I liked playing ‘Dirt Golf,’ especially the 4×4 golf cart!

As if getting to meet and interview Perry Dye was not enough, this likeable, talented and insightful guy invited me to play his newest course in Central America called El Encanto which means ‘The Charm.’ Of course I was delighted by the gesture and readily accepted the proposition! There was only catch though—the golf course was not even opened yet, actually the golf course was not even built yet! There were six holes done that were scheduled to open in a month. Technically, since there was grass already on these holes, I would not be playing ‘dirt golf.’ But since it was prior to opening and there were 12 other holes yet to be grassed, I am making the call—I played dirt golf for the first time in my life other than the little golf whiffle ball course I built in the yard at 2 Florence Street growing up!

CLICK here for Video Interview with Alejandro Lahrssen, GPS Specialist.

With Alejandro Lahrssen who hits it like John Daly back in the day!

Alejandro Lahrssen, one of Perry’s right hand guys, who does the GPS hole layouts picked me up at the Intercontinental Real San Salvador at 9 am on Sunday morning. I had met him and his wife Antonella the night before at dinner with Perry. El Encanto was about 15 miles west of downtown, about half way to the Pacific Ocean. As a residential development, El Encanto was ideally situated close to both the city and the beach where fishing and surfing are both some of the best in the world.

CLICK here for Video Interview with Rick Moreno, Construction Manager.

The wondrous home hole at El Encanto with tree left, water right protecting the green below the Dye Hills of Love Grass with clubhouse to be above!

Alejandro was an awesome host giving me a feel for San Salvador as well as the golf course being built and the development and club surrounding it. There was a huge crane on site erected to build what appeared to be a gargantuan clubhouse overlooking the 18th green. We threw our clubs in the back of a 4×4 golf cart and were joined by the irrigation specialist with a four names—Fabiano Pericles Gois Espinola. We played Nos. 1, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 18. The home hole is impressive with the green guarded by a lone tree and water right and surrounded by the “Dye Hills’ of love grass leading up to the clubhouse site. I met and interviewed Rick Moreno, the construction manager as we finished on the 18th. One other tidbit to share—I witnessed Alejandro drive it and carry it 320 yards from the member tees on the 9th to the front right greenside bunker. His carrot in this project was an invitation to play in the inaugural Guatemala Stella Artois Open , a PGA TOUR Latinoamérica event at La Reunion in May 2014. Although he missed the cut this guy can play!

CLICK here for Part 1 of a Video Interview with Bobby Moore, Country Club Cuscatlan.

CLICK here for Part 2 of a Video Interview with Bobby Moore, Country Club Cuscatlan.

With Bobby Moore having lunch at Laca Laca.

After the El Encanto experience, Alejandro dropped me off a the Laca Laca Taqueria Mexicana restaurant back in San Salvador where I met up with Bobby Moore, a premier amateur golfer and member at Club Campestre Cuscatlan, the Country Club Cuscatlan or a.k.a. CCC. Cuscatlan is the smallest department, or state, in El Salvador and it was an indigenous word which means “land of precious jewels.” The Country Club Cuscatlan and all of San Salvador lies on or just beyond the slopes of Volcano San Salvador. After a tasty lunch Bobby took me over to CCC and gave me a great interview. Interestingly, club member Fernando Figueroa was the first Central American golfer to qualify for a major. That major—the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, was Tiger’s last major victory and my first one out on tour. Things did not work out for me to play the golf course but I got a good look at all the memorabilia in the clubhouse and a great view of the golf course. Bobby dropped me off back at the Intercontinental Real San Salvador.

Back at Cuscatlan CC for a quiet, enjoyable and informative dinner with ‘Chema’ Duran.

As things happened so often on the Journey to Olympic Golf, things worked out for another dinner date that evening. This time it was with a fascinating guy and the founder of the El Salvador Golf Association—Jose Maria “Chema” Duran. He came and picked me up and took me out to dinner. Guess where? No, not Il Buon Gustaio, that was last night with Perry Dye. Chema took me back to the Country Club Cuscatlan. Not only was it a great meal but the conversation was interesting and informative with some more connections for me further along in Central America. I wish I had another day or two in El Salvador but I did not!

