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Friday, May 21, 2010

Living vicariously through the Chief!

Yesterday my close friend, mentor and overall great guy, Chris "The Chief" Neale had an experience of a lifetime and I was allowed to follow him around and live vicariously through him!

Chris, who is the General Manager at Copper Creek Golf Club, and is a also a legend in the Golf Business (and I don't mean legend because he is old, but because he has worked at some of the most prestigious courses in Ontario and has achieved great success at every course he has been associated with.)  Well, "the Chief", as we like to call him, was invited to play Augusta National Golf Club.  Yes....Augusta!

Chris Neale at Augusta1

Now the two of us were lucky enough to attend the 2005 version of The Masters, but I don't think Chief had the full experience as he spent more time in the merchandise tent than the did on the course.  Being the good guy he is, he bought hats, shirts and ball markers for everyone that he had ever met.  So when he called me last Friday and said he got "the call" I was very happy for him!  The first thing I told him was that "on this trip ......don't buy anything for anyone!  Just enjoy yourself."

At noon yesterday I received my first e-mail that he had hooked it into the trees on the 1st and managed a smooth double to start the day.  I felt a small pain in my chest as I really wanted him to have a great day and playing decent would make it much more special.  Nobody likes going to a famous course and shooting a zillion, and a double off the first can make most guys a little shaky.

The next message was that he had managed three pars in a row and wanted to know what the course record was.  Next he ripped it down the middle of number nine, threw his second shot past the pin and just like Jack Nicklaus on a Sunday afternoon in April he sucked it back to a few feet for a tap in birdie. 

It felt like I was caddying for him as he updated me on his approach to 13 and 15 and his tough three-putt on 18.....I kept thinking....wow, what an experience and how far he had come.  I remember stories he told about working at "The Scotch" and our days at "The Point" and now here he was lighting it up at Augusta!

Thanks for the updates Chief....I felt like I was right there with you!

 TV

Posted at 04:25 PM |

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Tom Vanderlip has been the General Manager at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club since 2003. Prior to this he was the Director of Golf at Copper Creek Golf Club during their first season and a half of operation.

Tom began his golf career at the Tyandaga Municipal Golf Course in Burlington in 1989 until 1992. In 1992 a great opportunity presented itself, so he moved to assist with the opening of new high end equity course called Heron Point Golf Links located just outside of Ancaster. Following six years as an Assistant Professional at Heron Point he became the Head Professional in 1998.

After two great years as the Head Professional at Heron Point, he was given the opportunity to be part of the opening team at King’s Riding Golf Club in King City. Thomas McBroom had been commissioned by ClubLink Corporation to rebuild what was previously known as the Aurora Highlands Golf Course, but would now be a high end private golf club located on Bathurst St that would be renamed King Riding Golf Club.

Born and raised in Burlington Ontario, Tom has been a Golf Professional for over twenty years and has enjoyed every minute of it. He now oversees a staff of more than 100 people and is committed to providing everyone that visits Peninsula Lakes with a fabulous golf or dining experience.

Tom is married and has two beautiful children. His son Jaxon is four years old and has already broken 100 and his daughter Devyn, is seven months old. She will begin working on her golf grip next month. Neither of them will feel any pressure from their father to play golf!

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