Some of you may have already read via Allan's post (www.titleist.com/.../team-titleist-cup-usa-vs-canada) about a Hole-In-One that dropped during the event, welp... that was me, and here's the story.
The first night we had a reception to meet everyone and layout the event schedule. Right after intros we jumped out to the Cabot Cape Breton’s 11 hole Par 3 short course “The Nest”. The team with the lowest score on each hole would win a point, team with the most points would win the tiebreaker (if needed). I paired up with teammate Ben Aslan to take on our Canadian counterparts, but given that it was a “team best score” it was a pretty relaxed setting with many of us filled with national pride and happy to be there. We were the 3rd group up so most people were still around the first tee box enjoying beverages and bonding.
Thankfully enough, I had played a ‘pre-event’ round earlier in the day and was warm but still a little nervous.
Recently, I’ve become addicted to flighted shots, especially wedges. Knowing the winds would blow at Cabot for the competition only gave me more reason to practice the shot into my home net. The hole was 86 yards, slightly uphill and based on a few previous shots – balls were bouncing to the right when on the green. This was perfect for my flighted 56* Vokey half swing.
Admittedly, I caught it a little thin but it felt good as it carried the front edge left of the flag (as I hoped) and took a bounce to the right. Figuring it looked ‘ok’, I started to get out of the way for Ben only to hear the crowd react to those on the 2nd tee box yell “IT WENT IN!”.
Amazed and taking a page from PGA Tour guys and YouTube creators, I headed to the green to make sure. With surprise, relief, joy and National pride - I looked to fellow teammates on the 2nd tee - including Tyler Smith (aka Money) yelling ‘LET’S GO! LET’S GO!’ then turning to the rest of the team back on box shouting “U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A.!!”. If this entire setting was enough, Titleist Videographers were recording the entire time and I can’t wait to see it over and over again.
Now I know some “traditionalists” would say: Yeah but… it wasn’t during an 18 hole round, it wasn’t on a full-length golf course, you didn’t post your score into GHIN… on and on. FYI - I’m counting this one because of the setting, because it’s on video, because Cabot Cape Breton recognized it, because Titleist recognized it, and because of what happened next…
After the Par3 event, we made our way to one of the resort's restaurants, Coore’s, for dinner. We all know it's a loose tradition after making a hole-in-one to buy everyone drinks at the bar. Knowing this could get expensive, I still decided to offer both teams 'a drink' to fulfill the tradition. Not surprisingly, everyone declined the offer (probably because they would have felt guilty, the other because we had to be up early to play 36 holes the next day). But David Garagan (Team Canada) said - "take what you would have paid and donate it to a charity". I responded with "I like your style - will do". We collectively joked about charities and then thought about supporting the kids program there at Cabot. Team USA Captains suggested I talk to Ted Stonehouse (Director of Golf Operations) to make it happen.
The next morning as we prepared for our first round of golf, met our caddies and got settled in, I found Ted and told him of my desire to donate. Ted then tells me of a caddie who has a foundation to support wounded veterans and first responders dealing with PTSD and that his name is Luke Cyr, to which I astonishingly looked at him and said... "that's my caddie!".
Over the next 54 holes, while competing against the Canadians, I would learn of Luke's story and motivation behind his foundation. Luke is very engaging person with a pure heart and an inspiring story, cementing my desire to help him. He's also a great caddie and though he proudly served his country, for this event he admitted - "I want you to win".
Knowing I was going to donate but also wanting to surprise him, felt like Christmas as a Father. After our singles match - I told Luke, and that night during our closing dinner - I told the other Team Titleist members = because Titleist so generously gifted me a set of irons for the Hole-In-One, I would be donating $1,000 to the Luke Cyr Foundation.
The giving didn’t stop there, at the dinner as I was sitting back down after the announcement, Mike Ziebka shows me his phone to verify Luke’s Foundation website and says “I’m matching your donation”. Love you Mike and Cheryl!
So this one, my first, I’m counting and gonna keep ‘enjoying my journey’!
Thanks for reading.