CLICK here for Video Interview with Chema Duran, Founder of the El Salvador Golf Association.

I loved staying at Hotel Intercontinentals in San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, Managua and San Jose. My home away from home in Central America!

I felt like I was double dipping a little bit at CCC with the tour from Bobby and the dinner with Chema. But hey wouldn’t you if you were invited? Plus this is my job to discover and document the spirit of golf along the way to Rio and combine it with the Spirit of the Olympics to come up with an understanding of the ‘Spirit of Olympic Golf,’ again something no one has experienced in 112 years. It was definitely a trifecta sort of day—playing ‘dirt golf’ at El Encanto and meeting Bobby Moore and Chema Duran.

Tomorrow was another day for Torch and I to be on the move. Almost 40% of the way through the odyssey on a time basis and way less than 40% of the way distance wise. Another day, another border crossing into our 5th of 14 countries, this time Honduras heading to its capital city of Tegucigalpa.

At the time I could not even pronounce its name let alone cross a border and find my way there without the help of GPS.

What a difference a day makes!

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

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.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

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!

With Rick Moreno (L), Fabiano Espinosa (C) and Alejandro Lahrssen (R). I can’t wait to go back and play the full 1 at El Encanto and see the completed clubhouse!

Dye Designs, my golf course architect of choice on the JTOG—I played La Reunion, El Encanto, Black Pearl and Buzios GC, all Dye Designs!

All construction at El Encanto was first class including the St. Andrews like stone bridges!

I need to go back and play Cuscatlan CC beautifully located in the city of San Salvador in the watchful eye of Volcano San Salvador!

Torch and I saying goodbye to La Reunion in the morning!

Nobody, including myself ever wants to leave a place like La Reunion. My three nights there were incredibly inspiring. In fact all of my time in Guatemala inspired me—from meeting Florencia and Pepe, seeing Top Tee Cayala, to experiencing the Mayan Golf Club and being introduced to Madre Ivonne, to my visit to Antigua and searching for the Monastery of the Holy Trinity. Even before I left Guatemala I knew I wanted to return again sometime soon!

I was up early and ready for a full day of travel. From La Reunion to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador it was 170 miles, a 4-1/2 hour trip according to Google Maps. But there was an international border in between and who knows what can happen there? I had the routine down pretty pat by know. Same procedure for me and Torch- immigration or inspection, temporary visa or vehicle permit and some paperwork and copying. Maybe throw in some fumigation—for Torch, not me—and who knows what else. Or where else for that matter every physical setup being different in one country versus another, one side of the border to the other. I left at 7:30 am and hoped to make it to the Intercontinental Real in San Salvador by late afternoon as I had a dinner date if I could get there in time.

CLICK here for Andy’s Recap Video: Capturing the Spirit of Golf in Guatemala

Beautiful countryside of Guatemala.

I took in all of La Reunion and Torch and I rolled down the volcanic rock roadways. Past the practice facility and Volcano Fuego, past the reception area at the resort central combination clubhouse, past the first tee up adjacent to the clubhouse, taking in the last glimpses of the green carpeted slopes of the volcanoes, and down past flowering trees with petals lining the road before me to the main gate and entrance onto Route 14.

I stopped to make a donation to the volunteer in the middle of the road soliciting money for the ambulance operation hoping I would never need their services. Route 14 took me down to Escuintla where I continued on CA-2 in the same direction as when I came from Mexico, this time heading to El Salvador, not Guatemala City. I was out for a Sunday ride on a Saturday as the topography was beautiful driving down a flat fertile valley with mountains on the left and the Pacific out-of-sight to the right. As in Mexico I did not see the ocean in El Salvador but finally did in Nicaragua.

