As The Presidents Cup in Montreal begins, excitement is palpable – not just for the players at Le Club de Golf Royal Montreal, but for those of us lucky enough to be inside the ropes as accredited media members.
Yes, I finally made it to The Presidents Cup!
Even though I am now on the ‘other side of the fence’, armed with nothing but a notepad and a dubious sense of humour, standing in the spot I was destined to occupy regardless of whether I was playing or writing; which would have been at least 20 feet from the nearest fairway.
Looking back on my playing career, I find that a good metric to ask a player how accurate he is off the tee is based on how much television cabling he’s had to clear from around his ball. I may as well have been wearing a luminous SuperSport jacket on most days out there.
Growing up in Zimbabwe, I dreamed of a Presidents Cup berth, with Nick Price being my captain. But here I am, having traded my plaid pants for a press badge, and instead of standing over a 10-foot birdie putt, I’ll be roaming the fairways with Radar Riley, jotting down notes, snapping questionable photographs, and maybe even managing to ask a player a question or two in the press conferences. On that note, if you have any great questions please email them to me and I’ll report back next month.
It’s an amusing twist of fate. Instead of focusing on the placement of my feet and grip pressure, I’m now more concerned about where to stand so I don’t photobomb an interview.
Honestly, it’s a privilege to see the game from this unique vantage point. I get to witness the camaraderie among teammates, feel the tension in the air as the matches unfold, and even experience that electrifying buzz that only comes when the world’s best are vying for a team cup.
And although I may not be battling for a trophy and running into Nick’s open arms behind the 18th green, I will be armed with insights to share, anecdotes to tell and maybe even a tee-box dancing lesson from Scottie Shuffler.
As I prepare for this experience, I can’t help but toast to being part of the Compleat Golfer team for lining this up for me. I am not a player any more, but uniquely positioned to tell the stories of those who now live that dream.
So here’s to The Presidents Cup in Montreal: may it be full of unforgettable moments, epic shots and perhaps a few humorous misadventures for this newly minted media member who once only dreamed of stepping up to the tee with a cup on the line.
After all, someone will have to do the heavy lifting on the laughter front, and with the real talent already in the field, I now see it as my noble duty to bring that home.
– This column first appeared in the October 2024 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine.
