We hope you enjoy the
below Fathers Day Golf Stories. Please email us
your own story by Father's Day, June 20th.
fathersday@lastminutegolfer.com
-Rick Hargett
LastMinuteGolfer.com
Um, Dad... You Mean He's Not a Real Tiger??
Favorite Submission Winner - 5,000
Frequent Golfer Yards!
(that's $100 in golf)
This last April I took my son Ethan who had just turn 3 on April
1st{yes he is a April Fools baby} down to the Master's in
Augusta for three generations {my dad/big papa, myself, and my
son} to attend for our first Masters. My father got tickets for
us to attend the practice round on Tuesday so my son Ethan and I
flew down to meet him. This was my son's first airplane ride
also besides being his first real exposure to golf other than on
TV. We were concerned would a three year old be able to handle
all the people, all the walking, could he be quiet we he needed
to be, would he be bored? It couldn't have been a greater time
for all.
We got to the course early in the morning and started walking
around so that we could see some of the top players {aren't the
all?} until we decided to sit in the stands around green #11 as
we heard "Tiger is coming". Now to me and my dad that meant the
great golfer to my son it meant a real tiger. As everyone
started standing in the stands to get a look at his approach
shot to the green there was the initial disappointment from my
son to find out Tiger is a young man. He quickly became my son's
favorite due to his name and the fact that everyone gave him
such a big hand.
We then
headed for the 18th green to sit by so that we could see as many
players as we could ending their rounds. If you have ever been
to a practice round it is quite different with people always
asking for a ball, autograph, a picture or something from the
players. We took a seat on the ground by the walk way for the
players to exit the green. We weren't sitting there more than 15
minutes and 3 different players {Ernie Els, John Daly and Tim
Clarke} in 3 separate groups picked my son out of the crowd and
gave him their golf ball from the round. They took pictures with
him and explained to the crowd "how could you not give a ball to
such a cute kid". This is with hundreds of people pleading for
anything they could get. It got to the point that we told my son
we need to move on so other people could get a chance to get a
ball or a picture with the players.
What made it so special is Ernie Els gave my son his ball and he
was so stunned that after Ernie had left my son was upset that
he forget to tell him "thank you".
Needless to say it was a great day. Our first experience at the
Master's all provided by my dad/big papa who had introduced me
to golf when I was about 5.
My son set and I watched the rest of the Master's on TV routing
for the "Tiger". He took the attached picture {him and one of
the caddys} to day care the following week to show everyone that
he really did attend the Master's and told them of "Tiger" not
being and animal but a man that is a golfer. We have placed golf
balls and the ticket in his room for him to remember is first
experience with the golfing world. He is usually out in our back
yard pounding away with his small golf club and plastic ball. I
don't know if it a coincidence or not but Phil Mickelson won his
first Master's and although my son is right handed in most
things he swings the golf club left handed! I will let you know
in about 20 years if he puts on the green jacket if this was
meant to be.
Mark Heady
St. Louis LastMinuteGolfer Member
On the Course with Dad My family lives in Florida. My grandparents live in
California. With that said, we don't get to see them that often,
maybe once a year, or in my case once every 3 years. Well, last
June, my grandfather died unexpectedly and I refused to go to
the funeral. Last August I decided to go visit grandmother, and
extend my love and support. My grandparents live on a golf
course and every year I have gone to visit, I have always wanted
to play, and never could.
Well, Dad and I decided to get away from all the mess going on
at the house and we actually got to play on that golf course.
After renting clubs and spending all the money we had (not
really), I found a way to get the death of my grandfather off my
mind. It was a great game and the day was beautiful. Me and my
Dad have always been the best of friends and it was great to get
out on the course, I have always wanted to play, with him.
That's my story. Thanks for letting me share.
Steve (my Dad) and Robbie (me) cruising to the
next hole.
Robbie Miller
Jacksonville LastMinuteGolfer Member
Dad Golfing With Curtis Strange
My dad Rolf Gollin attended a very special golf event and was
fortunate to be playing with Curtis Strange. As you can see
while dad was warming up at the 1st tee his friend Jim broke out
laughing at his swing and you can clearly see that Curtis
Strange could barely watch. That's because dad was told by
someone that he swings like a girl, I believe the girl that he
is compared to is Nancy Lopez. It could have been worse.
Look at the grin on dad. I believe that grin remained on his
face for a week because he likes Curtis Strange as much as
Johnny Miller. I know he has the guts to tell him that too.
That's the swing that my dad taught me. Thanks for all the time
and patience to teach me this great game.
Happy Fathers Day Dad.
Jeff Gollin
Growing Up a Golfer
Favorite Submission Winner
- 1,000 Frequent Golfer Yards!
Hello. My name is Salote van Deutekom and when I received this
email, I had to enter this contest. My story is about how my
husband, Eric van Deutekom, and my father, Sione Helu, have
fostered the love of golf in my son, Tyler, who will be turning
four years old on June 10th!
Since Tyler was
one and a half years old, he has been holding a golf club in his
hand and swinging at any ball he could. My father, who is Beepa
to Tyler, was amazed with the stories that I told him about
Tyler. When visiting my parents in Syracuse, New York, my father
went out back and starting swinging the club and hitting the
ball with Tyler to see what he could do. Amazed, my father told
me we had a natural. My husband and I, both avid sport goers, we
were excited that it wasn't just us, he saw it, too! Meanwhile,
my husband, who is better on Golden Tee and on Tiger Woods Golf
2002-2004 than on the golf course, had been teaching Tyler how
to play Tiger Woods Golf 2002 on PlayStation2. Each year, he
would get the next year and it is one of Tyler's favorite things
to do. But what is amazing is to see what Tyler has learned
through the video game and how he has applied it to his real
life play.
