Blame it on Willie.... Seems like a good idea to do just that. After all, if Curtis hadn't suggested that I drive over to Plains to see him play for President Carter's hometown celebration, Doug and I would have never had dinner at Mom's diner. And then I wouldn't have struck up a conversation with the rather interesting looking character who sat next to us. I mean after all, who shows up in small town, southwest Georgia looking like that??? Hawaiian flowered shirt and a distinguished straw fedora just don't quite blend with the normal jeans, chambray shirts and John Deere mesh ball caps of the typical gentleman's wardrobe in this part of town. His card read "Turk Pipkin - words and deeds" - now just what in the heck does that mean?

Well, it was a good conversation. He's in town to get together with Willie on this book they're writing- I'm there to fill a space in the crowd - center section, just in front of the sound board - they want this to look good when it airs on CMT. ( If you saw it, you know they got it right.) Well, being the inquisitive type, the next day I checked out his website. www.turkpipkin.com and do a little digging on him. And don't I feel like an idiot when I realize that I had seen him just a couple of nights before on the Sopranos ( he played Tony's sister's narcoleptic boyfriend). Well, turns out he also writes about the second most important subject on earth - golf - and the publisher is running an essay contest to promote his latest - "The Old Man and the Tee". They were looking for entries and the winner would get a trip to Scotland to play golf with Turk on the old sod. Now I'm not much of a writer, but I figure what the hell, it has to be less than 100 words - I can do that in a couple of minutes. But what to write about? It occurred to me that if I read his book, I might be able to write something that aligned with the book - I mean at the core, this was a business transaction, right? and isn't one of the fundamentals of business - give them what they want?

So I order the book - and damn if it isn't a good read. This guy's got a great sense of humor and a knack for story telling. But more importantly, he really hit home about family and appreciating those we love while we still can. I have to admit - I'm not very good at that. But his words helped me realize how much my father-in-law meant to me. The tough part is that for the most part we've lost him - to Alzheimer's - but he's still here with us physically. So after thinking back over the years, shuffling my thoughts and emotions like I was about to deal the final hand at the World Series of Poker - I turned up this:

"Four years ago, my father-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimers. For over 20 years we were great friends, business partners and golfing buddies. We played courses all over the place and our rounds together are some of my best memories of him. He can no longer play, however my son who is now 13 does and has been since his grandfather started teaching him 7 years ago. What better way for him to carry forward that legacy than for him to honor his "Poppy" on the links?"

I'm not sure who read and graded the things - but early this year I got the news that my entry won. Wow - a week at Turnberry with my son - daily rounds on the old sod - two with Turk. I had to get my game back in shape. I had my handicap as low as a 9, but a bout with amoebic dysentery after a mission trip to Mexico last year had weakened me and that number had been rising fast. I sought counsel from my local pro who gave the sage advice of "play more". How enlightening. I mean what were more rounds on my local dirt track going to help me prepare for this? Somehow, the proverbial golf gods must have been in on this - the next thing I know, work takes me to play the International course at Championsgate in Orlando - built to intimate the links style play of Scotland. Playing with my good friend Jeff, we pull second in the tourney. Not by the strength of my game, but on his booming drives. My luck was to hit wedges pin high and have them draw back off the greens. Then in May - a conference has me in proximity to the mecca of US golf -the Monterrey Peninsula. Working for the non-profit organization, Habitat for Humanity International, my conference fees had been comped - except that the golf tourney at Spanish Bay was not part of that - and being good stewards of donated resources, HFH wasn't about to cover the cost. So I start dialing friends at corporate sponsors who will be there to see if anyone has an opening on one of their teams. No luck, but...... the guys at Whirlpool say- if you can get there a day early, we're having a little private event nearby and we have an opening. So I say -sure - the flight cost the same whether I get there Monday or Tuesday, and I can over my $59 hotel cost - where are we playing? No, really? you've got to be kidding...Holy $#&*! Pebble freaking Beach?

Doses of humility rarely come so beautifully packaged. I manage to break 90 (barely) and figure I lost 10 strokes out of the sand and had five putts lip out that would have fallen at home. Our caddie Bill, did an amazing job of reading greens - it just took a few holes to make myself listen to him. And never - never did a cigar taste so good as it did walking up the 18th with a drive placed strategically beside the tree in the middle of the fairway. And then to top it off, I get the news that a space had opened for the tourney at Spanish Bay - and would I be interested? Well, if you really need me to, I guess I can clear my schedule.

So with a few rounds on some nice courses (how's that for understated) under my belt, I get ready for Scotland. My son and I play our local course often - always walking to get in shape. He gives a few complaints - Dad - let's get a cart - No, son -they won't have them in Scotland. Puhleezzee... Nope - pick up your bag and let's go. Damn, what a slave driver. But I have to admit, he's coming along. Only 13 and breaking 100 regularly. Even winning a few holes outright - pretty good on the par 3's.

So 3 hours to Atlanta, a hop to Chicago, and then on American flight 52 to Glasgow - international business class courtesy of the folks at AA. Now that's the life - great food, wine and service. A little blue pack with eye shades, sleep socks and other stuff. Take it home for my wife. Arrive Glasgow in the morning - stand in line to pick up a rental car - can I drive a stick ? Sure can - learned to drive that way. Just not shifting with my left hand. Safely out the airport parking lot - only get lost twice - and down the road an hour to Turnberry, the last few miles on some of the narrowest, windingest roads I've been on that weren't on a mountain, ending up in Maidens overlooking the firth. Finally there, with the hotel on the hill overlooking the courses and the famed Ailsa Craig.

After checking in, we hit the par three course at the base of the hill - just below the hotel. Its a great way to unwind after a long travel and to get the kinks out.

And since our first official round isn't until 6:00 pm Monday - yes, even finishing around 10:15 pm still leaves plenty of daylight - we hit the loch for a little trout fishing with our ghillie, Max.

To be honest, at first I was a little disappointed with the conditions of the courses. I mean, I had just come from playing the likes of Pebble, Spanish Bay, University Ridge (great conditions with the U of Wisconsin's turf management program,) the Westin at Savannah Harbor - all great courses with astonishing fairways and greens. The stuff here was not much greener than my home course - a farm track in Southwest GA. But then I took a moment to open myself up to what this represented - golf at it's origins - the old sod - walking the same path that carried Watson and Nicklaus in that incredible quest that was the '77 British Open. And most importantly - a week of time with my son at a place that is completely unfamiliar to either of us - or any of his friends.

We played well - I stayed in the 80's all week, with an 80 on the famed Ailsa course on Tuesday. We were joined mid week by Turk, as well as our new friend Jay from American. Here's Turk and Jay in trouble together - 6 inches apart, just missing the bunker.

Ethan has quite a swing - I can almost see him back here in the future - competing against the next wave of golfers for some future British
Open championship. Or maybe just with his son or daughter, and possibly this Old Man.











Update on August 8, 2006. Poppy went home today. Thanks Scotty for honoring his love of golf, and to borrow the line from your card -
"Preston, have a great game!"