Tiger Woods’ tee shot at the 17th hole on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Photo Credit: Andy Lyons/ Getty Images

You are a professional golfer, one of the greatest golfers in the world, competing on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass for the right to be called THE PLAYERS Champion.
It is Sunday afternoon late in the final round. You have just survived the first of the last three holes which are named The Gauntlet. Water-infested and daunting you know they will determine your fate. You are prepared and ready for the biggest challenge of your life.

While laboring to take that long walk along the water from the 16th green to the 17th tee success is the only thing on your mind. Arriving at the tee the biggest moment of your golfing career is now here. There is only 137 yards separating your teed golf ball and the hole which is located down a slope on the back right portion of the island green.

What will you deliver?

This is golfing drama. No doubt the television folks are flashing back to the fate of Len Mattiace in 1998, Sean O’Hair in 2007 and Paul Goydos in 2008. All three came to the same place in golfing time confident in their ability and the outcome they so desperately desired. Committed to their process each hit their tee shot in the water. That day they failed to become a PLAYERS Champion. How will that experience impact them longer term?

Some say golf is a lot like life or that even life is a lot like golf.

Parents of autistic children know what it is like to have their hearts set on having the perfect child. Like everyone when they become parents their expectations are high. At the moment of birth like everyone they pray mostly for a healthy child and the ability to be a good parent to that child. When they realize something is different with their child as a baby, toddler or adolescent how do they react, what do they do?

Len Mattiace. Photo Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Mattiace went on to win twice on the PGA TOUR and nearly won the Masters catching a bad break tree stymie in the playoff with Mike Weir near the 10th green at Augusta National Golf Club. Most people remember the two balls in the water that PLAYERS Sunday, some remember that he was playing in front of his mother in a wheelchair who died of cancer two months later and few remember the details of his play that day. That Sunday round in 1998 was not to be characterized by the Snowman 8 at the 17th but by the nine birdies including one on the final hole and a more than respectable Sunday score of 70.

Mattiace was not only heroic in his golf that day but also as a son and no doubt is the Mother’s Champion at TPC Sawgrass.

Sean O’Hair. Photo Credit: Matt Sullivan/Getty Images.

O’Hair won once before that day in 2007 and three times afterwards on the PGA TOUR, most recently the 2011 Canadian Open. With Top-10s in the Masters and Open Championship, at age 31 the productive years of his golfing career are ahead of him. The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass did not define him. It was a stepping stone to personal and professional growth.

While Mattiace was 31 years old at the time, O’Hair was 24, Paul Goydos was nearly 44 when destiny came his way in 2009 at TPC Sawgrass. He thought of himself as a ‘lovable loser,’ well before Rocco Mediate lost to Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open. The adult Teddy Bear was trying to be like Fred Funk, the oldest to win THE PLAYERS at age 48.

Paul Goydos. Photo Credit: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Goydos had won twice already on the PGA TOUR the day he bogeyed the 18th hole and had the opportunity to play the 17th again in a playoff with Sergio Garcia. Though he did not win that day he did became the fourth, and oldest player in PGA Tour history to shoot 59 at the 2010 John Deere Classic. Off the golf course he is known to be an endearing father to his two daughters after the loss of their mother in 2009. It’s important to win and win at the meaningful challenges in life.

When Leslie and Bobby Weed gave birth to their autistic daughter Lanier they dealt with the unexpected. Along with two other daughters they made a family complete with three special daughters and then looked outside their selves to help others with autistic children.

Leslie & Bobby Weed.

In 2004 they co-founded the non-profit organization, Healing Every Autistic Life (HEAL). They issue grants to support autistic camps and educational programs. Beginning in 2007, TPC Sawgrass “adopted” their local charity and together they have raised over two million dollars with “Valley of Dreams” events like the one held on September 12th in the Clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass.

This year was extra special with the goal of purchasing iPads for Special Needs Classrooms across Northeast Florida. One in 140 Autistic children, like Lanier, are deemed nonverbal, they cannot speak. iPads helps autistic students communicate, finally giving them a “voice.”

General Manager Bill Hughes with the help of the lovely news anchor Patty Crosby conducted an auction and raised funds for additional iPads during the evening. The list of roles performed by a great golf professional was just expanded to include No. 32—auctioneer.

