I was fortunate as a child to get an early start at golf. I was anxious to join my father and uncles on the course as far back as I can remember. At six or seven I would follow them around and beg to hit the occasional shot. By the age of eight I was proficient enough to play nine holes so my dad got us a membership at an executive nine hole course near our cottage. Rideau Lakes Golf club near Westport Ontario is where I learned to play. Although hockey was my first love, I was always eager for summer to arrive and golf season to begin. Some of my hockey team mates and school mates were golfers and members at the local country club in Kingston. Naturally this was where I wanted to be and my parents bought me a membership at Cataraqui. There I would be exposed to many good golfers who I would get the chance to play with and compete with on a daily basis. Cataraqui would become like a second home and my favourite place to be. I won my first tournament at 13 in Smith Falls and eventually won numerous events as a junior including the Thompson and Jemmett, the Thunderbird Jr. inv. in Toronto, and the Cataraqui Mens club championship. It became very evident after a few days at Furman University in South Carolina that although my ball striking was descent, my short game and course management had a long way to go. Watching my new team mate, Brad Faxon, not only play but practice showed me how important it was to devote a lot more time to short game. He was a magician even at 19. I hadn't seen too many 61s, 62s and 63s on 7,000 yard golf courses until watching Brad and Jodi Mudd and Hal Sutton play. They hit it great but could they ever putt. Playing the Canadian and Austral/Asian tours gave me the chance to play with many great players. Not too many my first year but as my game improved I found myself in groups with Dave Barr, Dan Halldorson, Bob Panisiuk, Jim Rutledge and Moe Norman. I loved watching Moe hit balls and listen to him talk. I think he liked me because I played quickly and was from Cataraqui, one of his favourite courses. I also believe it was listening to Moe that sparked my interest in the science and mechanics of playing golf. Overseas I played with soon to be president cup members Frank Nobilo, Ian Baker Finch, Roger Davis and Greg Turner. The tournaments were being won by guys like Corey Pavin, Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Wayne Grady. Although not in the same group it was exciting to meet and share the driving range and putting green with some of the game's greatest players while preparing to tee off; Arnold, Hale Irwin, Ben Crenshaw, Ray Floyd, Tom Watson, all of whom were fantastic with one exception, Lee Trevino. I apologize for the name dropping.