The Tin House Golf Club

From 1986 – 1988 I was fortunate to have served the PGA Tour as the PGA Head Professional at the TPC at Sawgrass. Avid followers of the game and the Players Championship formally known as the Tournament Players Championship.

On a very sunny, cloudless and pleasant afternoon one day, an Asian gentleman approached the counter. He was soaked from head to toe with water. He placed a new shirt, shorts, hat and socks on the counter to purchase. In broken English he said, “I buy, ok”.

Well, my mind raced at seeing a person literally dripping water like one might see in Florida after a torrential afternoon shower, which is not uncommon. As the club holds a prestigious position in the golf world with impeccable conditioning and superior service I feared he had been drenched by irrigation heads. That’s all I could think of in the moment.

I asked the gentleman, “are you ok?”. He shook his head positively and said “I ok”. I then inquired as to what happened where you got so wet?”. He didn’t seem to quite understand the question.

So as if playing a game of charades, I used my hands to symbolize the height of my body starting at the head and moving down to my waist. I then shook my head and hands as if they were wet. Then I made a body language action one would use to “say” – I don’t know while pointing to him? 🤷‍♂️

He then joined in the charade game to explain. He said while putting his hands up towards his face as if taking a photograph with a camera (no cell phones yet). He says “oh, 17 hole”…. I go back, back, back, ahhhh” while at same time using body language to imply he was falling backwards.

He was backing away from other players in his group to get them into the picture and went backwards into the lake at 17!

He then looks at me with a smile and chuckle and says “no good, 17 hole got me”. I couldn’t help but snicker and we shared a quick laugh.

Now, at that time, the only people that got discounts on goods in the shop were club staff, Tour staff and players. It was 25% off retail.

Seeing this gentleman and listening to his story with a shared laugh; I went full bore and discounted his purchase 50%. I had to explain this later to a superior that reviewed daily sales audits; who once they heard the story laughed out loud and simply said “good call”.