I ever played.

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N U RS E RY GOL F A N D CO U NT RY C LU B â&#x20AC;&#x201C; L ACO M BE , A L BE RTA According to the Guinness World Records, the Satsuki Golf Course in Sano, Japan has the longest golf hole in the world. The seventh hole is a par 7 and is 964 yd. long. The course is a par 75 boasting one par 7 and four par 5s. The three strokes more than the standard par 72 course is achieved by having a par 7 replacing a par 5 to create a par 38 on the front nine. The par 37 on the back nine, is achieved by having three par 5s rather than the standard two. I have never played this course nor the longest hole in the world. I never played the Chocolay Downs Golf Course in Marquette, Michigan, either, but I know that Joe Gibbs, Chocolay owner, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want Japan to have the longest golf hole in the world. So, he built the 6th hole of his course as a par 6 that was 1,007 yd. long but it was never formally recognized as the longest hole. When the course became part of Northern Michigan University, its name changed to NMU Golf Course and the sixth hole was shortened to 440 yards. I missed the opportunity to play the hole. I have, however, played the Nursery Golf and Country Club near Lacombe, Alberta. This course, which opened in 1995, was carved out of a tree nursery and boasts over 41,000 trees lining the fairways.

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It also boasts the longest golf hole in Canada. The par 6 11th hole measures 782 yards. I, like many others, was attracted to the course because of the recordsetting hole. I don’t remember how my scoring was for the round. My focus was strictly on my score on the “long one.” I have never been a long-ball striker so did not expect to walk away with a par. My concentration paid off! After hitting my driver, then three-wood, threewood, and three-wood again, I was on the green. I had a chance to par with a two-putt, but it was not meant to be. I had set my goal too low. Lesson learned! Never golf and not expect the unexpected. I did not expect to be on the green in four, but was. I did not expect to threeputt, but did. I have not, however, regretted taking the time to stop and play a round of golf on the course with the longest hole in Canada.

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WA S K E S I U GOL F COU R S E – PRIN C E A L BE RT, SA SK ATC H E WA N Waskesiu is a resort town in Prince Albert National Park in northern Saskatchewan. The Waskesiu Golf Course was built in 1935, and is often referred to as “the Lobstick.” Lobstick is a reference to the practice of creating a tassle-top tree by cutting off the lower branches. The “lobstick” trees were used by fur traders, early settlers, and prospectors as navigational markers. Unlike many Canadian National Parks, the Prince Albert National Park has very restrictive development policies. For years, “shack tents”—small cabins with tarps for roofs and no running water—were the primary residences. They were dismantled each winter only to be resurrected again come spring. While keeping with the philosophy of preserving the natural environment, the golf course also adopted some interesting rules. You could not book a tee time until the day of play. To get a good time, one of your foursome had to physically go down to the course very, very early in the morning to stand in line to get a tee time! More

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than once, I lost the draw and ended up standing in line, pre-dawn, wondering if this brilliant idea would catch on worldwide. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, and has since been abandoned at Waskesiu. I have played many memorable games at this course but the most memorable is the game played with my three brothers. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember the scores or if any money changed hands. I do remember when we took a picture I thought, "This will likely never happen again." It never did. My oldest brother also made three holes-in-one. I believe they were all at this course. A great culture exists at Waskesiu and many, many lasting friendships are developed there.

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ELK RI D GE R E S O RT – WA S K E S I U L A K E , SA SK ATC H E WA N Arnie Petterson, a true entrepreneur, had a vision to create a fourseason golf resort in the Boreal Forest just east of the Prince Albert National Park. He first envisioned the development in 1988, and permanently moved to the site in 1996. Twenty years later, the resort boasts a lodge, cabins, townhouses, and cottages. It has three, ninehole golf courses called the Tamarack, Birch, and Aspen. A golfer can play three different courses by playing different nine-hole combinations. A very innovative design. I have played the course many times, including the Cattleman’s Tournament and a fundraiser for the premier of Saskatchewan and his Saskatchewan Party. Neither resulted in my most memorable round. My most memorable round is reserved for the day I played with my older brother and his two grandsons. Since it wouldn’t be a game without competition, “Bumpee” and I agreed to play the grandsons: best ball per hole would determine the winner. No strokes would be given since Bumpee thought handicaps were for wimps.

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Bumpee would not have been amused had he seen how both grandsons could mimic his rather unorthodox foot movement when hitting the ball. Nor would he have been impressed if he knew we were mocking his often-used quote “Grab change by the hand before it grabs you by the throat.” All very entertaining for me. After a few holes, it was obvious that the younger grandson had golfed little and would not win a hole. I suggested we give him a stroke a hole so he could compete. Although Bumpee thought it might make him weak, he finally agreed. Now we had a level playing field and everyone had a chance to win a hole. The game became much more fun. The young fellows won, but I felt like a winner when Bumpee said, “Giving him the stroke was the right thing to do.” Memories are made of this.

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S T. GE O RGE ’ S GO L F A N D COU NT RY C LUB – ETOBI COK E , O NTA R I O The Stanley Thompson-designed course was completed in 1929 in Etobicoke, Ontario. Around the same time, the Canadian Pacific Railway was building the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. An arrangement was made with CP Rail and the original course name was “The Royal York Golf Club.” In 1946, the financial arrangement with CP ended, and the course name was changed to St. George’s Golf and Country Club. In 1957, a curling facility was added to the club with six sheets of ice. This addition enabled the club to attract new members and made it feasible to operate year-round. Members later purchased the club in 1962. The course has been rated in the top three courses in Canada and in the top 100 in the world. The club also hosted the Canadian Men’s Open and Women’s Open. My opportunity to play the course was because of our tire suppliers having memberships at the club. It is a first-class facility and a beautiful course lined with many oak trees. One of my most interesting rounds

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was playing with Thom Sharp. He did the radio and television ads for Fountain Tire. You may recall him saying, “Goin’ to Winnipeg,” in a television ad. He loved to golf and was very witty. When the round was over, he owed me $2.00. I never expected to be paid but was surprised to receive a US$2 bill in the mail. I thought it was a fake but it was, in fact, the rarest denomination of U.S. currency. Another favourite memory at the course was the day the president of Goodyear Canada and I were playing with a couple of other tire dealers. We were having lunch in the very posh lounge when our fourth arrived. He was wearing very “loud” golf attire that stood out at the very conservative club. Our host greeted him and said, “I see you found the locker room.” The look on the host’s face was priceless when the response was: “What locker room? I changed in the parking lot.” A sad reflection on me that this is one of my favourite memories at a very exclusive club.

