Fishing with Dad

I went fishing with my brothers a number of times growing up and I went fishing with friends a couple of times, but I only went fishing with my dad one time, and that was ice fishing. Ugh. But I kind of wish we did go more often when I was young. He got me into golf and for that I will thank him forever.

Honestly, fishing was never my recreation of choice, but I think fishing together just for the together time would have been good bonding time for us. We’d Get up in the wee hours of the morning, grab the fishing rods and reels, throw the fishing tackle in the tackle box and hit the road before the sunrise.

And once we are out there on the shore of the river or lake or in the boat, we could sit and enjoy the father and son company. I am certainly going to recommend it to my dad when I get to heaven. We’ll fish in the lake in the center of heaven together and enjoy each other’s company then.

What Should I Do With My Life? Play Golf and Bond with Dad!

It was April of 1996, a year after finally achieving my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Music, and I was still unsure of my direction in life. After all that schooling and spent money, I still didn’t know what I could really do with my degree. I was frustrated and wondering and I needed to take my mind off my present situation. Easter weekend was upon us, so I went home to Cadillac, MI to hang out and have dinner with my family.

My dad and I had an interesting relationship. If we talked about anything other than golf or gambling we would butt heads. This was one of the good weekends. Since it was Masters weekend, we were in hog heaven and getting along handsomely. We were watching the final round of the Masters, the year of the colossal collapse of Greg Norman. Nick Faldo won that year, but all I can remember is how difficult it was to watch Greg Norman fall apart.

Unlike Greg, this was a very good weekend for me because I felt accepted by my dad. Not just because we were communicating well, but because of what I decided to then and there.

“You know, I wonder if I could get into the golf business. You know, just work in a shop and get into the business side of golf.”

My dad seriously shocked me. “That is a good idea. You should look into that. That is a great idea.”

Wow. My dad never thinks my ideas are good let alone great.

A week later, I had a job as an Assistant Golf Professional at Maple Hill Golf Club under Jim Ransberger outside of Saginaw, MI. Crazy, I know, but I just began making the calls starting Monday. I hunted down the job, and with God’s help of course and I got it. I was pumped up!

That winter I headed down to Orlando, Florida to continue my golf career. Rodney and Tina Porteous had made the move down there earlier that year, and they offered me a room for a month until I got on my feet.

I knew I was not there for Disney. No Kissimmee vacation for me. I was there to work and continue my new golf career.

After working for a month and a half with a Rent-A-Center place, I got the call I was waiting for. I interviewed with Metro West Country Club and got the job. I was there to pull carts out in the morning and push them back in the evening and carry clubs for the players to the first hole and pick up range balls, but I was excited. What an opportunity!

Three weeks into the job I got a call from Chad, my oldest brother. I knew that whenever I got a call from him something was wrong. He said our dad had been diagnosed with liver cancer. It was the third time he had gotten the hideous disease, and that was the last time. He died April 29, 1997.

But I hold dear the time my dad and I bonded over my golf career. He was so very proud of me because of that, and I was like a kid again relishing in his love and encouragement. That last year with my dad was the best year I ever had with him and for all the garbage we went through, it was worth it to get to it.