Jack Ingram performed with Eleanor & Chris Masterson

For the fans of Country music star Jack Ingram the price of the charity ticket was worth it to hear the good looking Texan sing his No. 1 hit song “Wherever You Are” in an intimate setting. The lyrics of going through rivers of rain and mountains of pain, doing whatever one needs to do and following your heart and dream seemed to fit the occasion perfectly.

Our basic human instinct is to fight the isolation of ourselves, especially in difficult times. Nobody is perfect but what is perfect is the spirit within each of us. Yes the 17th at TPC Sawgrass can be the “Hole of Horrors” but it doesn’t necessarily define a career, a tournament or even a round.

No person in this world is an island or needs to be imprisoned within their self. When we go into the water we can always swim towards each other. Somehow we meet in the middle and learn to float our way to a new understanding, a new way of living.

HEAL event at TPC Sawgrass

HEAL, TPC Sawgrass, Leslie and Bobby Weed and many, many supporters are doing just that for nonverbal Autistic children.
HEAL—an organization’s goal is to Heal Every Autistic Life. Maybe we have it backwards and it is the autistic child that is healing us?

Maybe knowing that is better than acing the 17th to win THE PLAYERS Championship?

Visit www.HealAutismNow.org or call 904.716.4198 for more information.

Erik Compton has teamed up with Donate Life America to raise organ donation awareness. Photo Credit: Donate Life America.

Erik Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, inspires people as living proof of the goodness in our world. In the golf world, we first heard of his golfing ability when he played on the Palmer Cup and Walker Cup teams while at the University of Georgia. He gutted it out during the first decade of the millennium on the Canadian and Nationwide Tours. Struggling to survive in golf he won a Web.com event to get his PGA TOUR card in 2012 only to lose it. Though he bounced back finishing T7 to get back on the big tour in 2013. That’s when we saw him finish T4 at the Honda Classic which led him to the 2014 season. While last year which is part of this year’s new wrap-around season he didn’t do much, he had two Top-10s at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill and in New Orleans before THE PLAYERS Championship. Then came his heroic second place finish (with Rickie Fowler) behind the precise PLAYERS Champion Martin Kaymer in the United States Open on the Pinehurst No. 2 Course. Now he is an accomplished professional golfer first, a two-time heart transplant recipient second, or actually third as we were introduced in television features to his wife Barbara and daughter Petra. But in that other world, the organ donor & recipient world, I learned, that golfing professional Erik Compton is just the Tip of the Iceberg.

My seat between parents Sandy & Terry and newlyweds Kelsey & Derek.

I went on a city tour of Houston and came back not only with a new perspective of the fourth populous city in America but of the organ donor & recipient world. All by chance mind you. I was excited to be going on a double decker bus tour with fresh memories of exciting times doing so in Mexico City; Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina during the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf.’ Arriving early at the Hilton Americas in downtown, which was the point of origin for the tour, I was looking forward to a topside seat and a spectacular view on a beautiful summer day. I was surprised, as were the other people in line. to see the bus arrive with a full load of people on top. Determined to sit atop the scenic coach I ventured up and out, passing by discouraged tourists while hearing the words I did not want to hear- “all full , no more seats on the upper deck.” Well, of course I had to see for myself, and what I did see was a seat with my name on it (not really) right in the middle of the back row. I didn’t know it at the time but I sat down right in the middle of a family- mother and father to my left and 21-year old son and his wife to my right. Doing so changed my whole visit to Houston.

Houston hosted the 2014 Donate Life Transplant Games of America.

First of all, in the course of chitchatting with the parents, I learned that they had paid ten dollars less than me for the same tour. If you know Andy the golf travel writer this is not possible. The second thing I learned was one of the most remarkable things I ever heard or saw in my life. Derek, the son of Sandy and Terry, the husband of Kelsey, had received a heart transplant as a newborn baby when he was 11 days old. Their family and pretty much everyone else on that bus was an organ donor recipient or part of a organ donor family. An organ family is a family that lost a loved one unexpectedly and through their loss brought life via an organ, eye or tissue transplant to one or more people.  I would also learn that there is such a thing as a living organ donor (see Myron’s video interview below). Houston was the host city and the Hilton Americas was the host hotel of the 2014 Donate Life Transplant Games of America. The day of the tour happened to be registration day!