CLICK here for Video Introducing Guatemalan Soccer Kids Alongside a Road to Golf

With kids in Guatemala… from kicking soccer balls to swinging clubs and hitting golf balls!

I came along a gang of kids playing soccer on the side of the road. Like in the old days looking for hickory trees with fallen nuts nearby on the ground with my father, I made a U-turn to have a closer look. I brought out my wedge and let them hit a few balls after a brief posture-grip-swing lesson and demonstration. There was pure excitement and enjoyment in their eyes as some hit the ball and some missed. I asked them and the name Tiger Woods did not mean anything to them. But they liked this stick-and-ball game as much as the foot-and-ball game they were playing when I arrived.

A little further down the road I was asked to pull over at a federal police checkpoint. We had a nice chat as best we could understand each and then took a picture before I resumed my rest day journey.

Jorge was a great help getting Torch and I into El Salvador!

Like at the last border crossing a friendly tout came up alongside of me on a motorcycle and we made a deal on the run. This time his name was Jorge, not Isai, and he was even better as a tout. He had lived in the USA and nearly completed a golf course superintendent degree at UC Riverside before coming back home. He spoke good English and knew the unique Guatemala-El Salvador border routine down to every first name of every official in charge with determining if I could pass out of Guatemala and into El Salvador. I implemented a lesson-to-be-learned and with Jorge’s help I bought a cell phone in La Hachadura on the El Salvador side of the border. we drove a few miles to get some cash out of another ATM to pay for the phone. One implemented lesson-learned demands a new lesson-to-be-learned so for the next border crossing I reminded myself that it would be good to have some cash to exchange for the local currency. In El Salvador life of commerce was easy as they used the American dollar.

With my new friends on the federal police force in Guatemala.

As expected the police stops along Highway 1 in El Salvador  were frequent and included requests for money. That part of El Salvador is a pass-through corridor of a little over 100 miles from Nicaragua to Guatemala. I got pulled over when I moved through the first stop thinking the guard had signaled me through. There was no doubt at the second stop 50 yards down the road that they wanted me to stop, pull over and contribute to their retirement fund. More likely their living fund and the officer was a nice likeable guy that reminded me of an uncle in a good way. He wanted 20 dollars, I offered 5, he agreed and I gave him a 10 because I had no 5s. Another lesson-learned, bring small denominations to pay off bribes, I mean tickets and tolls, at face value with both faces smiling afterwards.

My home for two nights at the Intercontinental Real in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Soon I was to San Julian and picked up Route 12S whcih turned into Route 8 and took me to my next bed in San Salvador. The road funneled me right into the downtown commercial area where I easily saw and made it to the Intercontinental Real San Salvador. Those can be two different things—seeing a place and being able to navigate my way to it. This was the first data point of an emerging pattern for Hotel Intercontinentals—in Central America they are located next to the Metro Mall right int he heart of the city.

The hotel was really nice with a beautiful lobby enhanced with artwork by local artists. I had a beautiful room with a beautiful view of the capital city. Best of all I had arrived as expected time wise and had time to get settled in and hop in a cab to the finest Italian restaurant in the country—Il Buon Gustaio.

With Perry Dye at II Buon Gustavio in San Salvador.

Who was my dinner date? None other than Perry Dye and his entourage of house architect Miguel Rivera and GPS course layout expert Alejandro Lahrssen and his wife Antonella. For the record, as you can see clearly documented in the video interview, this was not an internet date! Just another fabulous surprise and incredible luck and timing of the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf’ to meet Perry Dye for the first time, not in the United States as I had met his father Pete Dye at French Lick, Indiana, but in San Salvador, El Salvador.

CLICK here for Part 1 of Perry Dye Video Interview: Dye Family History

CLICK here for Part 2 of Perry Dye Video Interview: His Passion & Mission in Life

CLICK here for Part 3 of Perry Dye Video Interview: The Future of Golf

As I fell asleep that night all I could think of was how blessed and fortunate I was to be a ‘golf voyager’ doing what I love and learning so much about the spirit of the game of golf and different parts of the world. In one day I had gone from the Dye designed best golf course and resort in Guatemala to meeting its designer in the capital city of El Salvador.