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V U.S.A. MEMORIES

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FIRES TONE COU N T RY C LUB – A K RON , O HI O The Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio is a must play if you are in the tire business. At one time, Akron was the headquarters for Firestone, Goodyear, and BF Goodrich. Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, opened the south course in 1929. A north course opened in 1969, and a west course in 1989. Today, Firestone is owned by Bridgestone, a Japanese manufacturer, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Only the headquarters of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. remain in Akron. The story goes that the course was once in financial difficulty and Goodyear bailed it out. The Goodyear CEO at the time, supposedly negotiated a “Founders Membership” and the Number One Locker. In hindsight, it may have been wiser to have changed the name to the Goodyear Country Club. I know not if the story is myth or fact. The south course has hosted many major tournaments including the Rubber City Open, the PGA Championship, and the World Series of Golf. Today, it hosts the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and has the top players in the world participate. Past winners include Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods—who has won there eight times.

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I have many fond memories of playing golf and watching golf at the course. Standing next to some of the greatest golfers in the world, including Tiger Woods, is very memorable. I played the course with many Goodyear executives and Fountain Tire executives and board members. One of my favourite memories of playing the game is getting a par on the 16th hole. Arnold Palmer scored a triple bogey on this hole in 1960 and called it a “monster.” Today, some refer to the entire south course as “the monster.” For me to score a five on a hole where Arnold Palmer had scored an eight is a remarkable achievement. Of course, I played from the member tees and have also recorded scores exceeding eight! Another favourite memory is playing with the president of Goodyear. He was very concerned about slow play and was always in a hurry

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to finish. When the group in front of us offered to allow us to play through, he jumped at the opportunity. In his haste, he hit his driver less than 100 yd. We roared up to his ball on our cart and he quickly got out and struck the ball. He somehow â&#x20AC;&#x153;toppedâ&#x20AC;? the ball and it bounced straight up and landed about a foot behind him. He asked if I saw where his ball went. I had. He asked if I would share that information. I gladly pointed to his ball. One of the funniest golf moments for me. Many, many great memories of playing golf, watching golf, and even doing some business at this course.

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MAG N OL I A GO L F COURS E – ORL A ND O , FLOR I DA Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course opened in 1971, on 175 acres in the heart of Florida’s Disney World. It was the home of an annual PGA Tour event that was sponsored for many years by Kodak. Past champions of the tournament include Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, David Duval, and many other notable players. The course has 97 bunkers, including the most recognizable sand trap in the world. The front of the sixth green is protected by a sand-trap in the shape of famous Disney character Mickey Mouse. The “Mouse Trap” is one of many Mickey Mouse symbols spread throughout the resort. It is arguably the most photographed sand-trap in the world. I booked a tee time to play a round during a family vacation at the Walt Disney World Resort. I was hosting the first president of Goodyear Canada that I had met. It was to reward him for being the best golf partner ever. We golfed together a few times in Canada prior to his retirement in Florida.

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The reason he was such a great golf partner was his lack of concentration. It could also have been a bit of a short-term memory loss. In any event, he often counted a lower score on many holes than he had taken. Since he was president, nothing was said and we would win the hole. I was unable to wipe the smirk off my face when we collected our winnings. Unfortunately, in the end, I had to waste my ill-gotten gains. When our Magnolia tee time approached, there was no sign of my guest. The starter was not pleased but his attitude improved when I gave him a â&#x20AC;&#x153;reward.â&#x20AC;? My guest showed up and we teed off as if nothing was wrong. No apologies offered; no apologies necessary. I will never forget standing and looking at that Mickey Mouse sand trap. A great memory as they all are at a Walt Disney Resort.

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SA N D H I L L S GOL F C LUB – MU L L E N , NE BRA S KA Have you ever heard of North Platte, Nebraska? Neither had I! North Platte is a city of about 25,000 people located in southwestern Nebraska. It is a railroad city with Bailey Yard—the world’s largest railroad classification yard for locomotive service and repair operated by Union Pacific Railroad. Today the city’s railroad only serves freight trains, but during World War II it was famous for offering hospitality to troop trains. The North Platte Canteen—a railroad stop that North Platte’s citizens voluntarily manned--greeted over 6,500,000 soldiers with presents and food throughout the war. Fifty miles away from North Platte is Mullen, a village in Hooker County, which has one of the world’s top-rated golf courses. In 1990, Dick Youngscap acquired an option on 8,000 acres of land. He then retained Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw as the architects to build a golf course. After discovering over 130 potential golf holes, the final 18 were selected but only after swapping some land. Apparently 8,000 acres was not enough to find 18 extraordinary holes. The natural terrain, soil types, and drainage enabled the course to be constructed for much less than the average: the cost was only U.S.$300 per green compared to an average of U.S.$40,000 per green, for many courses.

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The course opened in 1995. Golf Magazine in 2009 rated this relatively unknown course as high as #3 in the U.S. and #11 in the world. I was very fortunate that my friend recommended I join his group for an annual visit to the Sand Hills Golf Club. Each of the eight participants was, or had been at some point, involved with the tire business. Denver, Colorado is the closest city with an international airport so that is where I landed, then a one-hour flight to get to North Platte, Nebraska. Upon arrival, the usual routine was to check into a local motel and meet for dinner at a nearby restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one where you eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor and where you feel compelled to order beef. A very enjoyable evening! The next morning, we headed out for the drive to the course. The drive is over an hour and you will miss the turn off the highway if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay attention. When we checked in, we were given keys to a golf cart. The golf cart was how you got to and from your room and to and from the golf course. Before going to the first tee, we went to the driving rangeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but unlike most ranges, balls are not stacked up. Instead you get a bag with exactly 18 balls: my idea of how much practice should be done on the range!

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The half-way house at the first hole is small with seating for possibly 20 people. The starter was difficult to forget—his name was Mike and he had a moustache that hung far below his jawline. Before teeing off, he asked all golfers what they wanted for lunch: a hotdog, hamburger, or chicken burger. No place for a chicken burger, I thought. Hamburger it is! The barbecue man turned out to be Tom Simonson—a cowboy cook who made the best hamburgers with his special spice rub. He would have been in his twilight years but enjoyed very much what he was doing. The orders were for our lunch after our first, but not last, 18 holes of the day. The golf course is spectacular. There are no houses, no paved roads, no noise—except for your playing partners and the wind. No course makes you feel more in touch with nature than does Sand Hills and the dinners served at the clubhouse had exceptional food and service. The “win” for me is being around a great group of guys with a lot of laughter and enjoying a memorable experience. Sand Hills is a great example of a golf course where cost has no correlation with value. A golf experience, not a golf course, was built.

