Spotlight: Memorable Moments on the Golf Course

By Gus Mollasis

June 2021—When I was a boy, my uncle Pierre shared his love for golf. He told me about his own journey, which took him to Palm Springs, California, to manage the famous Eldorado golf course. 

Working in paradise, Uncle Pierre parlayed this opportunity into many great memories that included golfing with former President Gerald Ford and famed comedian Bob Hope. Once—unable to help himself—Uncle Pierre critiqued the legendary funnyman and told him there was “No hope for that swing.” An amused Jack Lemmon giggled nearby. 

When I grew up, Uncle Pierre proudly took me to the “Springs” and “Bob Hope’s club” as a rite of passage. Now years later, with Uncle Pierre and the great comedian both gone, I’m left with many sweet memories—plus one iconic Bob Hope golf bag that my Uncle gifted me. 

Recently, my Uncle Steve—Pierre’s brother and a better golfer—delivered to me another treasure from Uncle Pierre: a copy of Bob Hope’s memoir, Confessions of a Hooker: My Lifelong Affair with Golf. The great comedian sure loved the game, as did my uncle Pierre.

Every player has favorite golf stories. I asked people who know the game best and ensure our area’s rich golfing heritage continues to share a memorable moment. All offered up enthusiastic memories and love of a game called golf.

“You had to see it to believe it”

Earlier this summer, I was playing a round of golf with one of my golf buddies at Laurel Oak Country Club. I was not off to a great start and already down a small fortune, but on Number 3 of the Jones Course, my luck was about to change. I smoked a beautiful drive down the left side of the fairway, while my playing partner hit his tee shot near the edge of the water on the adjacent water hazard.

As he approached his ball, he noticed something coming out of the water and he quickly yelled for me to come over. As I got there, a medium size gator came out of the water and viciously gobbled up his ball right in front of us.

Soon after, the gator made its way back to the water and proceeded to drift away just feet from the water’s edge and then it did what could only be interpreted as an admirable taunting gesture. The gator opened its mouth wide enough to reveal my partner’s red-dotted golf ball, nestled in between rows of sharp crooked teeth!

It was truly a spectacle, I had heard of this happening to some golfers in Louisiana before, but you had to be there to see it to believe it! 

Finally as my partner positioned his long ball retriever in attempt to safely extract his ball, the gator quickly snapped its mouth shut and submarined down into the murky water….to which I quickly added, “Jonesy, you’re laying two, hitting three!!!” 

I can’t even remember what I scored on the hole. All I know is, I laughed so hard, I had tears in my eyes…and I was finally in good position to win a hole!

Rico Alcala
Club Operations Director
University Park Country Club

“Tee Time?”

I heard a story about a young golf pro working at Capri Isles golf club. He was standing behind the counter where there is a peg board on the wall with current prices. A man asks the young assistant pro,“Could you tell me when that 2:30 special starts?”

Being quick to respond, the young man says,”I’m new here, but I think it starts at 2:30!” Sometimes it is hard not to laugh, and “this young golf pro” is our very own Rob McCoy, president and owner!”

Kimberly Leblanc
Marketing Director
Golf in Venice

“Best stories come from Golf”

This is a picture of Rich Whalen, Charlie Darbyshire and myself at an awards night several years ago.  Rich passed away but still makes us smile from his great golf stories.  Rich was a tremendous PGA leader who groomed many professionals in our area. 

Charlie (head pro) had been a multi-year winner of our Patriot Award in our southwest chapter and North Florida section. Rich and Charlies worked for the Folds of Honor and Junior Golf programs that have raised thousands of dollars and produced many talented players including Nellie Corda. 

I was very fortunate to work with many talented players at the Duke University Golf school. During one of our sessions, Michael Jordan came out to play and the kids went crazy.  After finally calming them down, a gentlemen came up to me and asked about the golf camp.  He explained how he loved watching kids have fun and enjoy this great game.  One student asked me who the person was, and I told them that was Hank Aaron.  The student came back with, “Is he that race car driver?”  

The best stories come from golf!!

Mark Trotter
Director of Golf
Sarasota National

“Members Only”

When I started at a club, my first job “in the business,” I went out and played with a member whose playing partner had cancelled.  

I was playing pretty well, made a couple birdies, helping him, and just generally making sure he was having a great time when we arrived at the 8th hole.  He hits one down the middle.  I step up and snap hook my tee shot into a house. The ball hits the house, but didn’t break anything.  I was mortified; it was my first time playing with a member.  

I looked over at him, he shrugged, smirked, and said, “Son, that’s why you never put your name on your golf ball,” and we drove off.

Joel Rasho, PGA
Head Golf Professional
The Founders Golf Club

“On the Green in Three”

I have been very blessed in my life. I have played golf since I was old enough to walk, have been a PGA member since 1982 and have never done anything else for a living. I have been places I would not have been, I have done things I would not have done, and I’ve met people I would not have met if it wasn’t for golf. 

It is a great game and very contagious. Many years ago in south Florida, I had a member who had his own plane and now and then we took day trips. He would fire up the plane, we would go play somewhere within a 2-hour flight, and be back for dinner. 

On one of those flights, my pilot friend relayed to me that on one occasion he was taking another golf pro up to play Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. The airport was in a valley between the mountains to where you had to drop down quickly when landing and pull up quickly taking off. On the original descent it was a bit windy, so he pulled back up and went around again. The second descent, same situation so he pulled up and went around one more time. This time, when he was dropping down to land, his golf pro companion leaned over and asked, “We aren’t going to three putt this, are we?”

Patric Flynn
Director of Golf
The Meadows