Organ transplants (represented by colored circles) displayed chronologically have dramatically increased since 1990.

When the tour was over I went inside the hotel to learn more about these people and the Transplant Games. There was something very special being around organ recipients and organ donor families. I was able to interview several people and there interviews are below. I also was intrigued by a couple of the workshops on Monday so I registered for a media credential. There I learned a great deal more and captured a few more interviews. Now that I have thought about it, if one was to seek inspiration on this Earth wouldn’t this be the one of the best places to find it? I think so and am very grateful for the interaction and experience I had with the people I met at the 2014 Donate Life Transplant Games of America in Houston.

I hope you will take the time to meet these exceptional people through these video interviews. Please take out your driver license now and if it does not have ORGAN DONOR on it please register by clicking here.

Click here for Part 1 of 2 of the Video Interview  with Joe Stott, Heart Transplant Recipient.

Heart Recipient Joe Stott with his wife Judy (left) and her mother Tina (right).

Joe Stott is one of the most heartfelt and inspirational people you will ever meet. In August 1990 he got word from his doctor that it was “either a heart transplant or a pine box” due to cardiomyopathy, a degenerative heart disease. After a waiting a tense six years he received a heart from donor Bryan, age 19 who was tragically hit and killed by a car. Ironically his twin brother also had cardiomyopathy and is a heart recipient as well. Joe jokes that his disease is ‘idiopathic’, any idiot can get it. In this beautiful video interview from Joe’s heart, he recognizes that the Transplant Games are a celebration of life and especially a celebration of donor families. Joe references the two woman in his life- his wife Judy and his mother-in-law Tina who is known as the Georgia Peanut, a lovable character that helps open each version of the Transplant Games.

Click here for Part 1 of 2 of the Video Interview  with Joe Stott, Heart Transplant Recipient.

Bryan will forever be remembered for giving the gift of life to Joe on November 12th, 1996.

In Part 2 of his interview Joe shares a startling fact that the percentage of people registered as organ donors  varies widely from state-to-state with Georgia the highest at 50% and Texas the lowest at 15%. Joe’s humor shines through again with his comment- “we want everyone to be a organ donor but we don’t want you to be one today.” If your desire is to be one, make the decision and register today by clicking here. Joe is very thankful Bryan made his wishes known at the very young age of 19. Joe is not a golfer but knows the name Erik Compton well and stated- “I know the good work that he does.” With Joe’s heart and likeable personality, I think he should be a golfer and compete at Houston’s Memorial Park GC like so many other Transplant Games participants!

Click here for Video Interview with Paula & Bill Fallon, A Donor Family.

Not only is Jonathan’s inspiration directly living through others, his love is contagious, Catch it by registering to be an organ donor today.

The next two people I met were incredible people to say the least. Try to imagine your child dying suddenly with no warning. We can’t do it, we just can’t go there because of fear and heartbreak. But what if you had to because that became a reality in your life? Again, overwhelming, even thinking about it. Then imagine two people who looked for the positive in their moment of grief and asked- how can this help other people? There you would have Paula and Bill Fallon. There aren’t two nicer, more in tuned with life, people in this whole world. The motto that evolved from the Jonathan Fallon Donor Family, shared by Bill in the video, is “In Life He Gave His All, and then He Gave It All to Others.” Paula’s comment about “making our hearts smile” really struck me. Let’s do, why not sign up to be an Organ Donor right NOW? Jonathon did, so can we.

Click here for Video Interview with Myron Thritle, a Living Organ Donor.

With Living Organ Donor Myron Thritle who donated a kidney to his father.

There are times in our golfing life where we don’t even want to give our fathers a 3-foot putt, yet Myron Thritle gave his father one of his two kidneys. Myron is a Living Organ Donor. Organs that can be transplanted are the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, and intestine. Kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organs and the only ones by Living Organ Donors like Myron, in addition to partial lung and liver donation. Myron’s Dad had a kidney disease and was on dialysis for three years. It is not automatic that a father and son match but theirs did and Myron extended his father’s life for nearly ten years. I was touched when he said that the transplant strengthened their relationship and that they were very close at the end of his father’s life. Lesson learned, give Dad the 3-footer and a kidney if necessary!