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OLD ME MO RI A L G OL F C LUB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TA M PA BAY, FLOR I DA Golf games happen. Golf experiences must be planned. One of my favourite golf experiences was at the Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa, Florida. A driver from Old Memorial picked me up at the airport. When he turned off a busy street to a narrow road with a school on one side and a farm on the other, I began to question my judgement. However, once we passed the security gate, we were greeted by a beautiful golf course and a 17,000 sq. ft. clubhouse. My luggage was loaded onto a golf cart and I was driven to one of the five cottages. The cottage has a large general area and four rooms on each level with a deck looking out at the first hole. Each of the eight rooms has a name, not a number, and a television and a stocked fridge. The golf course was built in 1997 by the owners of the Outback Restaurant chain. Although inspired by the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia, co-owner Chris Sullivan is an entrepreneur from Tampa Bay. And he is Irish!

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Steve Smyers, who designed the course, made it a “walking only” course. In other words, unless you have a doctor’s certificate saying otherwise, you must walk. You must also have a professional caddie. The 140 bunkers, natural lakes, and vegetation make it a challenging walk. I was invited to play this course by a friend as a guest of “the Tabernacle”—a group of past and present men involved in the tire industry. The club member and friend is the Chairman. The Sergeantat-Arms fines those who break the rules. the Chaplain is responsible for saying grace and coordinating “the Humming Choir” that have orange robes and hum “Amazing Grace” at dinner and at the bar. The Apprentice rounds out the executive. He organizes the teams, the handicaps, and the games. His scoring determines what portion of the $300 that you put in the pool will be returned to you. Odds improve if you are on the team of the Apprentice. Three days of golf results in some good, some bad, and some ugly golf. It also results in some great lines. A favourite was when a member of our group asked to have some Crown Royal in his room. A young man returns with the news that he has placed six little bottles in the room. The response was, “Young man, I spill more than that in a day. Put some Crown in my room.“ A big bottle later greeted him in his room. Another favourite was when a rookie drank a little too much and was very loud at dinner. The next morning, the Chaplain told him, “I was going to turn my hearing aid down at dinner, but realized that I don’t have one.”

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All of our time is not spent at Old Memorial. We have golfed at the Belleair Country Club. Built in 1897, it is the oldest course in Florida. We spent an afternoon on the Chairman’s yacht. We visited a blueberry farm managed by Joel Parker, an ex-NFL football player. I took a tire dealer friend to the Salvador Dali Gallery one day. A security guard said the art was insured for $7-billion. My friend had never been to an art gallery before and was very impressed. What makes the Tabernacle special is on the final night at dinner, the members vote to determine if they want a rookie back for the next year. Not a guarantee that they will! Being the only Canadian made it very important that I responded well to all questions. The final question from the Chairman was, “What is one reason we should have you back?” My response was, “I’m the only one we know with 100% certainty that did not vote for Obama.” I’ve been back ever since. I would be remiss not to mention that I got a hole-in-one on the driving range. Nobody noticed, nobody congratulated me, and nobody cared. The strange thing is, the feeling was just as surreal as it was getting a hole in one in a tournament. Go figure.

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MAU N A L A NI SOUTH COU RS E – WA IM E A , H AWA II My first visit to Hawaii was to Honolulu. At the time, I didn’t realize Hawaii was comprised of six distinct and different main islands. Oahu, the home of Honolulu and Pearl Harbour, is the most well-known. Over the years, I have travelled to Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and the “Big Island” but not Lanai. I have golfed on spectacular courses on each of the islands visited except Molokai, but I chose a course on the Big Island as my favourite. The Mauna Lani Resort’s South Course opened in 1981. It is located near the Kona Airport and four holes are played beside the Pacific Ocean. The 15th hole overlooks the ocean and is said to be one of the most photographed golf holes in the world. The hole’s rough consists of black lava that will send your ball rocketing off to places unknown. The last time I played the course was during a week-long vacation as the guest of a good friend. He needed a favourable bounce out of the

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lava on the last hole to break even. As luck would have it, his errant shot hit the lava and bounced onto the fairway. He won the hole. The experience at this course is special because the experience on this island is special. The helicopter trip to view the active volcanoes, the rainforests, and the mountains, is splendid. Renting e-bikes and riding the path of the competitors for a part of the Iron Man, one of the most famous international triathlons, was also very interesting. And if you have never seen black sand, this is the place to see it. A final memory of this island is a visit to former neighbour on the farm. Our host had, years earlier, built the road to our farm house. He had moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta and then to Hawaii. He had a business on the island growing and exporting bird-ofparadise flowers. It is amazing to know people who are willing to accept new challenges and adapt to a whole new way of life.

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THE LE GAC Y GOL F C LUB – L A S VE GA S , NE VADA The Legacy Golf Club is located just outside of Las Vegas in Henderson. The course was rated in the Top 10 courses in Nevada by Golf Digest. The Las Vegas Business Press noted it the Best Public Course in Nevada. While attending a tire convention in Vegas, I played the course. You know you are in Las Vegas when you approach the tee box at the 10th hole. The hole is called “the Suits.” Most people would wonder what a suit has to do with a golf course, but in Vegas “suit” is not referring to a piece of clothing but has a different meaning. In Vegas, a suit refers to clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds: the four suits in a deck of cards. Clubs represent peasantry and the achievement of work. Spades is about the warrior class and the problems of life. Hearts refers to the clergy and the struggle to achieve inner joy. Diamonds are for the merchant and excitement of wealth. On hole 10, there are four tee boxes each in the design of one of the suits.

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My friend and I started the round with our normal small bet. At that time, I gave him two strokes a side for life. That is how many times he needed them, and more. This day was to be no different. For the first time in my life I shot under 80, scoring a 76. I have only broken 80 four times in my golf career and strangely enough, all four times were in Vegas, and twice at the Legacy Golf Club! You must understand the concept of a handicap in golf to appreciate my achievement. A handicap, for the benefit of the non-golfer, is the great equalizer. Your actual score is your gross score, and your gross score less your handicap is your net score. A person with an 18 handicap would technically beat a pro-golfer with no handicap if the pro had a gross

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score of 72, or par, and the amateur hit an 89. The amateurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s net score would be 71 after subtracting his 18 handicap. I had an 18 handicap when I carved out my gross 76 score. My net would, of course, be 58! Only eight golfers on the PGA Tour have shot under 60 in a tournament and they only shot 59! The first was Al Geiberger, who in 1977, shot 59. Not until 14 years later, was the feat achieved again when Chip Beck had 13 birdies at the Las Vegas Invitational in 1991. Others include David Duval (1999), Paul Goydos (2010), Stuart Appleby (2010), Jim Furyk (2013), and Justin Thomas in 2017. Also in 2017, Adam Hadwin became the first Canadian to shoot a 59 on tour. Now you understand why this was such a memorable golf day for me.

