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My First Tee backpack has accompanied me to Mexico, Central & South America, Australia, New Zealand and most recently South Africa… 7-1/2 months of world golf travel!
I am home in the USA… 100 days exactly on the “Journey to Olympic Golf” from the farewell at TPC Sawgrass to waking up this morning here in Orlando… 14 countries… 18,471 total miles traveled… 6.549 with Torch… 157 interviews… 40 golf courses played… 35,149 pictures taken… 1,066 Torch GO PRO road videos (she is the STAR!)… more importantly the game of golf is even more firmly implanted in my mind, heart and soul… the way of golf and the game is so important, especially for young people… I already made my 2014 First Tee donation, please make yours today and really feel what I learned on this epic, historic and unique odyssey- don’t keep life to yourself, share yourself and life with others and so much more will come back your way! Overwhelmed in Orlando, resting up for the 2014 PGA Show next week! Hope to see you there! (-: (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter. 1/18/14)
Feherty Live!
That was my Facebook post when I made it back safely to Orlando! I can tell you the trip home was a lot quicker than the trip to Rio! I had four days to recover from the 100-day, 14-country, 18,471-mile “Journey to Olympic Golf.” Since my car was back home in Ponte Vedra Beach I used the I-RIDE shuttles to go to the outlet mall and buy some new clothes. I had traveled pretty light and the clothes I had were pretty worn out and more comfortable travel clothes versus business casual show clothes.
As a warmup to the PGA Show I went to see the Feherty Live production at Universal Studios. Quite entertaining, even more so in person and even more intimate and revealing during the breaks between the camera shots. But is Feherty ever not live and being taped these days?
On the Boots and Bandana Radio Show with John Reger Jr.
The three days of the show at the Orange County Convention Center was amazing! I did a few radio spots on the “Journey to Olympic Golf,” while plugging The First Tee and asking for donations. My goal is to raise $100,000 by the time the Olympics are completed in Rio. Being out of the country with not so good internet connections at times we are off to a slow start but still hopeful of achieving the goal if not by the deadline certainly over time. I enjoyed being on the Boots and Bandana Radio Show with John Reger Jr. and being interviewed by Mitch Laurance among others.
Dinner at Fresco 1 with Merri Daniel, , Joe Stine, Ken May, and Ann & Perry Dye!
It was a whirlwind show and one night I even had dinner with Perry Dye and his lovely wife Ann. We had fun recalling and retelling our meeting for the first time in San Salvador, El Salvador on JTOG Day No. 37. That young pup hasn’t fallen too far from the old oak tree. I like how much respect he has for his father Pete Dye and how he says he is the only one he needs to learn anything from. Quite moving, took me back to my visit with Pete at the Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Indiana and his long view of life and golf! The story Dye Designs, led by Ann and Pete along with Perry and his brother P.B. is a fascinating story, a lot of which Perry shared in the interview in El Salvador.
With Jewels and Pedro celebrating my return home after an incredible odyssey to Rio and back!
My good buddy Pedro Luis Amengual-Gutierrez, Puerto Rico’s premier independent golf rep, gave me a ride home to Ponte Vedra Beach after the show closed on Friday, a week after I had landed in Orlando from Rio. Of course there was an OG Party going on with Jewels leading the charge and a trip to The Corner and some music at Ragtime. On Saturday it was all about getting the motorcycle out of the condo and heading to the beach to see if she was still there!
Safely home on Saturday, January 18th, 2014!
There you have it the 100th and final day of the “Journey to Olympic Golf.”
Picture memories of the 2014 PGA Show and the return home below these documentary Facebook posts!
Thanks for everything!
Boots Farley, no, I have to thank you, Pepper Peete (formerly with the First Tee of Jacksonville), and John Gryzbek at Brentwood Golf Course & The First Tee of North Florida for the inspiration these past few years… you really connected me to the kids and what The First Tee is all about. That backpack shown here was a key to the “Journey to Olympic Golf” south to Rio… interesting pic taken at the muni gc in Buenos Aires… I think there will be an emerging connection between the First Tee and “the rings”… while the First Tee is not a golf program per say, it does introduce more kids to golf and that in of itself identifies the best talent and potential… Scott Langley is the first First Tee golfer on the PGA TOUR, who will be the first Olympic Golfer? (-: (Facebook Post 1 Pic, Andy Reistetter. 1/18/14)
Here are 53 picture memories from the 2014 PGA Show:
Here are 35 picture memories from the trip home from Rio:
