I think there has been a previous thread about what tour players you know and/or have played golf with. Tell us a story about a celebrity you know and/or played golf with who is NOT a professional golfer. Below is mine
This happened yesterday.
As part of July 4th weekend, I took Monday off so that I would have a 4-day w/e. Taking advantage of that time, as well as a timely call Saturday morning by the grandparents, who wanted to take our daughter on a train ride, allowed me to play and/or practice 3 days in a row, which is a rarity for me.
Well, yesteday morning, I'm trying to decide where to walk-on. I drive to the closest course. From the road I see golfers on 2 green, 2 fw, 2 tee and 1 green. I pull into the parking lot and it's a little full for a Monday so I leave. Several people with the same idea as myself, I guess. I then drive to one of the muni's, which has 2 courses. The one I played on Sunday was closed for aeration on Monday. AND, the shop tells me that the greens on the open course are pretty slow and still recovering from their recent aeration a couple of weeks prior. I tell them I'll try another course, which that guy thought was a good idea.
I then remember an online coupon for the first course I visited. I head back to the house, get online and print it out. $27 including cart and beverages (free fountain cokes for me. YA! #1). I drive back to the course, pay, get some range balls (which they didn't charge me for YA! #2) and hit the range. There are 3 others on the range, a couple older gentlemen and some young guy who needs a ton of lessons.
I loosen up and head to #1. The young guy tees off with a couple of his buddies who came straight from the parking lot. I then proceed to the tips (74.4/135 about 7,150 yards, not that it really matters, but this was my Round 2 for the OG/YG). The 2 older gentlemen drive past me up to the whites (2 tees ahead..about 6,050 yards). I think nothing of it and tee off...striping it 295 down the sprinkler line. I then drive up the the 2 gentlemen and ask if they want to join up, since there are several groups ahead of us. They say sure and ask me if I had a tee-time. I say "No. The shop said hit some balls and go play". They tell me they had a 10:00 tee-time. My phone says 10:02. Oh well!
Anyway, we make introductions, Maury and Jack, and they proceed to hit nice draws that go about 240-250, just in the right rough. We play a few holes and they ask me the typical "where do you work", "what do you do for them", "do you live near here", etc questions.
On 4 I ask them if they get to play everyday.
Jack's reply: No, they play about every other day 'cuz they get tired.
On 5 I ask them what they did before having the opportunity to play every day.
Maury's reply: We're old baseball players and are now executives for The Cats.
At some point I find out the Jack lives in town and Maury lives in California.
The Cats refers the the Fort Worth Cats, a local Independant League baseball team.
Official Website of the Fort Worth Cats
Well, needless to say, Maury's last answer piqued my interest. But, I didn't want to start being too nosy and asking questions like a 9 year old little leaguer. (I should have! haha)
As we play, we discuss The Cats in general, fireworks night on July 4th, how Independant League player contracts work when an MLB squad is interested, etc. We also talk about the baseball swing and how it relates to golf. What interested me was that these guys, being "old baseball players" hit a nice consistent draw. Most ex-baseball players and/or current players, at least from my experience, generally hit a high fade, due to too much reliance on the right side, pivoting on the right foot, etc. Any of you in a softball league probably know what I'm talking about.
On 18, I'm wondering how Maury can be an executive for The Cats and live in California. So, I ask him if he's a Scout. He doesn't answer. But, Jack starts laughing and says, "Ya. He's a scout all right...scouting for brunettes." From there, the converation takes a sudden turn on how Texas women compare to California women.
So, we finish 18. Maury and Jack are pretty solid players. Maury says he shot -2 on the back. I don't know about that. But, he did have 2 birdies. I don't know what they shot for 18. We all shake hands, I say I'll look Jack up if I get the family out to a Cats game and then we go our separate ways.
Well, I get home and go straight to the computer and google.com
Jack Lindsey played for The Cats back in the '50s and was a SS/3B.
Maury Wills played SS for the LA Dodgers from 59-72 (with a couple stops w/ the Pirates and Expos) and is considered by many to be a future HOFer. He was the first player to steal 100 bases in a season, breaking the record of 96 set by Ty Cobb in 1915.
Official Website of Maury Wills - Home
Historical Player Stats | MLB.com: Stats
For the younger baseball fans, he is also the father of Bump Wills, who played from 77-82, mostly for the Texas Rangers.
Maybe next time I'll ask nosy questions like a 9 year old little leaguer wearing his jersey and glove at a MLB game.