BUSTING CHOPS As a staff photographer for Golf Digest, one plum assignment was accompa- nying Jack Nicklaus and his sons, Steve, Gary and Michael, on a fishing trip to Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Jack was known as an intimidating subject on photo shoots, so I was nervous about spending almost two weeks with him. Aboard his Gulfstream 5, we all fell asleep shortly after takeoff, but a few hours later as we were cruising over the top of the globe, I was awakened by a smell. Ronnie, our pilot, was cooking lamb chops in the galley and asked if I was hungry. I declined, not wanting to be a bother, but he said he was making them for Jack anyway. Just then Jack wandered back and started discussing with Ronnie the different methods for grilling meat. He said he wanted his chops medium rare and asked Ronnie how he determined doneness. Jack was dissatisfied with Ronnie’s answer and started to give him a cooking lesson when Ronnie stopped him. “How many times have I cooked chops for you?” Ronnie said. “A lot,” Jack said. “Have I ever not cooked them properly?” “No.” Ronnie then said sternly, “Then cook your own friggin’ chops” and walked briskly to the cockpit. After a long, awkward pause, Jack smiled at me and said, “How do you like your chops, Dom?” It wasn’t long before Jack and Ronnie were back to joking with each other and it was easy to see that they enjoyed a great friendship. – DOM FURORE
CAVIAR, CHAMPAGNE AND THE CLARET JUG
We owned a plane for about 15 years, and we didn’t look at it so much as just transportation but more of an extension of our home. When the kids got on the plane with all their things, it was always a very fun time for us, but nothing topped the ride home after the Open Championship in 1994. Sue and I were by ourselves that year, and we took a daytime flight back to the United States. We decided we were going to splurge. We got champagne and caviar, and we set the claret jug on a table and just stared at it. We spent a good deal of time really studying it. We looked at all the names and all the little design features. We were really kind of in awe of it. I can’t think of another trip where we didn’t talk a whole lot or do anything. We just sat there drinking champagne
No Cars In 1999, Wayne Huizenga, the South Florida billionaire businessman who owned the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers, bought the course where “Caddyshack” was filmed, Rolling Hills in Fort Lauder- dale, and turned it into Grande Oaks. He hired me as the director of instruc- tion and sometimes would drop in for a quick lesson. Wayne was a huge per- sonality, but he was as down-to-earth as anyone I’ve ever met. In 2000, Wayne invited me on a golf trip to Ireland: four guys, leaving on Thursday, and this was Tuesday! We flew over on his Gulfstream G4,
and before we deplaned at Shannon airport, he handed out cash. As his guests, whoever you were, he didn’t want you to spend your own money. From Shannon, a helicopter took us to Dooks Golf Club, and after 18 and a quick lunch, the chopper flew us to our next course, then to our hotel. The next day, same routine: chopper to the first course, chopper to the second, chopper to the hotel. Third day: chop- per to course, chopper to airport, G4 to Florida, back home for dinner. Over three days, we played five courses in southwest Ireland and never got in a car! It was a whirlwind for this humble golf pro to experience the air-to-tee lifestyle. – MARK WOOD
and sort of keeping it company. But no, we
didn’t drink out of it. We didn’t think that was right. – NICK PRICE
MCDONALD’S PITSTOP One aspect of tour life that’s always amusing are flights to the United States from Asia or Australia. Most of the time, the smaller jets can’t make it directly to the United States or Europe without a refuelling stop. Often, that stop is Juneau, Alaska. The airport is small and ideal for a quick 30-minute refuel. The only food available is McDonald’s. Picture this scene: Late on a Sunday night after a tournament somewhere west of the United States, a teenage McDonald’s server is bewildered as plane after plane comes in to refuel, as some of the best golfers in the world line up for Big Macs to go. – JAMIE KENNEDY
74 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
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