A Heartfelt Thank You to Hobart and William Smith Colleges

All through my life's journey I have been amazed at the generosity and thoughtfulness of others in my life. Today that awareness extends a heartfelt hug to the community of students, faculty and deans at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Your generous donation to The First Tee and having me here on campus the last three days has been a lifetime experience for me. Thank you! When first approached with the idea that I could be your 2015 John Henry Hobart Fellow in Residence and come to campus to interact with students and share my thoughts on sports, character, service and the liberal arts I was quite surprised. I had always targeted fellow golfers with the 'Journey to Olympic Golf' in hopes that they would somehow be inspired to make a donation to The First Tee. I didn't really think about it in terms of what my life and golf experiences had to offer young adults or anticipate the willingness of educational organizations to support The First Tee. Thank you for enlightening me in this regard! To have the opportunity to interact with four student groups and meet one-on-one with several more was indeed a privilege and an honor. I knew previously of the special spirit and learning environment that the Hobart and William Smith Colleges offers to their students and the positive impact it has has on the lives of our emerging world leaders. Now I can say it has impacted me as well. I extend my thanks to the Geneva community as well. Staying at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront was not only comfortable and convenient to campus, it was inspirational as well waking up to sunrises over Seneca Lake and interacting with the staff. My time off campus at Lake Drum Brewing, Parker's Grille, and of course, being on course and off course at the Geneva Country Club was exceptional, nourishing, thirst-quenching and uniquely special as well. I look forward to the opportunity to return to Geneva and the Finger Lakes Region and stay a while longer, play around a bit more, and to share those experiences on Andy's Golf & Travel Diary! From my Pepperdine University days I learned "Freely Ye Receive, Freely Ye Give." After this experience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges it seems as though "Worlds of Experience" is indeed turning into a "Life of Consequence. Thanks again for the honor, the enlightenment and your generous donation to The First Tee!