What could be next?

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

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.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

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!

Crossing bridge from Pedro de Alvarado, Guatemala to La Hachadura, El Salvador over the Rio Paz.

In the lobby of the Intercontinental Real San Salvador with Bellhop Fernando in front of Fernando Llort’s “The Story of My People.”

At dinner with w Antonella & Alejandro Lahrssen (L), Perry Dye (C), and Miguel Rivera (R).

CLICK here for Andy’s Video Recap of JTOG’s visit to Guatemala.

Checking out of of a very special place called La Reunión Golf Resort & Residences, Antigua Guatemala where I was reunited with a lot of good things in life for sure- friendship, laughter and my own spirit. Heading to El Salvador La Hachadura border, then to San Salvador to meet Perry Dye and see El Encanto. Wish me good luck and say a prayer I only get lost 1 or 2 times (like Trevino picking up someone else’s golf ball, great way to make new friends!)… still need that Garmin expert, r u out there? (-:   (Facebook Post Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/16/13)

La Reunion Golf Resort & Residences (Antigua, Guatemala)

Quite a day yesterday at La Reunión Golf Resort & Residences, Antigua Guatemala… played with Mario Navvaro, the pro and shot 77, best round ever on a Perry & Pete Dye Designed course! Stayed in the moment with three volcanoes! Up early and heading into Antigua this morning. Have to come back to see if Ecuador or Guatemala wins…   (Facebook Post Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/15/13)

Is their a Garmin (or Windows 8) expert out there? Torch and I keep getting lost and at this rate may never make it to Rio. See link below. I have not been able to load the Central America and Caribe OSM Base Map (File to install on gps/navigator device) on my Nuvi 1200. I don’t have the option to open it with MapInstall and when I just oprn it I get “File could not mount” and “The disc image file is corrupt.” Is it just me or doesd it mean there is no such thing as a free Garmin map? Thanks Chris Hatchett! (-:    (Facebook Post, Andy Reistetter, 11/14/13)

Something about driving up a mountain road at night, seeing the conical silhouette of a volcano with a ribbon of its bright fiery red lava oozing down the slope… puts one in touch with their spirit of life and the tragedy and tranquility of nature all at once… definitely a TROML moment! Torch and I are happy to be safe and here in a very special place in this world of ours…     (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/14/13)

Arrived in San Salvador late this afternoon! Beautiful city and beautiful Hotel Real InterContinental San Salvador… 4th country on the “Journey to Olympic Golf”   (Facebook Post 7 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 11/16/13)

Recap of my six night visit to Guatemala, in Guatemala City, Mayan Golf Club, OL Motores, Top Tee Cayala, La Reunión Golf Resort & Residences, Antigua Guatemala… capturing the Spirit of Golf in Guatemala!   (Facebook Post Video, Andy Reistetter, 11/17/13)

JTOG037 Capturing the Spirit of Golf in Guatemala

The beautiful San Jose Cathedral in Antigua right across from Central Park.

JTOG Day 36 was a free day to explore two nearby places, one a historic site and the other something that triggered my interest the day I played the Mayan Golf Club. One Torch and I were able to find, the other was too elusive to locate. Here is my invitation to you to come join me in Guatemala City in May 2016 as part of a unique golf and humanitarian visit that will surely be a memorable and meaningful experience. More details below.

Antigua is Spanish for “Ancient” and was once the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala back in the mid 1500s.  It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site,  one of about a 1,000 in the entire world. I got up early, drove the 15 miles there, toured the city and made it back to La Reunion for a late breakfast about two hours later. The streets of the old city are made of volcanic rock and the centerpiece of the city is the Central Park and all the historic buildings. The architecture is Spanish Baroque and one quickly takes in the atmosphere of colonial churches, Franciscan monks, and royal palaces. As at nearby La Reunion, one is immersed in close proximity of volcanoes—the Volcán de Agua or “Volcano of Water,” the Volcán de Fuego or “Volcano of Fire,” and  Volcan de Acatenango. But it is earthquakes that two centuries later forced the move of the capital to present day Guatemala City.