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THE COU NT RY C LU B AT D C R A N C H – SCOTTS DA L E , A RI Z O N A Phoenix, Arizona is known for having some of the best desert golf in the world. The Phoenix area, including Scottsdale, boasts having over 200 public, private, resort, municipal, and executive courses. I have played many of the courses including the Gainey Ranch Golf Club, McCormick Ranch Golf Club, TPC of Scottsdale, Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, and the Camelback Golf Club. The Willows Golf & Country Club in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has holes that are designed similar to those at Camelback. It’s a small world, at times! Although I have played many of the courses in the area, the Country Club at DC Ranch is one of only two balls that I saved. The reason being this was the first course I ever played where the membership to join was over US$100,000—it was $135,000! The course boasts a 35,000-sq.ft. hacienda-style clubhouse set at the base of the McDowell Mountains. The elevation of the course results in spectacular views and interesting holes. The 12th hole plays straight uphill while the 14th hole has an elevation drop of over 150

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feet. The course was originally designed by Scott Miller, but in 2002 Tom Lehman and John Fought redesigned the course to make it more player-friendly. Supply and demand impacts golf just as it does other businesses. The economic downturn in the U.S. resulted in the membership fees being reduced to US$75,000 in 2008. The club has since adopted a market-based pricing system. The average selling price has dropped by almost US$100,000 to US$37,000. This course is a classic example of how golf courses get into financial trouble: the surrounding real estate development originally subsidizes the operations and when new owners or members assume ownership, the members become responsible if subsidies are required. There is much truth to the belief that it is the third owner of a golf course that makes money! The DC Ranch was a great golf experience but it also provided a much greater learning experience: good economic times do not last forever!

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A RIZON A BI LT MOR E GOL F C LU B – PHOENI X , A R I Z ON A In 1929, Arizona Biltmore became known as “the Jewel of the Desert” and opened for a three-day gala in Phoenix, Arizona. Later that year, the stock market crashed and the hotel was purchased by William Wrigley Jr. from Chicago. For the next 40 years, the resort was open only to invited guests including movie stars, politicians, and other Hollywood types. The Adobe golf course was built at the resort in 1929, while a Links course was added in 1979. We were in Phoenix for a strategic planning session for a company. The chairman had a huge residence in Phoenix and a membership at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Course. I remember being impressed by the quality of the clubhouse and the golf course. But my favourite memory of the trip was not the golf, but the fishing. If I had to give up golf or fishing, golf would be gone! Anyway, we were staying at the Westin and they had fishing as an amenity.

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My friend and I registered and got our fishing gear: a kid’s rod and reel and bread to put on a bare hook. My line had no weights so the bread just floated on the water. The excitement occurred when a duck noticed my bread on the water. Next thing you know, the duck was hooked in the bill and was taking line like no tomorrow. Being a skilled fisherman, I brought the duck in! A young boy asked his mom, “What is that man doing?” Obviously, a rookie fisherman. My friend was soon on the ground fighting with the duck in an attempt to release it. Soon the bird was free and flew away undamaged. My friend exclaimed, “Why was I releasing the bird when you caught it?” I said, “I’m afraid of the avian flu.” He was off to wash his hands. Not often does golf create fishing memories!

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ROYA L L I NKS GO L F C LU B – L A S VE GA S , NE VA DA The Royal Links course opened in Las Vegas in 1998. Each of the holes is a replica of holes played at the British Open. Famous courses, such as St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Turnberry, and Muirfield are represented. The course is about 15 minutes from the Strip. Although the course has no water hazards, it does have 108 pot bunkers. Some of the bunkers are so well hidden there are signs posted to warn people in carts not to drive into them. The clubhouse is built like a castle and features Stymie’s Pub. Monuments are located around the course to identify historic events or shots at the British Open. Each tee has an “open book” that describes some history about that hole. Caddies are optional. Caddies are not unusual at golf courses, yet in Las Vegas you can also have a ParMate! A ParMate is a female caddy, but in Vegas a ParMate is a professional model trained to do everything a typical caddy would do except carry your golf bag.

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I find a correlation exists between age and the number of birdies made. The older one gets, the fewer birdies one makes. My expectation for the round was maybe a few pars to supplement my double bogies, or worse. To my amazement, and that of my playing partners, I made two birdies. My score of 99, or 27 over par, indicates much less fortune on the other 16 holes. The 8th hole of Royal Links was inspired by the Royal Troon’s Golf Club’s famous “Postage Stamp” hole in Scotland. It is considered by some as the most difficult par 3 in golf. Willie Park Jr., a professional golfer from Scotland, won the British Open in 1887 at the Prestwick and he described the hole as a “pitching surface skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp”—the name it bears today. When we arrived at the eigth hole, we were greeted by a “no lose” opportunity. You could bet up to $100 that if you hit the green you got a $200 gift certificate in the pro shop. If you didn’t hit the green, you still got a $100 gift certificate in the pro shop. Having previously left

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more than one course with something I neither needed nor wanted from a pro shop, it was easy to pass. To my surprise, my six-iron landed the ball about 20 feet past the pin. Even more surprising, I sank the putt for a birdie. I had birdied one of the most famous golf holes in the world! Fast-forward to the 15th hole, which is a par 5 inspired by the fifth hole at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland. I played the actual hole years earlier. After a poor drive, I hit two, three-wood shots. The second shot landed two feet from the pin. I thought the third shot had gone in a bunker but it must have landed right and rolled to the hole. Another putt sank for another birdie on another historic hole. Two birdies in a round has always been memorable for me but even more so now.

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L A S VE GA S PA I UT E GOL F RE S ORT – L A S VE GA S , NE VA DA The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe owns and operates the Las Vegas Paiute Golf 54-hole golf resort. Three courses—Sun Mountain, Snow Mountain, and Wolf—designed by Pete Dye, comprise the first multi-course facility of its kind constructed on Native American land. The resort is about a 25-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip. I registered for golf lessons with Bird Golf Academy at the course. Tim Peightal was the pro and the lessons were very unique. A questionnaire was sent out prior to attending the lessons. It took very little time to complete, but what it told me was fascinating. I assumed the questionnaire was another personality test but it was not. It explained my innate traits and how they affect or determine my approach to golf. Personality influences interpersonal relations, not the golf shot. Values and attitudes may influence you before and after a golf shot but not during the actual execution of the shot. This questionnaire measured actions and behaviour, not psychological characteristics.

