JTOG Day 1: Farewell Gathering at TPC Sawgrass

Day 1 of the ‘Journey to Olympic Golf (JTOG).’

The day was Friday, October 11th, 2013 and it would be the last day I would be home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for the next four months. So it was a day of final preparations and an evening to say farewell to friends at Nineteen in the Clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass.

Of course I was dressed in my best Vecci knickers and toting a set of authentic hickory-shafted clubs to raffle off to get The First Tee fundraising started. It was a good night with several surprises and a lot of fun as I remember it now 1-1/2 years later.

The first surprise was meeting Calvin Peete, the 12-time PGA TOUR winner, including the 1995 PLAYERS Champion. He was engaging, humble and very interesting as was his friend Arthur Johnson. Afterwards we went out to the back of the practice range where he hit the golf ball with a hickory-shafted golf club for the first time! If you click on the above link it will take you to our video interviews.

Another surprise was being unveiled by General Manager Bill Hughes. He is a great guy and the heart and soul of TPC Sawgrass and by extension the PGA TOUR and the entire TPC network of golf clubs. If you ever get the chance to met him or hear him speak you will know what I am talking about. That was a fun time!

TPC Sawgrass Farewell for Journey To Olympic Golf

Check out the  videos in the link above to see the unveiling of me and the JTOG by Bill Hughes and the drawing for the set of hickory clubs won by Kerrie Lecker!

Early the next morning, Torch, a.k.a. my Olympic Torch, a 1992 M30 Infiniti convertible and me would begin the “Journey to Olympic Golf.”

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!

With Calvin Peete (L) and his good friend Arthur Johnson (R).

With Calvin Peete (L) and his good friend Arthur Johnson (R).

Kerrie Lecker with her daughters taking delivery of her old set of hickories.

Kerrie Lecker with her daughters taking delivery of her old set of hickories.

Torch and I were ready for the "Journey to Olympic Golf" after a great farewell at TPC Sawgrass.

Torch and I were ready for the “Journey to Olympic Golf” after a great farewell at TPC Sawgrass.