Domes of the Holy Trinity Monastery visible from the Mayan Golf Club.

How many of you have met a sister, a religious sister at the golf course? That is what happened to me when I played the Mayan Golf Club with Pepe. after we played I met a sister, rather a mother, Madre Ivonne from the nearby Monastery of the Holy Trinity. I saw the remarkable Monastery from the 10th fairway. The Monastery hosts their visitors in the lodging rooms of the Mayan Club and Madre Ivonne was giving some of them a tour when I met her. The monastery was founded in April 1986 by Mother Inés (Ayau Garcia) and Sister María Amistoso. Mother Inés has ties to the club through Rafael Ayau who was the president of the club when it moved to its current location overlooking Lake Amatitlan. Her great-great-grandfather founded an orphanage in 1857 which has been run by the Monastery since 1996.

I was very fortunate to meet Madre Ivonne at the Mayan Golf Club.

I was so inspired by Madre Ivonne, the Monastery and their orphanage that I decided to backtrack (only time on the Journey) and take a ride to visit the monastery that overlooked Lake Amatitlan.

Without GPS or the Garmin working or a specific address I set out to find it via its location relative to the lake and the golf course. That was easier said than done. I headed back up the tollway (CA-9) towards Guatemala City, past Pilar and exited at Amatitlan. Thinking I could approach the monastery from below, I took several roads in the direction of the lake but never quite found it. I got back on the tollway and went closer to the ridge of mountains upon which I thought was the Mayan Golf Club. This time I found the lake and a park like bazaar at its end called Allagoode Amatitlan. I headed down the road on the edge of the lake only to hit a dead end after several miles on a dirt road.

End of the road adjacent to Lake Amatitlan trying to find the Holy Trinity Monastery.

Not deterred from my goal of visiting the monastery I though it best to find the Mayan Golf Club and ask for directions from there since it was within eye distance. Easier said than done as I had a difficult time navigating through Villa Nueve. Admittedly frustrated I realized it was late in the day with the sun going down so I headed home back to La Reunion. Tomorrow was a big day with another border crossing into El Salvador.

I will find the Holy Trinity Monastery one day. Would you like to come along? Here is my idea for a combined humanitarian and golf trip. Fly into Guatemala City and volunteer a few days at the orphanage and at Habitat for Humanity Guatemala. Stay at the Hotel Bresciani and play golf at the Guatemala CC and the Mayan Golf Club. Then catch the Sunday final round of the PGA TOUR LatinoAmerica’s Guatemala Stella Artois Open at La Reunion. After seeing American Danny Balin defend his title, we will check in and enjoy playing the Fuego Maya Course the next day and visit Antigua too. A spiritually refreshing vacation along with being recreationally restorative too. Please let me know if you are interested! Looking for 12-16 people to join me. Exact dates TBD.

La Reunion is a special place in a special country!

My stay in Guatemala would be too short, a Sunday arrival and a Saturday departure. Amazingly the Journey continued to plan itself with a connection made with Hotel Intercontinental (San Salvador, El Salvador, Tegucigalpa, Honduras and San Jose, Costa Rica), plans to meet Perry Dye in person in San Salvador and play “dirt golf” at his latest Central America creation—El Encantro (The Charm) and more golfing contacts in El Salvador.

I wondered what excitement this Guatemala-El Salvador border crossing would bring…

There are some more stories in the pictures below this request to make a donation to The First Tee… please make a donation today. Much appreciated.

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.

The First Tee has a positive impact on young kids in life and on the golf course.

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!

I met the former president of Columbia—President Andres Pastrana!

With Margarito Barreras, who was instrumental in helping me map out the rest of the Journey down through Central America.

With television celebrity Odra Merida (R) and her daughter Maria (L).