Despair Ends When Gratitude begins
My winter of exploration and travel continued this month with a featured stop in Saint Simons Island, Georgia. With the generosity of family friends, I was able to spend a week on the island, getting familiar with a place I could see myself living in over the winter months for the next few years to come. Way back in 1977, Davis Love, Jr., the father of Davis Love III, moved to Saint Simons in hopes of starting a year-round golf learning center. Decades later, this secluded Georgia paradise and its teaching facility have become home to more than a dozen PGA TOUR players, and others chasing status, like myself. As I traveled around the island, meeting tourists and local residents, I was occasionally asked what I did for a living. I gave the usual reply of: “I play golf and am chasing the dream!” That response usually catches people off guard, somewhere between confusion and disbelief, but these people, in this area, got it. The town really feels like it revolves around golf which is unique, and very much appreciated. But like most of my adventures thus far, the time spent on SSI ended up being less about the place, and more about the people.
After an enjoyable off-weekend in Charleston, I crossed the 4 mile long Sidney Lanier Bridge and arrived in Saint Simons on a Monday afternoon. The Davises set up FIVE rounds of golf, allowing me to see most of the island, play world-class golf, and meet some interesting people. Dr. Carter Davis and his wife, Dinah, have been coming to Saint Simons for years to escape the cold winters of Highlands, North Carolina. They took it upon themselves to introduce me to the wonders of Southern hospitality and the interesting people that made this week noteworthy.
Sea Palms
The first round of golf on the weekly itinerary was at Sea Palms. Along with Dr. Davis, we were joined by Bob Reeves. Reeves, also from Highlands, was one of the more hospitable people I have had the privilege of being around, and I was lucky enough to play a few more times with him throughout the week.
I got to play Sea Palms twice, as they host a money game every Friday. With an entry fee of $21, the field ranged from everyone from Georgia-based club pros to PGA TOUR Winner Patton Kizzire. Accompanied by Muzzy Donahue, a friend and fellow pro, we enjoyed sharing knowledge about our experience of pro golf thus far, and what’s next on both of our schedules.
Brunswick Country Club
Tredway Shurling, originally from Macon, Georgia, completed our foursome for this round. He might have the most profound accent I’ll ever hear in my life. Sounding like molasses and the surf crashing on the shore, Tred was a delight, and so was his golf game. 18 holes at Brunswick was followed up with dinner in the clubhouse, featuring chicken wings and salads.
Sea Island - Seaside
The only other time I had been to Saint Simons was to play a tournament as a sophomore at Miami. We played on the Plantation course, which was really special as it hosts the first couple of rounds of the RSM Classic. However, the “championship course” is Seaside, where the final two rounds are conducted. You guessed it, Thursday consisted of 18 holes at Seaside. Riding alongside Bob Reeves’ wife, Lisa, I took in the beautiful landscape and it really hit me why so many players call this part of Georgia home. Finishing just before a swell of rain dumped heavily on the course, we enjoyed laughs and stories in the clubhouse over lunch before going back to the house for the afternoon.
Ocean Forest
Just when it couldn’t get any better, Ocean Forest on Saturday said: “Watch this.” Built in 1995 on the tip of Sea Island, it is now considered one of the finest clubs in the country. I later found out that many of the guys on the PGA Tour call OF home when on Sea Island. Playing with Joe Terrell and Stan Sands, we enjoyed good golf on some of the nicest pieces of turf right on the water’s edge. It was a day I won’t forget!
The golf was great, but there were also relationships that were formed far from any tee box or green.
A great friend of the Davises’, Erik Seifert, tagged along and stayed with us for a few nights. A native of Denmark and a former touring professional tennis player, Erik was fascinating to talk to and get to know. Fluent in several languages and well-traveled, he had stories and opinions on practically everything. Now, he is quarterbacking a start-up to help small businesses with accounting. If you see Acconta taking over the world, you heard it here first.
The last couple of days that followed were special. It became less and less about the surrounding golf courses and more about the people I walked them with.
On the final day, with temperatures in the low 50’s, only Dinah and I braved the conditions. What followed was some of the most fun I have had on the course in a while. An impromptu playing lesson started, with Dinah playing her shots from where my drive finished, along with some tips when she needed them. Dinah was so thankful for my help both during and after the round, and I was so happy to be able to show my gratitude in some small way.
I learned a lot during my week in Saint Simons from the various people I mentioned above. However, the few words that came out of Dr. Davis’ mouth will be remembered most. We were sitting side by side one day in a golf cart. Looking out on the scenery the course provided, he sets his left hand on my right shoulder and simply states: “You know, Danny, there’s no secret formula out there. All I know is that despair ends when gratitude begins.”
As I drove back across the Sidney Lanier Bridge, and saw the island in my rear view, I was filled with gratitude, and there certainly wasn’t any despair in sight.