As I mentioned, I was so inspired by meeting these Organ Recipients, Organ Donor Families and a Living Organ Donor I went to the Resolution Room (I am telling you we can learn something from these people!) and met Bill Ryan, the President & CEO of the Transplant Games of America. I read about the workshops to be held and asked Bill if I could get a Media Credential and he graciously granted me one!

Megan Baustian presenting her “And in the Last Hour, They Gave a Lifetime” workshop.

The first workshop I attended was “And in their Last Hour, They Gave a Lifetime.” It was a behind-the-scenes look at the organ and tissue donation and transplantation process, including organ suitability and the ‘matching’ process. Megan Baustian, with Life Source Organ & Tissue Donation, gave a very informative workshop. One number that has stuck in my mind is 122,863. That was the number of people who are on the list who need an organ or tissue transplant. At the Phoenix Open last year I was wowed by the record 179,022 people who came out on Saturday. I thought that was a lot of people. Now I only think of all the people who need you to sign up to be a organ donor. Remember Joe said that we don’t have to give now, just register!

CLICK here for a Video Interview with Melissa Devenny, Managing Director of Donate Life America.

With Melissa Devenny, Managing Director of Donate Life America who gave a powerful ‘Voices’ workshop.

Another workshop I attended was simply called “Voices,” presented by Melissa Devenny, Managing Director of Donate Life America. People that are most likely to register as a donor if they know someone who has been affected by donation and transplantation. Basically everyone at the Transplant Games of America- donors and recipients and their family and friends. This goal of this workshop was to come up with a 10-word statement to inspire and motivate complete strangers to register as an organ donor. This is a difficult task. Most people do not want to talk about death. Melissa knows her stuff and there is no doubt in my mind she would make an excellent coach of any professional sports team. People like to still think and say things like “if I die…” Maybe there is an ‘if’ in life for use but there is no ‘if” in death for any of us. Make the decision and register today, let your wishes be known and save your loved ones even more turmoil in the event of your unexpected passing. I like what golf writer Dan Jenkins said at his Induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame about what he wanted written on his tombstone- “I told you this would happen.”

Click here for Video Interview with Tina Klingenberg, a Liver Transplant Recipient.

With Tina Klingenberg, Liver Recipient 20 years ago who then stole her husband’s heart.

Last, but certainly not least, when it comes to the inspirational people I met at the Transplant Games is Tina Klingenberg. She had liver failure at age 17 and a liver transplant to survive at age 18. The day after we were in Melissa’s “Voices” workshop, Tina would be celebrating 20 years with her new liver. She didn’t even look 20 years old total to me. I think all she had to do was smile at people and they would register as an organ donor. Now a wife and mother of two young children she wants to give back and be a voice that is heard for those 122,863 people on the ‘need an organ or tissue’ list. She wonders what would happen if one of her children needed a transplant. She came up with the line “Before I stole my husband’s heart, I received another man’s liver.” With an opening like that and her smile how can anyone say no to registering as an organ donor today?

Click here to see the Video Interview with Bettyann Harlow, a Liver Transplant Recipient.

With Bettyann Harlow, my neighbor and Liver Transplant Recipient.

My neighbor Bettyann is a liver recipient and well she is the best neighbor I ever had, bar none. She was a normal teenager until 15 when she had pains in her stomach and her weight dropped to 65 pounds. She managed her Ulcerative Colitis Disease until age 21 when she had colectomy surgery. Bettyann had an ileostomy until her 40s then an ileo0anal pouch. Now she thinks it”would have been a good thing for people to know.” She started to feel “itchy and tired” in 2005 and contracted an autoimmune disease called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). About 5% if people with ulcerative Colitis and  Chron’s Disease progress to PSC and the only cure is a liver transplant. After educating herself, she and her husband Bud came to Jacksonville and became active with the transplant group at the Mayo Clinic. On August 11th she received the call that a donor liver was available and that she needed to be at the hospital within the hour. After a four hour surgery she went home six days later. She says simply in the video that someone, an organ donor, left a legacy and she received a liver because someone was an organ donor.

Little Evan received a kidney transplant from his mother Melissa.

Leah Askew  is a proud grandmother as well as a proud mother. “My daughter, Melissa gave her son, Evan, life 2 times!” Once by birth the second time via kidney transplant. Donors, recipients, family & friends, it’s all one big family hoping for you to join as a registered organ donor!

