Rich Havyer

Richard Justin Havyer

Where were you born? Did you

grow up there? Born and raised in Pottstown, PA.

Is “acting your age” overrated?

Without a doubt! We should all be children at heart, because those years go by so quick. I remember when I was young wishing that I was older so I can drive, be an adult, be of drinking age, etc.

What do you do for a living? I’m an Assistant Golf Course Superintendent at Fiddlesticks Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida specifically on the Loch Ness Golf Course.

What would you like to do for a

living? I would like to become a Director of Agronomy at a high-end golf club, and then become a PGA Tour Agronomist.

Aside from golf; what do you prefer

for fun and relaxation? I like going out to eat at nice restaurants (all you can eat sushi is the key to my heart), watching the sunset on the beach, going on trail walks, playing video games from time to time, and going to bars with good music and a dance floor.

What golf apparel do you like to

wear? Pants and Shirts: Adidas. Shoes: Nike. Hats: A-Head or Puma. Belts: Vineyard Vines, Pebble Beach, or Adidas.

Whom do you most admire for

their inner and outer beauty? The late Jim Valvano. “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” His 1993 ESPY speech accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award has had the greatest impact on my life in so many ways. If you watch the video of his speech on YouTube, you can clearly tell he needed help getting on and off stage. Cancer was ravaging his body, but he still found the courage and strength to crack jokes, and to spread love and cheer to the world on that stage. Another one is the Stuart Scott. I grew up watching his commentary on ESPN. “Boo-yah!” was his catch phrase, and his passion for every sport and every athlete was unmatched. His ESPY speech accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award is also a must see.

Tell us about your first kiss? I was invited as an honoree on a band trip in the 8th grade with the high school band to Wildwood, NJ. We traveled in separate vans and I was in the van with two chaperones, a couple other band members, and a pretty and talented flute player who was a freshman at the time. Over the course of the drive, she broke up with her boyfriend. I felt genuinely bad for her that she was feeling heartbreak, so I went to her room to check up on her. I knocked, she answered, grabbed me by the shirt, pulled me in the room, and kissed me. We made out for an hour. We woke up early to see the sunrise the next day and made out there too.

Steak, chicken, or seafood? This is tough, because I am a sushi guy. If you know how to cook a perfect

What three things would you need to survive on a deserted

island? A flint stone and a knife, because I can’t do the rubbing the stick thing, but I can surely strike a flint with the knife to create a spark. The knife will come in handy for hunting and cutting. Lastly, some type of bowl for water collection and cooking. Everything else you think you would need; I can find or make.

Who would you like to have with you on the same deserted

island; and why? Paige Van Zant. She’s an MMA fighter, author and model. So, she could probably wrestle prey for food, help save us both, and write a book about it.

What do you find to be the most annoying habit people demonstrate on

the golf course? Not fixing ball marks, hands down. It’s my job to grow grass and keep peak conditions for golf play, so divots and cart traffic don’t really bother me. But I haven’t wrapped my head around leaving a ball mark for the next group to stumble upon. It’s a courtesy for the collective golfer. Fix your ball mark, or find one, so that the next group finds that green in the same condition that you left it. There are exceptions, like senior golfers or golfers with disabilities, but if you are able to bend over, and willing to exert a force with a golf club onto a golf ball for 18 holes, you should have no problem fixing 1-2 ball marks per green.

Name the three most important

things to you in this world. My parents, music, and my friends

Given the choice; would you select love, success, or money to keep

yourself happy? Right now, I would have to go with success. Money is the root of all evils, and I’ve been burnt by love recently. I would like to choose love over success one day, but it’s still too fresh in my mind.

What do you fear the most? I’m a pretty fearless guy. I’ve stared death in the face in the form of car accidents before, and I’ve done my fair share of grieving the loss of loved ones. I’ve also had close calls out on the course, like being hit by a golf ball on the fly, and a rotten tree falling next to where I was sitting while waiting for play on a triplex mower. So, to name a fear, I would say I fear letting the devil win. Good must prevail in order to become who I want to be one day.

What three people would you most like to play with in your fantasy

golf foursome? Walter Hagen, Tiger Woods, Charley Hull.

What are some of your great ac-

complishments? When I was in grade school starting in 3rd grade, I would do a clothing drive for the less fortunate in Chester, PA through the Bernardine Center. A nun who was the principal at my school was transferred, and I kept in contact with her. She told me the families needed clothes to keep warm during the winter and toys for the children, so I did a yearly collection of hats, gloves, scarves, socks, underwear, and small toys. I also collected over 200 pounds of books in 2004 for a Catholic school situated right on Grand Anse beach in Grenada. That was before Hurricane Ivan destroyed 90% of the island as a Category 5 storm. I shifted focus to hurricane relief and the money I collected for postage to send the books became a check for $1600 dollars to Father Charles to help rebuild the church and schools. The books went to a li-

Relaxed evening at home, or

nightclub and cocktails? As I am lying in bed relaxing on my Casper bed, I choose nightclub and cocktails, but I have work in the morning. Duty calls!

Favorite comedian? Hands down, Kevin Hart. Philly represent!

Last book you read? The last one I can remember is “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman. I read the book before watching the movie, and I recommend you do the same. “Where am I? I am here. What time is it? The time is now.”

News, current events; hardcopy

or on-line? Online. It’s easier to cross reference, which I recommend to everyone. There is a lot of “fake news” out there believe it or not. If you rely on one media outlet to keep you up to date on current events, then you are probably doing it wrong. Also, social media does not count. I always say to my mom, “when in doubt, Google it out.”

Favorite magazine? Golf Central Magazine. Duh!

Favorite charity to support? Any small charity that I can make a direct impact with and that has a real story involving real people that I am able to meet. The only big charity is the Jimmy V foundation for Cancer Research. Currently, I’m looking for the right charity to donate my hair to when the time comes to chop off my luscious crop of locks.

What else would you like for us to

know about you? I am only returning to PA for the following reasons: Penn State Homecoming weekends, golf majors, and if the Flyers or Sixers win the Stanley Cup or NBA Finals, respectively. I was at the World Series parade in 2008, and at the Super Bowl parade in 2018. “World F$&@ ing Champions, and Hungry Dogs Run Faster”. I may consider another Phillies parade, but I don’t believe the Eagles will be back any time soon. Other than that, Florida is my new home and I am here for the long haul!