Old Pros Table

Welcome my friends to the “Old Pros Table” website, another chapter unfolding in my delightful and incredibly adventurous life in golf. Why “The Old Pros Table” I’m asked? Tables are where we talk, where we talk about life, friendships, sports, joys, and sadness. We do it at kitchen tables, pub tables, desks, dining tables, all are places of conversation, and why I’ve chosen this unusual name. Life unfolds at tables!

From the time I was 17, I’ve committed myself to the wonderful sport of golf, as a amateur, then as both a professional golfer, AND a golf professional, and believe me, those two worlds are galaxies apart!

But before welcoming you to this venture, I want to thank a few wonderful people for their help; first, my dear wife of 41 years, Lynda, for her incredible support and prayers (always Psalms 91!) through such a diverse, and at times, hard life; I would have never made it without your love and faith Scooter! To our daughter Joanna, you are the light of our lives, always will be, and we look forward to your great successes in the decades to come....I love you Princess! A huge debt of gratitude goes to Tom Craft, PGA, Director of Golf at the fabulous Congaree Club in Ridgeland, SC for his technical and emotional support through the processes of starting up this venture. He always loved the concept, which meant a lot to me! And a big thanks to Pete Collison of Multifaceted Approach - an internet and technical specialist operation located in Des Moines, IA. Pete, I learn something from you every time we chat! Thanks...

For 50 years I have played at the highest levels of our great game, just not quite high enough to bank several million!! I’ve won a State Amateur title, played 7 years full time, the PGA Tour for two years, I’ve played in National Opens. Ive had the opportunity to teach world class players, raised Juniors to play on the biggest Tours of the world, and have traveled extensively in Europe, the UK (over 80 golf trips to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland), South America, the Caribbean and of course, the US, to enjoy and more importantly, “study” the finest clubs and courses the world has to offer (they don’t necessarily go hand in hand). In the modern era of golf, I helped birth a great National Club with over 33 years of service to the Members of Secession Golf Club in Beaufort SC, and have won enough awards, two National PGA Awards, multiple Halls of Fames and other accolades, to fill a lifetime with appreciation, gratitude and humility. And with these efforts, I have a thousand dear friends around the world: How can a man be any richer??

Now, with this new effort, the oldprostable.com, I simply want to talk about, write about, and converse with people from every spectrum of our grand game, not so much the “stars”, although, I’m sure a few of the games greats will make it to “The Table” for some laughs, great wine and good stories. But what I want and personally love, are amateurs, caddies, club pros, turf pros, bartenders, hoteliers and small businessmen, all of whom adore our wondrous game. They love the game for the right reasons, not to win millions or just beat the crap out of somebody for competitions sake, NO, that’s disingenuous. I want to hear their stories and find that abiding love for the game that lies deep in them.. what makes them tick? Why golf? I want to laugh, perhaps to cry, to show you the “good and simple” elements of this game, to meet the person who enjoys a late afternoon walk, alone perhaps, with a small bag on his shoulders, playing with 7-8 sticks. He’s not there for millions, for trophies, Championships, or fame, no, he’s there for the days last golden light, to hear the birds, a distant train, perhaps with his daughter or son, or to enjoy a $5 bet over nine holes with a buddy after work and then a quick, “cold beer“ (a great southern term), before returning to reality; reality hits when he turns on his car. Oh, there are so few places to escape this perplexing world, golf is one!!

There’s another element to this site I wish to advance! As a life long sports fan, I have always admired the great men of golf media, Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall, Ben Wright, Henry Longhurst, Peter Alliss, and today’s greats, Jim Nantz, Gary Groh, Peter Jacobson, Ian Baker Finch and Mike Tirico, all gentlemen who respect not only the game, but the players as well, for they know full well just how hard this game is!! Seems others have forgotten that!! I do not however, have any time for classless, tacky acts, or “taking heads”, that dominate sports media these days. It seems that their only goal is to stir up controversy, create hype and shower disrespect on the athletes they cover, many of whom never played the sport they are covering! Stunning...I know, I know, it sells. That’s garbage, for as the great Atlanta sportswriter, OB Keeler, once said, “money will be the ruination of sport.“ I’m not here for the money, never was, not carrying water for anyone, I’m here for the grandness of the game and I’ll assure you now that my commentaries will always reflect respect and integrity; respect for the people playing the game and for the traditional foundations of our grand game; honor and integrity! I’ll also carry that forward as I write about other sports (the EPL for one!), wishing to bring some balance, dignity, honor, and an unemotional “take” on the happenings in those wonderful sports as well. This is my promise to you; my commentaries will be fun, light-hearted, uplifting and non political. If you want something other than that, there are thousands of other sites to visit!!

I hope you enjoy this effort; it is my joy to bring it to you weekly under “Tuesdays News”, desiring all along to deliver a bit of warmth, humor and simplicity through the prism of golf, and sport, showcasing virtue and honor, qualities sorely missing in today’s perplexing society.