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The game of golf lost one of its finest gentlemen when Byron Nelson died September 26. Nelson transcended time and bridged generations with his staggering skills and love and respect for everything the game represents. My career in golf dates back more than 30 years, and I've noticed that Nelson's name brings a smile to the face of everyone who met him - from salesmen and golf professionals to rookies and seasoned tour professionals. One of the highlights of my career was listening to Nelson speak at a teaching and coaching summit. I was awestruck to be near this legend. Imagine listening to Babe Ruth talk about hitting or Bob Dylan carrying on about music. It's not often you get to learn at the foot of a legend. At the end of the session, Nelson said something about sharing knowledge and secrets of the game that I will never forget. As I recall, he said: "From my generation, there was Ben [Hogan], Sam [Snead] and myself. Ben won't, Sam can't, so I do." He wasn't taking a demeaning or disparaging swipe at the other players. He was merely pointing out why he was doing what he was doing and it illustrates what kind of man he was. He took it upon himself to share the wealth of knowledge he had accrued during a lifetime in the game. One of the coolest scenes in any sport was watching players, both young and old, walk off the 18th green during the Byron Nelson Classic at Las Colinas to shake hands with Nelson and pay their respects to a legend. It's something you don't see very often. In May, I was able to travel to the event with a club professional I work with. While passing through the clubhouse, I saw Nelson congratulate Jim Furyk on his victory the week before. You could see in Furyk's eyes that the exchange was genuine and his admiration for the man was undeniable. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to speak with Nelson on several occasions. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I made my way over to reintroduce myself. In the hustle of the clubhouse during a PGA Tour event, Nelson treated me with the same respect he showed to Furyk. I'm a nobody in the game, but he genuinely asked about my reasons for being at the event and about the players I work with. When he walked away, I was overwhelmed. I've never been big on autographs, but that was an instance where I wished I had a pen. Later that evening, I passed by the statue of Nelson on the grounds. I opened my cell phone and snapped a picture. It was strange, because in most cases, a statue seems bigger than life and so much larger than the actual man. In the case of Byron Nelson, the man dwarfed the statue, the game and everyone he touched. Nelson is physically gone, but the traditions and values of the game that he embodied will carry on as long as there are golfers to share the stories. n Jamie Mulligan is the chief operations officer at Virginia Country Club and the SCPGA golf professional of the year. |
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