FROM THE TEE

Remembering Hoyt Carlisle

If you were informed that you had 30 days to live, what would you do to complete your bucket list? I hope you wouldn’t sit at home alone saying, “Woe is me!” I suppose there are a lot of people who opt to travel and play golf at Pebble Beach or maybe St. Andrews. Some folks may want to take that deep-sea trip to catch the Yellow Fin tuna of a lifetime. The considerations run rampant.

A dear friend of mine had made many trips to his second favorite country, Ireland; however, he had always wanted to take his whole family and watch them experience what was so enchanting to him for many years. Sometimes, the planets line up and let things that you had hoped and dreamed for come true. That’s what happened to Hoyt Carlisle. He organized the time and the trip for everyone in his family to visit Ireland for a couple weeks recently. What a dream come true.

Sadly, on his return, Hoyt fell very ill. Short story: After a trip to UAB in Birmingham, Hoyt and his life partner, Alyce, were informed that Hoyt had cancer, and it had progressed through his body so much, there was nothing that could be done. He only had a couple of weeks to live. A few weeks ago, Hoyt was playing golf, enjoying life with his family; and then, he was dealt this hand. It sounds unfair, but there is nothing fair about life or death.

A few years back, Hoyt survived bypass surgery. Had his situation not been diagnosed and had they not performed the surgery, Hoyt most likely would have left us years ago. He bravely survived and recovered and was able to continue his favorite vocation of playing golf with friends and his wife.

What a break – it was to me, at least. In 1975, I lost my father to heart failure due to arterial sclerosis. Had his illness happened three to five years later, my dad most likely would have enjoyed another 20 to 25 years of life. In a way, Hoyt escaped death years ago, but this last illness, he and everyone who loved and called him friend were not as fortunate.

A lot of people pat me on the back for reinstating the men’s golf program at Central Alabama Community College. My ongoing comment has and is to this day, “Thank you, but it wasn’t just me. I had three gentlemen on my side who helped every step of the way.” Those gentlemen were Al Hartley, Billy Hardy and Hoyt Carlisle. Now, all of three of these wonderful gentlemen are gone. It breaks my heart.

When I first decided to retire as the head coach of the men’s golf team at CACC, there were two men I felt it

best to personally tell, rather than have them hear about it second hand. Those two people were Tom Lamberth and Hoyt Carlisle. From the Tom is the CEO of Russell Lands and a good friend. He loves sports and is a tremendous supporter of athletics

Tee at CACC, Benjamin Russell High School and Auburn University. With Russell Lands owning Willow Point Golf & Country Club, which is one of the greatest draws to our golf program for recruits, I felt that he should know right away. The second call I made was to Hoyt Carlisle. Had it not been for Hoyt and the other two gentlemen, people would be speaking about CACC golf only in the past tense. Hoyt always asked me how my boys were doing and if they needed anything. He graciously gave annual donations to our golf team and was involved in all fundraising events that I hosted for the team. Early on, my players are trained to take off their caps, look a person squarely in the eyes, shake hands with the Dave Jennings person I am introducing them to and say, “How do you do?” Every year that I introduced my freshmen golfers to Hoyt, he immediately made them feel at ease, comfortable and welcome to Alexander City and Willow Point. That’s a special quality. Larkin Radney, with comments by John Thompson, wrote an elegant article recently about Hoyt and his input in Alexander City, especially with Carlisle Drugs, in the Alex City Outlook. If that article got by you and you did not read it, please get a copy of it. It is a wonderful story and shares more about the kind of person, my friend, Hoyt Carlisle was and his amazing footprint on our town. I hope you were blessed, as I was, to have the opportunity of knowing Hoyt and his wonderful wife, Alyce. These two were a team. Fortunately, they have two children who will keep a close eye on Alyce. I haven’t played much golf this year, but the next time I do, I am going to do it in honor of Hoyt. I also hope that Bally Bunion in Heaven has reserved tee times for Hoyt, Al and Billy.

~ Dave Jennings is men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.