The Idea Blog

Last week I traveled to Chicago for some golf and fellowship. Larry Bouman, Marion Moore and I purchased a trip at last year’s Leveen Roach Scholarship Charity Auction, a trip to Chicago to play up to seven courses and a sumptuous wine dinner hosted by Western Golf Association (WGA) director and all-round good guy Bill Kingore.

We couldn’t do seven courses in one trip, I told Bill, so we split the trip into two parts. Last week was part 1, including rounds at Butler National, Medinah (No. 3), Shoreacres and Beverly CC.

On Sunday evening, less than 36 hours before departure, Marion called to say his mother’s illness would prevent him from coming along. On Monday morning, just a bit after 8a, I called Tom Paskins, and by 8:05 Tom’s airline reservation information arrived in my email’s inbox.

(Now there’s a guy who can make a decision.)

Our hosts were absolutely first rate guys, including our super-host, the guy who put the entire trip together and offered it to our charity auction. Kingore, in addition to his active role in WGA affairs, is also a an active business guy and a fun-loving gem of a human being. I didn’t get to see him hit a golf ball, but I think they call him “Big” around Beverly CC for more than a few reasons.

Our golf host at Beverly CC was Paul Sullivan, and over our stay and 18 holes I got to know him quite well, I think. He also is a director of the WGA, he plays golf near as I can tell every day of his life, his 12 handicap is built for speed and consistent winning and he’s as eloquent as anyone I’ve ever heard on the value and power of the caddie experience.

Here is Paul with Katie, his caddie for the day, who celebrated her 21st birthday by carrying for Paul.

All of the courses we played are special. I had played Butler before - several times - and it was better than I remembered. But Beverly CC was extra special. The staff, the members with whom we came in contact - everything was just the right mix of homage to golf mixed with all the wonderful and comfortable trappings of the game, including a heavy dose of fun. What’s better than that?

In time I’ll post more of my memories and observations about this trip, but for now this is what I’m thinking about: that golf is special, and most of the people who play it and the places it’s played are too. But Chicago golf … that may just be a step or two above.

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