I suspect that a lot of golfers were influenced by their parents' interests and ethics. I've played good, competitive golf for 50 years and you can spot the kids or opponents who have had a parent or pro with ethics a mile away. You can spot the neuvo-bad the same way.
Anyone who has played in championships, state or local or national, knows how to count...your own score and everyone else walking along and playing. It isn't a matter of being a bad guy but you are the watchdog for everyone else playing. I was playing in the Michigan Open a zillion years ago and the guy in my twosum was being driven in a golf cart and had - tagging along - a caddy. The caddy could open his mouth and the guy in the cart, by the rules, had to keep his mouth shut advice wise. He didn't. I called foul and he got tossed. I won and he lost. He was crazy furious. I had no clue. Rules are rules.
I got this big deal homecoming from my parents and a huge party was thrown. I wasn't material to it although I won. My job, gladly undertaken and accepted, was to pick the music - as I was a musician as well. So I did and I had learned after cocktails golf music (or middle cocktails golf music - whatever) in Pinehurst during our spring vacation where I would go there for the North South Tournament and stay at the Pinecrest Inn where this fair was the after dinner thing...and as much of a geek as I was then and am now....well it was wonderful. Big band music, a bar where the object wasn't to hit on people but to talk golf and mainly to talk.
I had a 71 on Pinehurst #2 and lost to a Canadian female by a zillion...never could figure that out but she beat the pants off me...and we were the celebs that night...the match had a lot of Inn folks all talking...and it was like nothing that I had an occasion to know about....acceptance and appreciation based on ability alone.
Anyway, ...and I can't remember her name....we got first after dinner dance. I'd of course rather dance with my wife (hey - I wasn't married then..just 17 but dreaming ahead) ...but out there we were with all eyes and a room where Jack Nicklaus and Barb had danced when just married...where Bobby Jones stayed when he came there and probably danced, where Snead and Demeret and Sarazen and host of others did their staying and dining and dancing...well heady stuff.
When this music hits the cable tele offerings a lot of folks roll their eyes. Alan Kaplan, a friend of ours, was just playing that type on the television - and I'm pretty OK (he was playing in OKlahoma when I saw him last that that's what we said as a greeting; pretty OK) right now....hey Allan...its been years.
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