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My final analysis indicated I was a “driver.” Drivers, it said, run their own businesses, start new projects, and sit on boards. I do all of these things. They also say drivers raid corporations, fly their own planes, get in a quick “nine,” and make headlines. I do NOT do all of these things. I would argue the behaviour tendencies discovered were more accurate. They were: • • • • • • • •

To be blunt, direct, and urgent towards everything–people, tasks, situations, purposes, organizations, and activities Mottos are “Just do it!” and “No fear” Don’t like to wait Love competition Not apt to listen well Go their own way Love products that promise a competitive edge Like, want, and think big

How “drivers” tend to play golf, according to the questionnaire, was even more accurate. They tend to: • • • • • • • •

Approach the game impatiently Make errors on the aggressive side Be goal-oriented and pay less attention to how they hit the ball than the result Play the course and themselves more than others Prefer the short game Be frustrated by slow play Need competition Over-swing and “come over” or “come off” the ball.

This is how I play the game.

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I also learned my energy level was 360, which is much higher than the population average of 252. It was even higher than managers and professionals at 316. A higher energy level indicates a higher resilience to stress or pressure. A normal score for logic or emotion is in the range of 52-60. I was very pleased with my score of 64 making me more logical. I shouldn’t have been. It means I need to rely more on yardage numbers and can rely less on feel. I would rather rely on “feel” to get a comfort level when golfing. The questionnaire also generated personalized “basic” and “predictor” profiles for the four traits listed below. The basic profile reflects genetically influenced, or natural traits at birth. The predictor profile reflects how you have changed from your natural traits to what you think your traits should be. The natural traits will be used on the practice range and the predictor traits will be used in a game. Lack of alignment is why people often say, “I wish I could take my game from the range to the course.” It is difficult to improve your game if you persist in using traits you do not have. The four traits referenced above were: a) Dominance/Submission–how you deal with environment b) Extraversion/Introversion–how you deal with people c) Patience/Urgency–how you approach tasks d) Conformity/Non-conformity–how you relate to rules Each of the traits has an average number. The trait with the highest gap above the average dominates 70-75% of your behaviour. As illustrated in the chart on the following page, dominance was seven points above average; I definitely prefer to be in control rather than be controlled. Not new news to me! 167

The most significant realization from the analysis was in the gap between my basic score and my predicted profile score. I was somewhat surprised that my predictor introversion was much greater that my basic. I was not surprised that my non-conformity to rules was below average. The greatest gap was patience being two above in the basic and five below in the perceived. It’s natural for me to be patient but not on the golf course. It had never occurred to me before that I was so impatient on the golf course. Today, I am very aware and much less prone to be frustrated by slow play. Confirmation of my belief, you can’t solve a problem if you don’t know it exists!

BASIC D

PREDICTOR C

7 2

AVERAGE

3 6

N/C

8 S

N/C

Did my golf game improve because of the lessons? No! My game could have, but I still have not acquired a taste for practice. But the experience and knowledge gained were worth the time and money.

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VI INTERNATIONAL MEMORIES

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THE O L D COU RS E AT S T. A ND RE WS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; S T. A ND RE WS , S COT L A ND If a person could only play one golf course, many people would choose the Old Course at St. Andrews. The course was established in 1552 and it is the original golf course. Until 1764 the course had 22 holes. The members decided to reduce the number to 18, creating the standard still in use today. The course, if it were not for its history, would not be highly rated by many golfers. The fairways are not lush, only the first, ninth, 17th and 18th holes have their own green. The other 14 holes have shared greens. There are 112 bunkers with some that are impossible to advance the ball toward the green. The Swilcan Bridge over which you walk on the 18th hole is famous worldwide. It is over seven hundred years old. Many golfers, including myself, have had their picture taken on this bridge. It is an unforgettable experience to be standing on the first tee. Thankfully my tee shot was straight down the middle. A relief for me and a bigger relief for my caddie. I played the course twiceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;once with no wind and once with a strong wind. The experience is like playing two different courses. 172

On the first round, I hit an eight iron on the green. The next day at this same hole, my caddie said, “This is a four-stroke wind.” I didn’t believe him but took the four iron he gave me. I hit the ball as well as the previous day and ended up short of the green. It was indeed a fourstroke difference! I will never forget the size of some of the greens. On one hole, I was further from the pin than would be possible on any other course I have played. To my surprise, and my playing partner’s, my putt almost went in and was just a tap for an unlikely two-putt. At dinner, our host presented me with an Old Course hickory putter as a memento. I still have it but found it not very practical to use. For those lucky enough to play this course, it is likely to be one of the most memorable games that they could ever play. It certainly was for me!

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TUR NBE RRY GO L F C LU B â&#x20AC;&#x201C; T U RNBE R RY, AYRS H I RE S COT L AN D Scottish immigrants made many significant contributions to Canada. John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister, was from Scotland. One Canadian province, Nova Scotia, was named by the Scots. Robbie Burns Day is celebrated throughout most of Canada on January 25, which is his birth date, and his poetry has retained its popularity for centuries. In spite of these contributions, many believe the greatest gifts of the Scots were golf, curling, and whiskey. Turnberry Golf Club has a connection to all three. The clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s links golf course, the Ailsa Course, is in southwestern Scotland on the coast of the Irish Sea and was home to the British Open four times. In 1977, Tom Watson won over Jack Nicklaus; in 1986, Greg Norman won his first of two majors; in 1994, Nick Price won by a single stroke over Jesper Parnevik; then in 2009, Tom Watson, 32 years after winning the first time, bogeyed the last hole forcing a playoff with Stewart Cink. The 59-year-old Watson lost but won the hearts of golf fans around the world. Many regard Ailsa as one of the top 10 golf courses in the world. I was on a golf trip to Scotland with a group of tire dealers when we checked into the Turnberry Hotel. It was the first time I had ever stayed in a hotel where the towel racks were heated. After golfing in

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the wind and rain, it was easy to understand the heated towel racks were more of a necessity rather than a luxury. The hotel also served some of the finest Scottish whiskey one could desire. I was not used to golfing with a caddy and heard many stories of Scottish caddies being difficult. As with many things you hear, the stories were untrueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the caddy had a great sense of humour. After a couple of holes, he knew which club was right for me and he definitely could read the greens. He was much more knowledgeable and helpful than most caddies I had in the United States and made the game much more enjoyable. Golfing was an awesome experience on such an historic course. As impressed as I was with the golf, I was amazed by a small island you could see as you looked out to sea. Every curling rock ever used in the Olympics comes from the granite on this little island called

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Ailsa Craig. Blue honed granite is used for the layer that glides on the ice and common green granite makes up the middle layer that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t crack when hit by another rock. I curled for years and had never given a momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thought where the granite for the best rocks existed. I was actually witnessing the origin of the best curling rocks in the world. It made me think how much more appreciative you become with more knowledge. After a glass or two of good Scotch whiskey, I went to bed much more appreciative of the Scottish contributions to Canada. In 2014, Donald Trump purchased the hotel and golf courses and the resort was renamed Trump Turnberry.

