There was talk the other night about the age of the BGA. I honestly did not recall when we started and nobody else did either so I contacted an old friend, Tim Coons. Coonsey was a charter member of the league and played for the first couple years before moving on to right-handed clubs and greener pastures. Now living in Atlanta, we keep in touch from time to time through facebook so I sent him a message asking what he remembered about our beginning. He replied:
"It was 1989. Good memories, buddy. I do miss a lot of that camaraderie."
Interesting story about my friend, Tim. Before we started play that first year, he and his wife Julie decided that they did not own golf clubs worthy of the new league. So off they went to Dick's Sporting Goods where they tried out a few sets in the indoor driving range. They each choose a set to their liking and took them home in the long cardboard box that all new clubs are packed in.
Several days (or perhaps weeks) later, with opening day approaching, they took their new irons, still boxed at this point, to a driving range. When Tim opened his box, he found the clubs he selected except for one small difference ... they were left-handed. From that time on, Tim was always "Lefty" on the golf course.
Of course I couldn't help but wonder if the "pro" at Dick's, after watching Tim hit a few, was secretly suggesting that he switch to southpaw. After all, it worked for Mickleson. Come to think of it, Jim Ciurzynski switched sides too, although he went from lefty to righty.
So thanks, Coonsey, for the memories and your memory about 1989 and the birth of the BGA.
(There is another interesting story about Tim, Julie, ex-HDP delivery driver Walt Otto, and their home at the time in Pavilion. Maybe some other time...)
