Thank God it’s a small Golfing World…

With golf writer Mike Bailey playing the Campus Course at Texas A&M.

I first met Mike Bailey by chance playing the beautiful and challenging Royal Isabela in Puerto Rico. Meeting travel golf writers like myself at the best golf courses in the world seems to be no coincidence. The second time I met Mike was fortuitous for me as I needed a place to stay in Houston. I called, he answered and offered a few nights. Then being the extraordinary (and well connected) person that he is, Mike invited me to come along for the Grand Reopening of the Jeff Blume-renovated Texas A&M Campus Course in College Station. This type of occurrence, no place to stay and then an invitation to stay and play golf, seemed to be my good fortune along the way to Rio!

With Jeff Blume and his dad Jay.

I love Texas and enjoyed living in San Antonio for 1-1/2 years way back when. I had never been to College Station  and the drive out with Mike was enjoyable as I was very excited to see this rebuilt golf course. We stopped at Rudy’s BBQ for a breakfast burrito on the way. When we arrived there was a lot of excitement, golfers and a tent set for lunch by Outback Steakhouse. You eat a lot of meat when you are in Texas. I met a lot of people, even the architect Jeff Blume and his father Jay. Also the Club Manager Dave Elmendorf. an All-American his senior season in football for Texas A&M. Here are the video interviews:

CLICK here for a VIDEO INTERVIEW with Golf Course Architect Jeff Blume and his dad Jay.

CLICK here for a VIDEO INTERVIEW with Campus Course Club Manager Dave Elmendorf.

With Cougar golfer Roman Robledo and his uncle Rene Rangel, CEO of Sterling Golf.

I met a lot of Aggies except one young golfer. though I am not sure if Mike Bailey is an Aggie or not? The young golfer was Roman Robledo, a sophomore from the University of Houston. Now as a senior, I see he was rated No. 19 nationally by Golfweek/Sagarin for 2014 and was a  Quarterfinalist in the U.S. Amateur Championship. His invitation came from his Uncle Rene Rangel, the CEO of Sterling Golf, who formed a private-public partnership with Texas A& M University to get the golf course completely renovated. I even learned what ‘Gig’em’ meant and I feel for my friend Joe Starzec, a Horned Frog from TCU. Texas some rivalries within the state as well as its rivalry with the rest of the world.

With Bobby (left) and Ricky (right) Heine, probably the best grass growers in all of Texas and beyond.

Mike and I played with Bobby and Ricky Heine who are both golf course superintendents with strong ties to the Campus Course project and the Texas A&M Turfgrass Program. They were great guys and reminded me of my brother-in-law Bill Von Matt, a dairy farmer from Upstate New York. As a kid I always liked milking cows and talking with Bill. Same with chatting it up with Bobby and Ricky while we were golfing. In fact, I was so relaxed, I avenged my loss to Mike at Royal Isabela and I have the signed dollar bill inscribed “Hope you’re proud of yourself Andy! You earned it!” I am and look forward to the our tie-breaking third match!

With retired Aggie Coach Bob Ellis, once an Aggie, always an Aggie!

After the round there was more meat, no just kidding as Mike and I headed back to Houston. Before we did I had the chance to meet retired Aggie Golf Coach Bob Ellis. Coach Ellis was a delightful character with lots of stories from his days coaching Jeff Maggert, Ryan Palmer, Phil Parkin and David Ogrin. I found his involvement with the Department of Health & Kinesiology and the connection to The 8 Traits Of Champion Golfers: How To Develop The Mental Game Of A Pro written by sports psychologist Dr. Deborah Graham and Jon Stabler very interesting. We think of golf as a sport and physical game but it is not, it is all between the ears!

CLICK here for the VIDEO INTERVIEW with retired Aggie Golf Coach Bob Ellis.

I was an Aggie for a day and even learned ‘Gig ’em’ from Julia Lancaster (L) and Michelle Lilie (R).

I enjoyed my day with Mike and being an Aggie for a day! I think I experienced the Spirit of Aggieland. I love Texas ever since my short visit there transitioning to Florida and my pursuits of golf writing, et al. I appreciated Mike’s hospitality and was excited to be heading a wee bit north to enjoy three nights at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center.

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee…

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.

There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…

PLEASE click here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Thank You!

This was such a social day meeting people but the real story was the debut of a beautiful golf course. Well done Jeff Blume!

I experienced the Spirit of Aggieland for sure!

Texas A&M has a great Campus Golf Course!

Having a great time with Charlie Epps in the Member’s Grill at the Golf Club of Houston.

While the headline for today is playing a world-class golf course the real highlight of the day was meeting Charlie Epps, the prominent Golf Doctor in Houston. A remarkable guy who grew up in Argentina, Charlie loves life and loves golf and is the consummate PGA of America Golf Professional. His heart is in both Houston and Argentina and he is the long time coach of two-time Major Champion Argentinean Angel Cabrera.

