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Journal Entry #29 |
Tournament List for Colorado Springs Click Here to Book Tournaments Click Here for Book Reviews |
Beginning today SeniorFriendlyGolf.com introduces a new feature, Book Reviews. You will be able to find this valuable and sometimes very entertaining golf feature by clicking on the Other Reviews tee to the left. From there you will have a choice for both Book Reviews and Product Reviews. Also this week we have a new product review, UPRIGHT Golf products. In addition to the review, UPRIGHT Golf is providing free shipping and special discounts on some of its product for SeniorFriendlyGolf.com members and nonmembers as well.
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Behind the #$%*& Green A novel by Scott Simpson Reviewed by John K. Darling, SFG Founder |
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I had the pleasure of meeting Scott at a Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony. He had just come on board as an Account Executive. At the time I had no idea he was a golf guy. If he was, he probably needed extra long clubs. He seemed to me to be about seven feet tall. Dave Csintyan, the Chamber COO, advised me later that Scott had published a golf book recently and that we should get acquainted.
A few weeks later I invited him out for coffee at Starbucks near my home to chat about my SeniorFriendlyGolf.com venture. I had hopes that maybe he might get involved in some way in the project, maybe as a guest contributing writer or to review a few courses in his spare time if he had any. I also asked him to bring along a copy of his book and that I would review it on the web site. I told him that I have a friend who had just published the book, "Muni, the Jitterbug Collection," and that he might like to read and review it.
So we met and traded books. The title of his book was very interesting and he assured me that I would enjoy and laugh my way through it. He was right.
In a way I wish I had not met Scott prior to reading his novel. Problem is that the main character, Steve Hunter, became Scott Simpson in my mind. I kept seeing Scott in my visual. I got half way through the book over the spring school break when my wife and I visited her parents in Rancho Mirage, California. Upon my return mail and other sundry duties awaited me so I got sidetracked. I even lost his book. One of those senior things. Read on.
One day I packed a sports bag to take advantage of Ron Webber's Success Center offer for SFG members to use his fitness center (see the offer in the Membership link on the SFT site). I packed Scott's book on top of the stuff in the bag, zipped the bag, and put it in the trunk of my STS next to my too often NOT used golf clubs. Seniors forget things, you know. Of course I procrastinated going to Ron Webber's and forgot where I put his book. I was embarrassed to meet Scott one day at the Chamber and told him I would just go buy another copy at the Chinook Book Store if I had to. Of course I eventually found the book and enjoyed finishing it.
When I was talking to Scott at the Chamber I asked him if he was the main character in his novel. With a crooked smile and a twinkle in his eye he said, "One writes about what one knows." Scott, I hope not.
My advice to UCCS/PGA/PGM students, or any other person heading in the direction of a golf management career, is to read the last chapter first. It's not a funny chapter and may be the end of your quest to be a golf course superintendent if that is your career objective. However, we all know anyone who goes into the golf business goes into it for the "fun" of it, not the money, right? To find out more about the UCCS/PGA/PGM program chick here to read article #2 in the SFG Archives.