As Americans around the nation gather with family and loved ones Thursday for the time-honored harvest festival known as Thanksgiving, we at Styled to a Tee were brainstorming over how to handle this shortened work week. As partners often do, we had different ideas. One thing in common, we realized, is how passionate we are about golf. In uncertain times, it’s nice to at least work in a business that you love. With that in mind we both wanted to offer a note of thanks among other things, in our inimitable point/counterpoint format.
Rico:Despite how wrong you were about Ji-Yai Shin (avid readers, we’ll have a more in-depth piece next week about last week’s ADT Championship winner), don’t you find it ironic that contrary to constant fears of a demise in popularity in the game when one star exits, it seems another always arrives? In this case, I talk about Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam’s retirement and the rise of Lorena Ochoa, and now Paula Creamer and Shin. Despite the bungles of the LPGA, women’s golf seems to be thriving.
Robert:Is it cynical to be thankful for LPGA Comissioner Carolyn Bivens? She is the gift that kept on giving. On a serious note, I’m glad we were finally able to play a little golf late this fall, whether it was ourouting at The Links at Union Vale,Woodloch Pines,Shawnee Golf ResortorFernwood Golf & Country Club. Life’s too short not to tee it up a few times in the fall.
Rico:Those were some special times, especially because my game started coming together. And isn’t it the little things in life that we’re so often thankful for? Besides family and loved ones, of course! As to Bivens, she survived external pressure for her removal, but if Wall Street corporate machinations are any guide, there will continue to be behind-the-scenes efforts to find a more suitable candidate for the job if she does not perform. Enough of the LPGA, what about the guys? I’m sure Tiger is enjoying his Thanksgiving — it’s one more landmark date gone by until his eventual return to swinging clubs.
Robert:Is it okay to be thankful for literary efforts? I’m nearing completion of and thoroughly enjoying Bob Smiley’sFollow The Roar, his saga of watching every competitive stroke that Tiger made in 2008. On a wholly different level, I’m thankful for Carl Hiaasen,whose execrable book and latent hypocrisymade it easy to churn outa few animated posts.
Rico:Of course it is, and lest anyone think you’re the only literati among us, I must once again say how grateful I am to Barney Adams and his book,The WOW Factor, for enlightening me about the inner workings of the golf equipment industry and reaffirming my entrepreneurial ideals.
Robert:On a business front, I’m grateful to all the people who’ve encouraged us with Styled to a Tee, and especially those who’ve gone to the trouble to offer advice. There are many, too many to name. And there’s an entire public relations corps that’s furnished us with sample product for review or inclusion inStyled to a Tee’s Favorite Things. Closer to home, I’m thankful for my immediate family. In the last year, we probably had three or four golf "outings," all restricted to the putting green, where four-year-old Olivia and three-year-old Theo, with the junior clubs in hand, would practice putting in exchange for M&M’s or Goldfish. Family golf, even of this rudimentary variety, is worth giving thanks for.
Rico:Well thank you, Robert. The concept of playing golf with my own little ones some day gives me something to look forward to.