That’s it, that’s all I have to say about organ donation and transplantation. I met some wonderful, awe-inspiring people at the Transplant Games of America but looking back I should not have been surprised.  I hope you enjoyed this article and the videos. Now you know several people of the organ donor give-and-take lovingly family so research and statistics would say you have registered as an organ donor. Have you?

CLICK here for the website of the Island Chapter of the PGA of America in Puerto Rico.

With Aaron West, President of the Island Chapter of the PGA of America.

Aaron West is the President of the Island Chapter of the PGA of America since early 2013. After being at the helm nearly a decade ago of a unique chapter, that is part of the South Florida section, West is back on top with a mission to build a team of member golf professionals and a brand that impacts every golfer, whether a native or a tourist, that tees it up in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. While expecting his first child within 10 days, he came out to Trump International during the Open to share his background, insight and vision for the Island Chapter.

West sees golf  as a way to “bring different groups of people together.” A graduate of Michigan’s Ferris State University’s Professional Golf Management program, the 36-year old has worked as a golf professional in Texas, Virginia and Florida. A friend brought him to Dorado Beach Resort & Club in early 2003. Since then, as a professional golfer he has earned ‘Player of the Year’ distinction seven times and competed in the inaugural PGA TOUR Latino-American event in 2012 at Dorado Beach. Though with the baby on the way, his focus is being a golf professional and making the Island Chapter the best it can be. He shares his enthusiasm of Puerto Rico as a golfing destination with the convenience of air travel to the island, the beaches, hotels and nightlife complementing the 25 golf courses. Getting to the golf course is half the fun in Puerto Rico!

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Aaron West, President of the Island Chapter.

With Miguel ‘Junior’ Colon, Puerto Rico’s veteran Golf Professional.

Miguel ‘Junior’ Colon is a native Puerto Rican, a consummate golf professional and Lifetime member of the Island Chapter. Originally coming to the game as a caddie, Colon worked at Dorado Beach Resort & Club for 38 years, including the last 24 as the Director of Golf. As the first recipient of the Chi Chi Rodriguez endowed Ed Dudley Scholarship, Junior went on to graduate from the University of Puerto Rico to prepare for himself for his career at Dorado Beach and later Dorado del Mar. He was there when Dorado Beach first brought professional golf to the Island and once gave a golf lesson to President Bush No. 41. A two-time president of the Island Chapter, this likeable guy is also a weatherman that gets it right every time- “the wind chill factor and temperature in Puerto Rico is always 84 degrees!”

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Miguel ‘Junior’ Colon, Lifetime Member.

With Brian Shaver celebrating Chesson Hadley’s win at the 2014 Puerto Rico Open presented by SeePuertoRico.com

Brian Shaver is the Director of Golf at the Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande. The Tom Kite-designed Championship Course has hosted the Puerto Rico Open presented by See PuertoRico.com since its inception in 2008. I caught Brian for an interview at a good time- Sunday evening at the end of tournament week that concluded months of preparation with the crowning of Chesson Hadley. Born and raised like David Toms in Shreveport, Louisiana, Brian is one of the nicest and friendliest guys you will ever meet. His wife is from Puerto Rico, and he has been on the island for 21 years so he is “loving life.” His golf game is extremely competitive but his love for hospitality and hosting folks at Trump International is his primary focus. I think everyone, spectators, folks in the golfing business, and the players here this week for Puerto Rico’s showcase golf event would agree not only is it his primary focus but the he and his team are incredibly talented in what they do. It’s a Caribbean Paradise!

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Brian Shaver, Director of Golf, Trump International GC.

With Puerto Rican golfers, Erick Morales, Max Alverio, & Miguel Suarez and retired Texas Ranger baseball player (in red shirt) Ivan Rodriguez (golfer Rafael Campos not shown).

Miguel Suarez, Director of Golf at Royal Isabela, is both a golf professional and a professional golfer. The friendly golfer has competed in all seven of the Puerto Rico Opens presented by SeePuertoRico.com. He, having grown up 13 miles from Royal Isabela, and her, the Crown of the Caribbean Cosmos, are a perfect match. Miguel shares his love of Royal Isabela in words like unforgettable, beautiful, different and being one with nature. She sees his love of the land, the people and community. Suarez conducted his first golf clinic at age 15 and mentors Young and promising Peurto Rican golfers. His personalized service to all members and their guests while on property at Royal Isabela gives new meaning to the phrase “being treated like royalty.”