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KIL L A R NE Y GOL F & FI S H I N G C LU B – KILL ARNE Y, I R E L AN D The Killarney Golf & Fishing Club was founded in 1893, but moved to its present location in 1937. It boasts three courses—Mahony’s Point, Lackabane, and Killeen—and has hosted the Irish Open four times. Sir Nick Faldo, English professional golfer and six-time Major Championship winner, won The Irish Open at Killarney in 1991 and 1992. I visited Killarney because my daughter moved there after graduating from university. Although we went fishing in the area more than once when I visited, I never thought of golfing there. That is, until I discovered it was the home of the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. I had never heard of a club that combined my two favourite sports and I was determined to make the best of my opportunity to play the course. The person who introduced my daughter to her future husband was a member at the course. He booked me a tee time but was unable to play himself. I checked in, rented some clubs and was directed to the first tee. It was a cloudy day and rained at times but I was content— I was golfing at a golf and fishing club. 179

My thoughts as I played this solo round of golf were of how small the world had become. I could fly halfway around the world in almost the same amount of time it would take me to drive from my now home to the farm I grew up on. The distance was much differentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the time required was not. It also occurred to me how I considered myself to be so much like my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;save at least one way: my father did not like to spend time alone, whereas I was completely at peace playing a round of golf by myself in a foreign country. I saw a beautiful trophy in the pro shop when I registered for the round. On the 18th hole, I decided if I got a par on this hole the trophy would be mine. No par, and I would go home empty handed. The trophy now sits proudly in my home.

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SHA N GH A I S I L P O RT GOL F C LU B – SHA N GH A I , C H I N A In 2004, I travelled to China on a tire supplier trip. I was accompanied by my nephew and about 20 U.S. tire dealers. Although we were a significant group for China to host, our trip was dwarfed by the debut of the Chinese Grande Prix on the Shanghai International Circuit. Our hosts had tickets to this historic F1 race! Unfortunately, they did not have enough tickets for everyone. The option was to golf. Our Chinese translator, who had a grasp of the English language but not a firm one, was very much promoting “gorf” because he thought everyone would want to go to the F1 race. To the amazement of most, my nephew and I chose to go golfing. We had only been in the tire business for 20 years and neither of us knew how to change a tire. We also found the noise level at the Grande Prix to be very loud. I remember walking into the clubhouse and being in awe of the magnificence of the building and the furnishings. I have been in few, if any, more impressive clubhouses. I also remember our caddies were

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female and excellent scorekeepers—no matter what your actual score, they all turned into pars. I believe it is the only round of golf I have played with all pars on the scorecard. The fondest memory I have of that round of golf is walking down a fairway and looking at the blue sky. It was so ironic to have thought how different China was from Canada. Yet the sky was blue, the grass was green, the golf clubs were the same, and the golf course was the same. The language was different and the people looked different but we are more alike than we imagine. I will always remember that fairway walk and blue sky thought when I meet people from a different part of the world. Making the right decision to golf was confirmed for me when, years later, I returned to China and saw a Formula 1 race. I liked the race but liked the “gorf” more.

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T HA I CO U NT RY C LUB – BA N GKOK , T H A I L A N D The Thai Country Club opened in 1996, less than an hour from downtown Bangkok, Thailand. The course plays 7,157 yd. from the professional tees to a more suitable 6,105 yd. for amateurs. The course was designed under U.S. PGA international standards by Denis Griffiths. It is regularly voted as one of the top 5 courses in Asia. In 1997, Tiger Woods won the Asian Honda Classic at this course. An interesting feature of this course is that you can purchase individual or corporate memberships for five- or 10-year terms. An individual membership includes one person plus one immediate member of your family. As of the time this was written, the cost for an individual five-year term is B811,517(approx C$28,700) and B961,798(approx C$33,950) for a corporate membership. It is B1,322,472(approx C$46,685) for a 10-year, individual membership and B1,586,966(approx C$56,000) for a corporate membership. It’s a pricing concept that North American golf courses should adopt to attract more people to buy memberships. I was visiting my brother in Bangkok when he invited me to play at the Thai Country Club. The facilities and course were first class. The temperature can get over 100°F (40°C) by midday in the city, so early tee times are best. 184

My most vivid memory of the golf in Thailand is not the score or the difficulty of the course. It is the caddies. Caddies are included in the green fees and they are all young ladies. Another interesting thing was that the carts were not for us, they were for the caddies. We walked! Not all the caddies spoke English but all were trained to yell the word “Fore!” and when to do it. I have never again experienced so many times hearing “Fore” being shouted on a golf course. I didn’t think that our shots were bad enough to warrant so many warnings. My caddy did speak English and was very impressed with my blue eyes and fair skin. I later learned fair skin is associated with opportunity, success, and status in Thailand. Very disappointing to learn it was not my charismatic charm that was attractive. A very memorable game of golf at a very impressive golf course.

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PORT ROYA L GO L F COU RS E A ND S T. G E ORGE ’ S GOL F COU R S E – BE RMUDA The island of Bermuda is only 21 sq. mi. (56 km2) and home to a population of only 65,000 people. It is a nominal British possession but a completely self-governing territory with its own laws. The island is shaped like a fishhook and has no useful natural resources like oil or gold. Instead, the primary industries are tourism, insurance, and re-insurance. And the famous “Bermuda Triangle” in the Atlantic Ocean is created by connecting the dots between Bermuda, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Although over 85 percent of Bermuda’s tourists are from the U.S., the island has been a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1973. Canadian CAs are easier to attract to Bermuda’s insurance industry than American CPAs. Canada bases taxes on where you reside and the States’ taxes are based on citizenship. Not paying income tax is a huge incentive to move to Bermuda. When I went, I was greeted by not-so-friendly customs people upon arrival. It is the only country I have visited that is concerned about what you bring with you and plan to leave behind. They don’t want to lose the tax imposed on imported goods. 187

It is not often you get to play a third of the golf courses in a country but I did just that in Bermuda: there are six courses and I played two. The Port Royal Golf Course opened in 1970 and is owned by the Government of Bermuda. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., as was the country’s St. George’s Golf Course. The most memorable part of playing Port Royal is the ocean views. Ireland boasts “the many shades of green,” and I think Bermuda should boast, “the many shades of blue.” The 16th hole is regarded as one of the best par 3 holes in the world. In 2009, the course underwent extensive renovations to host the Grand Slam of Golf, which is a tournament including the winners from the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship. It continued to host the event until 2014. The St. George’s Golf Course was an unusual one to play because the par was 62 rather than 72. The front nine had no par 5s, but instead had six par 3s and four par 4s. The back nine was designed with five par 4s and three par 3s. A great course to improve your score. Viewing the beautiful colours of the water and knowing Bermuda is shaped like a fishhook, it would have been a shame not to go fishing. I went fly fishing for bone fish on a boat called “Jump dem Bones.” We didn’t, though, we caught no fish!

