I Knew Harvey Invitational Golf and Dinner

 
Dear Harvey,

What a fun day and evening we had recently celebrating you, at the ‘I Knew Harvey Invitational’ golf competition and dinner. Special shout out to Dale and his team for allowing the four foursomes to play the front nine twice (after the storm wreaked havoc on the back nine the night before.) Also, many thanks to Jordan Meyers in catering (along with Chef Bob) for making the dinner so amazing.

Appreciate Tom Forbes from the ACC Legacy Committee updating everyone on club plans to better display our history. Below is an iPhone clip of my Ode to Harvey (Lucky) toast, and I’ll post the words as well. It was fun to write. I hope it successfully celebrated your legacy and reminded everyone of how lucky we are to belong to Austin Country Club.

Congrats to Team Stuart’s Kitchen Sinks for the overall victory, Team Messi-roll the Rock Squad for winning the front nine, and to all who won skins, especially Whitlock. (-; Thanks, Master-of-the-Games (Hop), for keeping up with it all!

And special thanks for the signed ‘A Course Called America’ by Tom Coyne. Don’t miss reading this book. You will all love it. 

 

Those who knew Harvey

will reflect and reminisce

about the time

he said this

or that.

 

So simple,

yet so profound.

 

The ground.

 

The ground,

around this place

this beautiful club.

This Pete Dye golf course

so steeped

in Harvey lore.

 

Quotes galore . . .

 

All golfers know

To “Take Dead Aim.”

Because “Golf is a game

for everyone

not just the talented few.”

 

But those of us

who spew

our shots through

the morning dew.

We long for the day

when our game

is in one piece

when our game is

at peace.

 

I am told . . .

 

Harvey had this

uncanny way

of making it

so simple.

 

“Just one aspirin,

please sir

Not the whole damn bottle!”

 

We try to throttle

our enthusiasm for this place

sometimes all worked up

all bent out of shape

over, over-seeding

for example

just a sample

of how easy it is

to forget

how lucky we are.

 

“Go to dinner

with good putters.”

He told his players.

“The woods are full

of long drivers.”

“If you play poorly one day

forget it

If you play poorly the next

Review your fundamentals

grip, stance, aim

ball position

If you play poorly

a third time

in a row,

go see your pro!”

 

And those of us

who know

this game of golf.

We owe

so much of our

happiness

our very soul

to this man

our beloved first pro

who helped

the game 

grow, and grow.

 

For me, my favorite

Harvey quip

It is not about the grip

Or how to chip

Or a swing tip

But rather

simply this:

 

“If you play golf

you are my friend.”

 

Indeed!

 

All of you

are my friends.

The game connects us

in ways

you cannot understand

until you stand

over that

little white ball.

 

So, stand tall

fellow members

and friends.

Remember always

how lucky we are

how high the bar

when the club

we call Austin

is our home.

And the home

of our very own

 

Gentle, kind, wise . . .

 

Harvey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuart’s Kitchen Sinks

Sillers

Olssen

Stuart

Healy

 

Messi-roll the Rock Squad 

Meserole

Utley

Hillhouse

Senterfitt

 

Whitlock’s Jocks

Singletary

Hopke

Bybee

Whitlock

 

JT’s Jammer Slammers

Atwell

Beiter

Costello

Thomas

 

“Millions of people were charmed by the homespun golf advice dispensed in Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, a sports classic that became the best-selling sports book of all time. Yet, beyond the Texas golf courses where Penick happily toiled for the better part of eight decades, few people knew the self-made golf pro who coaxed the best out of countless greats — Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright — all champions who considered Penick their coach and lifelong friend.” – Kevin Robbins, author of Harvey Penick: The Life and Wisdom of the Man Who Wrote the Book on Golf.

“And if you play golf, you are my friend.” – Harvey Penick

 *** More letters to Harvey at balls bats & boondoggles here. ***