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Miguel Suarez, Director of Golf, Royal Isabella.

With Alberto Rios at Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club.

Alberto Rios is the Director of Golf at Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club Puerto Rico. Inspired by nature, with a spectacular Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed course, a St. Regis Luxury Hotel and a Beachfront Members Club opening this summer, Bahia Beach is one of the premier golf resorts in Puerto Rico, if not the entire Caribbean Cosmos. Rios, who came to golf from a tennis family tells us why golfing Bahia Beach is so special- each hole is enveloped by nature and isolated from the others whether in mangroves or along the beach. The best part of is meeting people from all over the world, learning a little of their culture and them starting them off on their 18-hole journey with nature.

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Alberto Rios, Director of Golf, Bahia Beach Resort & GC.

With Bobby Halinski, the Dancing Gringo of Puerto Rico’s Golf Community!

Bobby Halinski, known as the ‘Dancing Gringo’ is one of the first Golf Professionals I met in Puerto Rico. I think he gets his name from how much fun he has instructing folks how to golf, especially youngsters. A product of the harsh winters of Springfield, Massachusetts he came to the game at age 14 through a cherished uncle. His main perspective as an instructor is for the student to learn how to swing the golf club versus hit the ball. He works with Max Alverio, one of four Puerto Ricans to compete in the PGA TOUR event. He was excited to see another local Rafael Campos finish T29 and is working with a 13-year old Melvin Morales who could be even better and compete in Puerto Rico’s flagship golfing competition in the years ahead. Golf is the most challenging sport but with Bobby it is an easy two-step.

CLICK here for VIDEO INTERVIEW with Bobby Halinski, the ‘Dancing Gringo.’

Pedro’s the tiger, I am just another fruit loop in 2011 on my first visit to Puerto Rico.

Pedro Amengual is the creative and enterprising Marketing Manager of the Island Chapter, South Florida Section of the PGA of America. He is the one who invited me to Puerto Rico to meet, get to know and write about the Golf Professionals of the Island Chapter. I did most of the interviews onsite at the Puerto Rico Open presented by SeePuertoRico.com at the Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande. A native of Puerto Rico, Pedro, known simply as “the golf rep of the Caribbean,” is teaming up with chapter president Aaron West, the leadership team and the membership to make the Island Chapter better than ever.

Here’s the hippie bus that brought Pedro & I together at the 2011 PGA Show in Orlando.

Pedro first came to golf not as a player but in a helpful role to assist a golf course emerging from Chapter 11 many years ago. He grew up in the south, in Ponce, on an island that measures 100-miles-by-35-miles that is the center of the Caribbean Cosmos. For the first time this year, Pedro will organize a merchandise and golf professional education show in San Juan to attract all countries that border the Caribbean Sea, including Bermuda and South America. This is not business as usual for the little chapter that is trying new things to promote golf, including their very own website. Amengual has a marketing plan but more importantly he has an innate hospitality to end any conversation, including our interview with “it is my pleasure, always.”

CLICK here for the VIDEO INTERVIEW with Pedro Amengual, the Marketing Manager.

Here are the pics of the Island Chapter and the Puerto Rico Golf Association (PRGA):

[Show slideshow]

Shaking hands with the legend Chi Chi Rodriguez at Dorado Beach after our long interview!

I had the great pleasure to interview Chi Chi Rodriguez at the Dorado Beach Resort & Club in Puerto Rico in March 2014. For over an hour we sat and talked on the terrace of the Plantation Clubhouse overlooking the Sugarcane and Pineapple Courses. Like our meeting in 2010 it was intriguing, honest and fascinating to hear Puerto Rico’s iconic King of Golf tell stories from his poor and humble beginnings as a caddie to his rise as one of the premier golfers on the PGA TOUR. The eight time winner in the 1960s and 70s went on to win 22 more times on the Champions Tour including two majors. His inspirational career, on and off the golf course, is part of golf history forever with his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1992.

The video interview was so long I had to split it into four segments.

CLICK here for Part 1 of 4 of Video Interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez

Chi Chi happened upon a visiting group and warmly welcomed them to Dorado Beach!