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GOLF L A S A ME R I C AS – TENER I FE , C A N A RY I S L A NDS Tenerife is the largest and most populous of the seven Canary Islands and it is on the same latitude as the Sahara Desert. It is also the largest island of Spain. I never would have dreamt I would golf on this beautiful island or, for that matter, in this part of the world. A benefit of being a Goodyear dealer was, at one time, the annual dealer trips, which one year, was in Tenerife! In 1998, the Golf Las Americas course opened . It was designed by John Jacobs of the John Jacobs’ Golf School fame. The course was spectacular with water coming into play on at least six holes and many beautiful ravines. A golfer had to be able to get the ball “over” the ravines or it would be lost. I imagine this is the reason the course requires men to have a handicap of less than 28 and women less than 36 to be allowed to play. But apparently, the handicap only applies if you are not the company president and host. I was fortunate enough to be paired with the same! I was not, however, lucky enough to be on a different cart. The record for the most golf balls lost by one individual in a single round of golf may well have been broken that day.

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You may not remember what song was the number one single on the Billboard 100 in 1969. You will, however, have sung that song if you have ever attended a sporting event. Often a crowd will taunt a visiting team when they are losing. They do so by chanting “Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye.” For some reason, after seeing the president make several balls disappear into a ravine or water, that song came into my mind. Many times, I hummed or sang that tune to my cart partner every time he faced this challenge. Near the end of the game, I perfected the timing to be singing “Goodbye,” just as the ball disappeared. Another memory of that round of golf is not the score, nor the view. It is thinking how bad the “smog” was when it was actually sand blowing in from the Sahara Desert and the amount of laughter my cart partner and I enjoyed.

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G OLF D E L A MA LO ULES-BA I NS A ND G OL F RESORT MONT P E L L I E R F ON TC AU DE – C AP D’AGD E , FRA N C E Planning a trip to France did not include planning to golf. It did include plans to visit the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It also included plans to rent a loft in Montagnac in the South of France for a few weeks. Montagnac is over 600 km from Paris and 35 km from Montpellier. One day while exploring the countryside, we came across a sign for a golf course. It had never occurred to me that golf was something to do in France. We found ourselves at the Golf de Lamalou-Les-Bains nine-hole golf course. The golf club rentals were not the best and if you are left-handed, they were even further from the best. The course was built in 1992, and has very mature trees, much water, including some beautiful streams. Never had I seen muskrats while golfing. Here I did! Later in the trip, I also golfed at the Golf Resort Montpellier Fontcaude and Cap d’Agde courses. The courses were fine but the club rentals discouraged golfing in France as a tourist unless you bring your own clubs. 193

It surprised me to learn that France has several golf courses. According to a 2015 Scottish Golf History report, France has 11,016 golf holes in 648 facilities. It exceeds the holes and facilities in Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, Italy, and China. France has not produced many successful professional golfers who compete outside of Europe. Jean van de Velde is the most recognized French golfer. Unfortunately, he is remembered for only needing a double bogey six on the last hole to win the 1999 British Open but he made some bad decisions resulting in a triple-bogey seven. Rather than being the first Frenchman to win the tournament in 92 years, he lost in a playoff. I can say that I golfed in France. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say that I am enthused about golfing in France.

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VII SPECIAL MEMORIES

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THE M A S T E RS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; AU GU S TA , GE ORG I A The U.S. Masters is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Unlike the other major championships, it is held each year in the same location: a private golf club in Georgia called the Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament is the first major played each year and is scheduled for the first week in April. Since 1949, the winner has been awarded a green jacket. After one year, the jacket must be returned and stored at the club with other championsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; jackets. In 2012, three friends and I purchased a package to attend the final two days of the tournament. We flew into Atlanta a couple of days early where we visited the state legislature, CNN headquarters, the World of Coca-Cola attraction, and the house where Margaret Mitchell wrote the book Gone with the Wind. On Friday, we drove up to Augusta and settled into the house that was included in our package. Saturday morning, we drove to the facility where we had breakfast and received our tickets and folding chair. After breakfast, it was a short walk to the famous course. We went through a security check that did not allow cell phones on the property. I never thought I would ever see people lined up to use a pay phone but at the Masters, I did. We were told that running is not 199

allowed nor is unruly behaviour. It is refreshing to witness such a large crowd behaving in such a proper manner. We, as did many others, had small green folding chairs. You can place your chair at a spot on any hole and it will not be disturbed. We chose to put ours at the par 3 16th hole. We could then wander anywhere on the course knowing our chairs would be available when we returned. The golf course was formerly a plant nursery and each hole is named after a tree or shrub. Names include Flowering Peach, Magnolia, Carolina Cherry, Golden Bell, and Holly. The atmosphere is one of the most surreal experiences one can have visiting a golf course. During the two days, we walked the entire course, saw some of the best golfers in the world, and witnessed some amazing shots. The most amazing shot I witnessed was on the Pink Dogwood second hole. It is a 575-yard par 5 and no golfer had ever recorded an

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albatross or a score of two on this hole. We were sitting on the edge of the green when Louis Oosthuizen hit his second shot onto the green. We were part of the roar as the crowd watched the ball track toward the hole and drop in. We had just witnessed history! Our friend was not with us but he saw Adam Scott hit a hole-in-one on the 16th hole. Bubba Watson won the tournament with a spectacular shot in an extra hole playoff with Louis Oosthuizen. We had an experience we will never forget! For people who are forward thinkers, and see no value in history or tradition, I would suggest that a visit to the Masters would be a worthwhile experience.

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ROL E X I received this Rolex golf ball, not because of a golf game, but as a gift when I resigned from a board position. I believe every business has three major stakeholders: the customer, the employee, and the shareholder. The company must decide which of the stakeholders to prioritize. Some may rank the shareholder first, the customer second, and the employee third. Others may rank the customer first, the employee second, and the shareholder third. Some may give equal priority to each. I believe every service organization should prioritize the employee first, the customer second, and the shareholder third. Happy staff equals happy customers, which equals happy shareholders. A company that prioritized the shareholders first resulted in my resignation from the board of directors. At my â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last Supper,â&#x20AC;? I was surprised to be given a gift bag. When I reached inside there were a couple of sleeves of golf balls with

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“Rolex” printed on them and also a very nice card. Since I like to golf it seemed like an appropriate gift. Then I heard “keep looking.” To my surprise, the bag also contained a Rolex watch—the status symbol of watches. I think it was the most expensive gift I have ever received. Unfortunately, I like to wear thin watches and Rolex watches are quite bulky so I sold the watch and donated the money. Interesting that the most expensive gift I have received was not something I valued. Money can buy things but not necessarily happiness.

