As I sit here writing this just before Valentine’s Day, watching the snow melt off of the golf course and enjoying seeing some green grass again, I am thinking about how spring is a time of renewal. I hope that all the players reading this are making plans to make this their best golf season yet. I am always excited about the spring issue to write about working on your game and striving to get better.
Unfortunately, this issue I’m featuring something different. This morning I went to visit a very dear friend that is facing what may be his last weeks here among us. It was nice to be able to visit with him, and talk about some things that were on his mind. On the ride to his home, I stopped at the place where I began my golf career in 1987 working for him, teaching players at his range. That visit brought back memories of all the fun times we had. We would hit balls during our down time, discuss different theories about what makes a good swing work, why some bad swings work and everything in between. We planned golf outings, enjoyed traveling with our regular customers to play different courses in the area and dreamed of the various golf trips we would take together.
Unfortunately some of the trips we never did make due to work, but we tried to make the most of the trips and rounds that we were able to have. My point is, we played a lot, but maybe not enough and with hindsight being 20/20, maybe we should have made some more time to get away and experience the great golf courses around the world. There’s a bunch of clichés about “they make money every day, don’t be afraid to spend it” and “don’t make your job your life, because they will replace you a week after you are gone”, so for those of you that are young, make some time to smell the roses (or grass in this case)!
I have no complaints and anyone that knows me knows that I have had more than my share of fun, but there are some that do not. My friend refused to play some days where he could have played but thought he’d have to take care of his responsibilities and grow his business. I will miss the times that we spent on the golf course trying to beat each other’s brains in and then having a ball in the 19th hole. We spent a lot of time talking about where to play next, what our bucket list courses were and how we needed to plan to get there before we were too old to enjoy it.
I’ve been moving in and out of his range for over 35 years and that doesn’t count the time I spent there as a kid hitting golf balls. He gave me my start in the golf business and for that I will always be forever grateful to him and his father. I moved on, earned my Class A PGA card and have been very successful in the golf business, and it all started at that range. A few years ago in 2019, his son won the Master’s lottery and received two tickets to attend a practice round that year. I will never forget that Master’s and how I was able to spend it with him walking the course we talked so much about. We squeezed in some Georgia golf that week and I’m forever thankful we were able to spend that time together.
So my friend as you move on to whatever is coming next, I hope that there is a heaven and that it is made for golfers and with a pristine golf course that is unrivaled even by Augusta National standards. I also hope that all your aches and pains will be gone and that you have no worries except for what club to hit and what your next tee time is going to be. If all is perfect there, the 19th hole will have a big piece of pie waiting for you when you are done playing. I and everyone that knows you will miss you.
Dedicated to William C. Ruozzi Jr, Bill’s Golfland.