In this first segment Chi Chi readily admits that he would not change anything in his life and that he has never grown up! I agree in that his exuberance for life is childlike and maybe that is his secret to happiness, success and longevity? He credits Ed Dudley, the first Head Golf Professional at Augusta National Golf Club as being an inspiration to him along with his father who also came to the game of golf as a caddie. His dad suggested he “learn the ethics of the game” and that he did along with other great life principles like “Freely Ye Receive, Freely Ye Give.” Shortly after Ed Dudley passed in 1963 Chi Chi created a scholarship and named it after his mentor. Miguel ‘Junior’ Colon was a recipient of the Dudley Scholarship and went on to serve at Dorado Beach for 38 years, the last 13 as Director of Golf. It is obvious that Chi Chi did grow up and not only made a contribution to golf on the world stage but also back home in his native Puerto Rico.

Chi Chi giving a kids clinic at the Puerto Rico Open in 2011.

The first segment concludes on a lighthearted note with Chi Chi telling the story of his first win in the Denver Open in 1963. He had a one shot lead going into the last hole and should have hit a conservative 2-iron but went with the driver because the fans “came to see the long ball.” Afterwards his playing partner Dave Hill said “you’re the dumbest player I have ever seen or maybe the best!”

Also Chi Chi reveals he has successfully pulled off his most famous trick shot, hitting a fade, then a hook and having the balls collide in midair, at least 25 times. He attributes it to “pure luck” but noted one of his mentors growing up in the game was trick shot artist Paul Hahn and that “kids learn what they see.”

CLICK here for Part 2 of 4 of Video Interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez

With Chi Chi and his beautiful wife Iwalani who is native Hawaiian. They have been married since 1964.

In the second segment of four the good-natured Chi Chi speaks of the role of humor in his life. His mother and father were always telling stories and through these stories letting their children dream their dreams. With parents that were always happy, never complaining Chi Chi grew up knowing “money cannot buy poverty and money cannot buy happiness.” The 78-year old kid told the story of how his unusual birdie celebration evolved over the course of his life. First as a young child he lost a hole when a frog emerged along with his ball. Then he covered it with his hat which was frowned upon at the professional level. The final version came from being named after a bull fighter. Pulling his sword, stabbing a bull and cleaning it off before returning it to its sheath. Though like Bob Hope, Chi Chi would not hurt a fly unless it is open. Interestingly enough this portion of the interview began and ended with Chi Chi and me laughing. What fun this guy brings to life!

CLICK here for Part 3 of 4 of Video Interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez

Chi Chi’s place on the Walk of Champions at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida.

In the third and shortest segment of the four, Chi Chi describes his island home in Puerto Rico as being beautiful with beautiful golf courses. Reminiscing on his life, he speaks to his roots and bearings in life. Being as poor as anyone in this world and making it to the top, his perspective is that if he lost everything, he could be happy because he knows how to make it. Rodriguez credits Jack Nicklaus as an inspiring competitor, a good friend and someone instrumental in the founding of the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy which “prepares students for the game of life.” Another inspiring golfer was the ever clever Roberto De Vicenzo who Chi Chi described as ‘the best player the world ever had.” The self-described diminutive but strong Rodriguez shared his secret to how he added 50 to 75 yards to the length of his drives. He wraps up the segment by sharing his secret to success- determination, desire and discipline.

CLICK here for Part 4 of 4 of Video Interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez

Chi Chi Rodriguez, a World Golf Hall of Fame member, a proud Puerto Rican and a great American!

In the final segment of our interview, Chi Chi goes back to the beginning of his career at the very start of the Dorado Beach Resort & Club and tells a story about Laurance Rockefeller, Ed Dudley and being humble. Chi Chi received his first invitation to The Masters from Chairman Clifford Roberts while practicing with a 2-iron hitting over palm trees. When asked what he would like to do for the rest of his life he responded to continue helping children and become a statesman for Puerto Rico. He would also like to meet President Jimmy Carter, the best man and peacemaker of the Middle East.

Wow, what an inspiring interview with Chi Chi Rodriguez. A conversation about more than golf, a conversation about life too. All the best to you Chi Chi and Happy 50^th wedding anniversary to you and Iwalani! Thanks for the interview and visit to Dorado Beach Resort & Club!