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VAT I C A N C I T Y The Vatican City is in Italy. I grew up on a farm in Canada. The Vatican City is small—only 110 acres. The farm where I was raised was 10 times larger with a house and a few other buildings. Vatican City has St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest Catholic Church. The farm had about 100 visitors a year, and the Vatican has around five million. You do not have to be Catholic to know that you have entered a special place when you arrive at St. Peter’s Square. In the Sistine Chapel, the art, architecture, gardens, and history leave you standing in awe. Golf balls don’t have to be associated with a golf course to qualify for my collection. When I visited the Vatican City, there were many different trinkets you could purchase as a reminder of your visit and I chose a golf ball. It was easy to carry and very inexpensive. Every time I see my Vatican golf ball, it reminds me of one of my most memorable days.

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GU L F Gulf Oil was founded in 1901, and operated in Canada from 1906 to 2001. In 1969, over 9,000 Canadian service stations were rebranded with the orange and blue Gulf logo. I was never personally involved with Gulf but my father-in-law worked there for many years. He was such a committed employee that he painted his summer cottage at Seba Beach white with orange trim. Having your cottage painted in your company colours is impressive. My brother also worked at Gulf Oil. His career involved working in Canada and Indonesia. After he retired from Gulf, his contacts resulted in his working in Thailand. I would never have golfed in Thailand were it not for Gulf. The Gulf brand disappeared from Canada in 2001 when Petro-Canada acquired Gulfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service stations. I was surprised when my brother gave me a Gulf ball years after the brand had vanished. It is interesting that a company is now trying to bring the Gulf brand back to Canada after an absence of over a decade. They promote it as having a presence in over 100 countries and being one of the most famous oil brands in the world. It remains to be seen if you can build a brand, let it disappear, and then rebuild it. I will be surprised if it succeeds.

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DAVE BA R R Dave Barr, born March 1, 1952, in Kelowna, B.C., won the Canadian PGA Tour 12 times between 1975 and 1988 and placed second in the U.S. Open in 1985. To win a “Major” would have been a huge boost to his career. He did go on to have a successful career and in 2000 was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame. I met Dave Barr at a Boston Pizza Golf Tournament at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond, British Columbia. One of the owners of Boston Pizza served on the Fountain Tire board so we supported his tournament. Both Dave Barr and Randy Rota, a retired professional hockey player, were celebrities at one of the holes and Dave Barr was kind enough to autograph a ball for me. My fondest memory of Dave Barr was when he played in the Champions Tour at the Firestone Golf Club in Akron, Ohio. I was a spectator and guest of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and my friend wanted to go watch the Canadian player. We joined the spectators at the 16th hole, which was a long par 5 and a very difficult driving hole. As the Canadian walked past us, he said to his caddy, “This is the worst *&!#*# golf hole in the world.” I thought to myself, “Now that is a part of the game I’ve mastered.” I need no training in the use of descriptive language. 208

Another signed golf ball I got was from a young player I played with in a Canadian Tour Pro Am. He offered to give each of his three playing partners an “autographed” golf ball if we could hit closer to the pin than his shot. I succeeded and fulfilled a life-long dream of having a signed golf ball from an “unknown.” He later sent me an email and asked if I had any advice for him. Since his autograph looked like chicken scratch, I responded with Arnold Palmer’s advice to young golfers that you should have a signature people could read. He sent me samples and his assurance that he would take my advice. I reviewed a number of legible signature samples from him. I don’t know if he succeeded. My brother used to say when a person’s ego was inflated: “It’s a long way to Hollywood.” I think that this young golfer had not yet learned that it’s also a long way to the PGA. is

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L A RS H 8 0 Golf balls can be personalized. This golf ball would mean nothing to almost everyone. The little red man with something in his hand would be meaningless as would the number 80. Not so for my uncle Lars Hesje. The golf ball was commissioned especially for him on his 80th birthday. The little red man is a blacksmith, as was he. The “H” is, of course, for his surname. I stayed at his home in Crooked River, Saskatchewan when I was a boy. At the time, it was very impressive “working” with him in his shop, which was right beside his home. Crooked River has a population of less than 100. The shop appeared much smaller from what I remember when I visited it years later. This golf ball carries memories of summer vacations, a bustling business and an uncle and aunt who were always a pleasure to be around. Maybe I will one day have my own personalized golf ball!

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J U LIETT E ’ S COL L E CT I ON Rule 6-5 of golf is, “The responsibility of playing the proper ball rests with the player. Each player should put an identification mark on his ball.” I have seen players use different coloured dots, straight lines, and letters to mark their balls. I have not seen another golfer use the identification marks that their grandchildren have made on their golf balls. A gift I received in 2015, from my granddaughter Juliette, was a dozen golf balls labelled “Juliette’s Collection.” She was born on September 24, 2013— the same day, not the same year—as I was. As you can see, the markings are different on each ball. Not sophisticated but very difficult to duplicate! Curious looks and numerous questions are the result when I use these balls in a round of golf. Juliette now has a younger sister. Her name is Brianna, which is very similar to my name, so I anticipate some very creative markings from her. But since she is just a year old, she has not designed any golf ball identification markings for me. I have made Juliette’s Collection the final entry because it is the most special of all the balls collected over the years. I hope that she and her siblings enjoy reading of my adventures as they make their own memories.

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A BOU T BRI A N H E S J E Growing up in Saskatchewan on his family’s farm, Brian spent much of his time fishing. While at the river, he would look up at planes flying overhead and wish he was on board. As time went on and flying became a part of his business life, he would look down at the rivers and wish he was back on the water. This made him wonder, why do we think that what we don’t have will make us happier than what we do have? Brian has always had a natural inclination to question the world around him. His drive to learn grew stronger during his first career as a high school history teacher, which he held for two years. He then shifted from education to pursue an MBA before finding his way into accounting, which he practiced for eight years. During this time, Brian gained invaluable experience as he exercised his natural aptitude for identifying potential risks and successes of different business decisions. As time went on, Brian wished to become a business “player” rather than a business “coach.” Through his accounting work, he was offered an opportunity to join Fountain Tire. He accepted, and enjoyed over 30 years within the organization, moving through different roles until eventually becoming CEO and board chair. Since leaving Fountain Tire, Brian has focused on board appointments. These roles allow him to utilize his experience to seek out solutions to complex problems through an approach of inquisition rather than providing answers. Outside of his business advisory roles, Brian wishes to instill a desire for everyone to challenge their beliefs.

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