Anytime Beepa
is town or we visit Beepa, Tyler is soooo excited to spend all
day long playing golf with Beepa and Daddy, if Daddy doesn't
have to work. Over the recent New Year holiday, both Beepa and
Daddy took Tyler on his first 18 hole excursion and Tyler hit
the ball straighter than Daddy did! He kept asking, "why did
Daddy keep hitting the ball into the rough? It is not good to do
that. He must try to get it straight to the green!" He also
asked, "why was Daddy always having to hit the ball out of the
beach?" (That's how Eric taught Tyler about the sand pits. He
referred to them as the beach!) Tyler walked and played through
16 holes on the golf course before the women (my mother and I)
called to tell them they had to leave right then or we would
lose dinner reservations for that night. Dismayed by having to
leave the golf course, it took a lot to get Tyler to leave
without a fight. It is so amazing to see how much our son loves
the sport of golf and how interested he is in the game. At such
a young age, it's wild. Both Eric and I, as well as Beepa, wish
we had more time and money to invest in his talent at the
moment, but for now, the driving range, PlayStation2 and
practicing in the yard will have to do for now. We are just
trying to keep his love for the sport alive and
hopefully over the next few years, he will be able to play more
often through lessons and leagues for his age. Many places my
father and Eric have tried to take him have told them Tyler is
too young to be on the course, but they have failed to realize
that Tyler has got what it takes to last through the whole
course as long as he is doing what he loves with the people
loves....GOLF WITH BEEPA AND DADDY....he is not the typical
young boy that he may look like.
I have attached some photos of Tyler playing golf with Beepa and
Daddy as well as himself. It was wild because for his 3rd
birthday, his birthday party theme was golf, which he chose, and
the picture attached was the cover of his invitation. He loves
golf and could play all day and night if you let him, thanks to
Dad & Beepa!!!
I know that I'm a really proud Mom, wife and daughter, and I
apologize for sending more than one photo. It was hard to even
limit myself to just these...I have so many more but I tried to
get the ones with Beepa and Daddy as well as Tyler.
We then
headed for the 18th green to sit by so that we could see as many
players as we could ending their rounds. If you have ever been
to a practice round it is quite different with people always
asking for a ball, autograph, a picture or something from the
players. We took a seat on the ground by the walk way for the
players to exit the green. We weren't sitting there more than 15
minutes and 3 different players {Ernie Els, John Daly and Tim
Clarke} in 3 separate groups picked my son out of the crowd and
gave him their golf ball from the round. They took pictures with
him and explained to the crowd "how could you not give a ball to
such a cute kid". This is with hundreds of people pleading for
anything they could get. It got to the point that we told my son
we need to move on so other people could get a chance to get a
ball or a picture with the players.
Since Tyler was
one and a half years old, he has been holding a golf club in his
hand and swinging at any ball he could. My father, who is Beepa
to Tyler, was amazed with the stories that I told him about
Tyler. When visiting my parents in Syracuse, New York, my father
went out back and starting swinging the club and hitting the
ball with Tyler to see what he could do. Amazed, my father told
me we had a natural. My husband and I, both avid sport goers, we
were excited that it wasn't just us, he saw it, too! Meanwhile,
my husband, who is better on Golden Tee and on Tiger Woods Golf
2002-2004 than on the golf course, had been teaching Tyler how
to play Tiger Woods Golf 2002 on PlayStation2. Each year, he
would get the next year and it is one of Tyler's favorite things
to do. But what is amazing is to see what Tyler has learned
through the video game and how he has applied it to his real
life play. 
Anytime Beepa
is town or we visit Beepa, Tyler is soooo excited to spend all
day long playing golf with Beepa and Daddy, if Daddy doesn't
have to work. Over the recent New Year holiday, both Beepa and
Daddy took Tyler on his first 18 hole excursion and Tyler hit
the ball straighter than Daddy did! He kept asking, "why did
Daddy keep hitting the ball into the rough? It is not good to do
that. He must try to get it straight to the green!" He also
asked, "why was Daddy always having to hit the ball out of the
beach?" (That's how Eric taught Tyler about the sand pits. He
referred to them as the beach!) Tyler walked and played through
16 holes on the golf course before the women (my mother and I)
called to tell them they had to leave right then or we would
lose dinner reservations for that night. Dismayed by having to
leave the golf course, it took a lot to get Tyler to leave
without a fight. It is so amazing to see how much our son loves
the sport of golf and how interested he is in the game. At such
a young age, it's wild. Both Eric and I, as well as Beepa, wish
we had more time and money to invest in his talent at the
moment, but for now, the driving range, PlayStation2 and
practicing in the yard will have to do for now. We are just
trying to keep his love for the sport alive and
hopefully over the next few years, he will be able to play more
often through lessons and leagues for his age. Many places my
father and Eric have tried to take him have told them Tyler is
too young to be on the course, but they have failed to realize
that Tyler has got what it takes to last through the whole
course as long as he is doing what he loves with the people
loves....GOLF WITH BEEPA AND DADDY....he is not the typical
young boy that he may look like.