To find a man’s true character, play golf with him. P.G. Wodehouse
Rich Castro, Chairman
Assistant Chairman: Michael Garb
An active golf program is an integral part of Sons in Retirement. Branch One golfers enjoy weekly local golfing at a variety of courses in the Bay Area. The group plays every Wednesday except for the second Wednesday of each month when we have the monthly luncheon. That second week we play on Thursday. There are no dues to join our golf group, but you do need to be a member of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) through the club. The cost to play differs each week based on what the course charges us plus $5.00 for prize money; closest to the pin on par 3’s, low net and a score lower than par for the course. Prize money also includes $100 paid to the most improved player of the year, $250 for a hole-in-one and Club Champion for the year $150. We also hold a free barbecue for our golf group and their spouses and/or partners. SIR members are invited to join us for a round of golf even if you are not a member of the NCGA. Golfing with our group is fun and enjoyable. Contact Rich Castro at Rcastro8@aol.com or Michael Garb at michaelgarb@comscast.net.
History:
The golf activity began in 1960 by Elmer Miller, who became the first chairman. The first tournament was held at the San Mateo Municipal Golf Course on September 22, 1960. Only 24 members of Branch One of a total membership of 400 attended the tournament. Elmer Miller had accomplished an almost impossible task by overcoming overwhelming resistance from the SIR’s organization in which a membership survey showed no interest whatsoever in participating in such an activity. Gradually, Elmer assembled a group of interested, half-interested, and skeptical members to at least be willing to dust off their old clubs and give the game another try.
Everett Edmonds, former Chairman of the Golf Group in 1983, passed away on Friday, November 14, 2003. In 1985, Everett became Area One Golf Chairman and was responsible for the intramural tournaments. Mike Murphy became Golf Chairman on January 1, 2004.
Special Instructions
Call the Golf Chairman for all the special instructions that are necessary and required for playing golf on any or all of the courses. The Chairman turns out a special Newsletter which is mandatory reading in order to enjoy all the benefits of this activity.
A Golfer’s Obligations
Please be courteous to one another. Treat one another with respect, and please be considerate of the condition of the golf courses, the customs and rules of the game, and your fellow golfers, including the often-impatient non-SIR’s who get stuck playing behind us. Please be sure to repair all marks on the greens, especially when you are within sight of the pro shop!
The following is not intended to offend fans of tennis, basketball, football , baseball or any other sport. It is, rather, an attempt to put everything in its proper perspective.
Ever wonder why golf is growing in popularity and why people who don’t even play go to tournaments or watch it on TV? The following truisms may shed some light:
Golf is an honorable game, with the overwhelming majority of players being honorable people who don’t need referees.
Golfers don’t have some of their players in jail every week.
Golfers don’t kick dirt on, or throw bottles at, other people.
Professional golfers are paid in direct proportion to how well they play.
Golfers don’t get per diem and two seats on a charter flight when they travel between tournaments.
Golfers don’t hold out for more money, or demand new contracts, because of another player’s deal.
Professional golfers don’t demand that the taxpayers pay for the courses on which they play.
When golfers make a mistake, nobody is there to cover for them or back them.
The PGA raises more money for charity in 1 year than the NFL does in 2.
You can watch the best golfers in the world up close, at any tournament, including the majors, all day every day for $25 or $30. The cost for even a nosebleed seat at the Super Bowl costs around $300 or more unless you buy it from scalpers in which case it’s $1,000+.
You can bring a picnic lunch to the tournament golf course, watch the best in the world and not spend a small fortune on food and drink. Try that at one of the taxpayer funded baseball or football stadiums. If you bring a soft drink into a ballpark, they’ll give you two options — get rid of it or leave.
In golf you cannot fail 70% of the time and make $9 million a season, like the best baseball hitters (.300 batting average) do.
Golf doesn’t change its rules to attract fans.
Golfers have to adapt to an entirely new playing area each week.
Golfers keep their clothes on while they are being interviewed.
Golf doesn’t have free agency.
In their prime, Palmer, Norman, and other stars, would shake your hand and say they were happy to meet you. In his prime, Jose Canseco wore T-shirts that read “Leave Me Alone.”
You can hear birds chirping on the golf course during a tournament.
At a golf tournament, (unlike at taxpayer-funded sports stadiums and arenas) you won’t hear a steady stream of four letter words and nasty name calling while you’re hoping that no one spills beer on you.
Tiger hits a golf ball over twice as far as Barry Bonds hits a baseball.
Golf courses don’t ruin the neighborhood.
A Little Slice of Golf History:
Why do golf courses have 18 holes – not 20, or 10, or an even dozen?
During a discussion among the club’s membership board at St. Andrews in 1858, a senior member pointed out that it takes exactly 18 shots to polish off a fifth of Scotch. By limiting himself to only one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scots figured a round of golf was finished when the Scotch ran out.