Buddy JC Moving On

I'm going to miss JC as he moves on to an assistant coach job at UNLV. He's one of my best friends. We roomed together in an apartment in Jupiter, FL. when we started our pro careers in golf. But our history goes way back.

In our amateur days, we trekked far and wide competing as fierce foes in junior tournaments. Our parents took their summer vacations to drive us wherever we needed to go. It helped build experience and a track record for entry to a U.S. college.

During our college years, me at Kent and JC at UNLV, we crossed paths as foes again. But then I'd go visit JC in Las Vegas to have some fun and celebrate birthdays.

We did some more trekking as pros on the Canadian Tour. I always felt at home hanging out with JC and my other Canadian buddies. The best times were after a hard day on the course.

The one experience that stands out most was in Mexico when the "swine flu" (H1N1) broke out and we thought we were stranded. After one round at the second tournament the Can Tour cancelled all tournaments in Mexico. We had to get out fast.

We were really scared about catching the flu. The airlines had no seats available for at least four days as everyone was trying to leave. There was a rumor that Mexico was closing its borders. Picturing that meant both ways, we started to panic. So we burned up the phone lines to our parents who got us out in hours.

I'm happy for JC. It's a great opportunity. He has a lot to offer and he will make a great coach. JC has a positive personality. Plus, he has lots of experience. As golf is not an easy game, young players will be better for knowing JC.

The Best and Worst of the Can Tour

Hands down the best part of the Can Tour is hanging out with my Canadian buddies. This year after the St. Catherines’ Championship there’s the feeling that we might not be doing this again. Some are heading out for European Tour Q-School for the first time. Others, the PGA Q-School again. Hopefully Graham DeLaet will get some Canadian company on the PGA circuit in 2011!

Splitting up is in the air more than any other year.

The worst part of the Canadian Tour this year was fewer tournaments and thus less opportunity to play and less money to go around overall. When I did the Gateway Tour in Florida my first year as a pro, I played in 27 tournaments from January to September. The Can Tour has nine in total spread out from April to November (seven from April to end of August). So, we can’t count on the Can Tour as a regular place and have to scramble in-between to find other tournaments.

We will all remember this though as the good times when we were free to follow our dreams and our passions. We have helped each other through tough times and good times. Through many sicknesses and injuries. And some scary situations especially in Mexico.

Our families and friends across the country have been generous at billeting us and cooking up great meals.

Special times.

Me and Mexico Don't Mix

I was awakened suddenly. One of my golf buddies was screaming my name. I ran down the villa steps in a panic. There he was with a bloodied leg and in a state of panic. The cab driver was harassing him because he had no money.

Welcome to Mexico. I have always felt uncomfortable in Mexico. “Sketchy” is a word that comes to my mind a lot. No one trusts anyone else. Kinda like the wild West.

Last year just as we arrived for the first Can Tour event, H1N1 broke out. We spent most of our time figuring out how to get out of the country. All but one tournament was cancelled. The airlines were in overload as so many were fleeing the country.

This year, no H1N1 but me and my Canadian buddies had our radar up.

It took only two days in Mexico before I went down with a bad case of “travellers’ flu”. I haven’t a clue how I got it as I try to be careful. Couldn’t shake it. People were telling me I looked yellow. So, forget golf and off to L.A. for treatment.

My buddy? He fled the country before me. He’d been mugged walking through a hotel as he headed to our villa. Lost his way a bit in the hotel. Next thing he knew, some guys were jumping on him.

I think I’ll pass on Mexico next time.

The Security of Tour Status

2010 feels different. So many questions: How will Tiger come back? How will the golf world deal with it? How will we players react as we’ve looked up to Tiger all along? It’s going to be a bit weird.

One thing that will help is belonging to a tour, in my case, the Canadian Tour. I can plan my calendar and I know I will have others to talk to. As Tiger “figures things out”, we have to too.

Decisionmaking in the Eye of the Mexico Storm: Major Can Tour Headaches and Player Anxiety

When I left for Mexico on April 21, there was no swine flu problem in the news. My plan was to play in three of the four Mexican tournaments. Skip the second one in San Luis Potosi. If only I’d stuck to that plan!

I changed my mind once I got to Mazatlan. Decided to play in the San Luis Potosi tournament, not the last one. Changed my flight and hotel plans. Then, the news of a problem with sickness in Mexico started to come in.

The hardest part has been what decisions to make. Leave now? Stick it out? Maybe it’s gonna be OK? Just a scare that goes away?

It’s been tough on the Can Tour staff and the players. What do you do when this has never happened before? Like those weird surprises you have on the golf course sometimes. Trying to figure things out when you have no idea what to do. Take a stab at it and see what happens.

Well, it’s been a roller coaster ride. Anyway, we’re getting outa here now. Tournament in San Luis Potosi cancelled.

Right away a rumor circulated among the players that they were going to close the border. Our anxiety went through the roof. Scrambling to change our flights was scary….at one point, it looked like there were no seats available for six days. We went wild with thoughts of not being able to get out.

We’re still worried. I don’t think we’ll relax until we’re on the airplane.