Meeting new people and connecting with them to enhance our lives, isn’t that what golf is all about?

As you can see in the above video, Charlie not only introduced me to the Golf Club of Houston (Redstone at the time), he introduced me to The Spirit International, an Olympic-like biannual competition for male and female collegiate golfers. His childhood idol was and still is Roberto De Vicenzo, the only current World Golf Hall of Fame member south of the Mexico-USA border. In my opinion, that will certainly change one day soon with the addition of Cabrera and Lorena Ochoa.

With Alvaro Canessa playing the Cantegril CC in Punta del Estes, Uruguay on New Year’s Day 2014.

Later on in my journey, Charlie would connect me with Roberto De Vicenzo who I met and interviewed at his home club of Ranelagh in Buenes Aires and the Angel Cabrera Foundation. I would travel out to Córdoba in Argentina and play Cordoba Golf Club, his and fellow Argentinean Eduardo Romero home club. Though I missed ‘El Plato’ (Angel) there, I met and interviewed ‘El Gato’ (Eduardo), a 5-time winner on the Champions Tour, including two majors. I also visited their Cordoba Golf Academy.

On this day in Houston Charlie introduced me to Uruguay’s Alvaro Canessa and young protege Franco Martinfelli. I would see Alvaro again on New Year’s Day in Punta del Estes, Uruguay where he hosted me and we played the Cantegril CC.

My fortune was good on the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf’ to meet all these wonderful 1people and gain great insight into the history, tradition and spirit of the game of golf. As you have seen in my visit to Atlanta and St. Louis and as you will see in the visit to Mexico City, I was also blessed to meet great people that gave me insight into the Olympic Spirit. Like the Blues Brothers, I feel like I am on a mission from God to define the ‘Olympic Spirit of Golf.’ As you will see, Torch and I ran into some interesting challenges as we made our way to Rio.

Me and the Shell on the 18th tee at the Golf Club of Houston.

The golf, the golf, the golf… at the Golf Club of Houston is, as you see on television, exceptional! The Tournament Course was especially designed by famed golf course architect Rees Jones to host Houston’s only PGA TOUR stop, the Shell Houston Open,  and has done so since 2003. You know it as the week-before warm-up event to The Masters Tournament. Hosted by Shell Oil Company and the Houston Golf Association, the Shell Hosuton Open is one of the tour’s best events.

I shot a birdie-less 84 on the Tournament Course from the blue Club tees (6,659 yards, 71.7 Rating, 137 slope), going 2-over for a series of 10 holes (Nos. 7-16). No birdies again but definitely in the zone enjoying golf and life on the ‘Journey to olympic Golf.’

I remember back in 2007 when I lived in San Antonio my buddy Doc and I drove over to see the tournament and the golf course. That year I attended all four of the Texas PGA TOUR events including the Shell, the Texas Open, the Byron Nelson and Colonial. I guess that was the prelude to following the tour and participating in one way or another in nearly 150 PGA TOUR, LPGA, Champions, Web.com events since I came to Florida in early 2008.

A father and a daughter having fun putting at the David Shindeldecker First Tee Campus.

The David Shindeldecker Campus of The First Tee of Greater Houston which is right next door to the Golf Club of Houston. David Shindeldecker was a lifelong businessman and philanthropist and the Chairman, President & CEO of The Redstone Companies. He loved the sport of golf both as a player and his involvement with the Houston Golf Association. He was instrumental in helping to establish The First Tee Houston. He died young, in his sleep, at age 59. His spirit lives on as I saw a father and daughter putting and having fun late in the evening at a place named for him.

Harmon Hall in the Clubhouse at the Golf Club of Houston.

Dick Harmon’s spirit is present and recognized in the Clubhouse section called Harmon Hall. Dick was a close friend of Charlie never closer than at the time of his unexpected death in February 2006 at the age of 58. In addition to all the memorabilia in Harmon Hall there is one of his two Houston-based Dick Harmon Learning Centers on property at the Golf Club of Houston.

TROML baby, life is short, follow your dreams starting today if you aren’t already.

Some more stories in the pictures below…

I am looking for 100 new friends in the next 100 days to make a $100 donation (or any amount that you are able to make) to The First Tee. Each day I will be reliving the original “Journey to Olympic Golf” and hope to find a new friend in golf. Is that you? Please join me in giving back to the game we all love.

CLICK here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Please select ‘Andy Reistetter’s Journey to Olympic Golf’ on the drop-down menu for the question ‘What inspired you to make a gift today? This is for tracking purposes only, Andy does not receive any part of your donation or anything financially from The First Tee organization.

There are interesting incentives for making your donation to the First Tee…

PLEASE click here to make a donation to The First Tee.

Thank You!

Golf Course Architect Rees Jones Locker No. 100.

Charlie Epps and his buddies on their road trip down to South America in 1967.

Charlie Epps, a pro’s pro and just a great guy to know!