Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic

On Saturday I attended my first professional golf tournament. The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic was played at the Georgian Bay Club near Clarksburg Ontario.

The day did not start out very well. It seemed to rain all night. When we arrived in the area, it was still raining. But, undaunted by the rain, the wet grass and mud, we parked the car and climbed aboard the shuttle bus.

The bus ride only took 5 – 10 minutes, but by the time we disembarked from the bus, the sun was shining and we were headed to the tenth tee to catch some Nationwide Tour Golf action.

As we awaited the next foursome to tee off, we were delighted to meet Pierre McGuire, the ever bubbly enthusiastic TSN hockey broadcaster. His seemingly boundless energy on television is not an act. He was as animated in person as he is on the television screen. He played the first two days of the tournament and after missing the cut he volunteered to caddy for a Nationwide Tour player.

The golf was everything you could ask for. The professional golfers made shots that even low handicappers can only dream about. But, it was also interesting to see them shank the odd shot.

I have always been a huge fan of the Nationwide Tour and to see the action up close was very exciting. (My next posting will detail a memorable experience that I had at the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic.)

Because the Wayne Gretzky Classic is a pro-am event, there was lots of opportunity to meet some interesting personalities from the world of sport.

A few holes after talking to Pierre McGuire, I watched Hockey Hall of Famer, Brett Hull hit some shots. He looks like he could probably play on the tour. He later would prove his golf talents. At the end of the tournament Hull captured the top amateur title.

Later in the round, I enjoyed talking to legendary hockey superstar Mark Messier. The former Ranger, Oiler and Canuck, is a great guy to meet and chat with. As well, he is a pretty darn good golfer.

We also met the diminutive Darren Pang, a former Black Hawks goalie who has found fame as a hockey commentator with ESPN and TSN.

To round out our celebrity sightings we watched former Toronto Maple Leaf forward Darcy Tucker. What a golfer! Who knew that the combative hockey player had such an accurate touch around the golf course. As well, he was a classy guy to talk to. I am sure that it will not be long before he signs with another NHL club.

The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic was a great event for us. In fact, both my wife and I plan to volunteer at next year’s tournament.