Our Most Famous Certified Golf Nut
As we approach the end of 2021 and prepare to name our Golf Nut of the Year, I thought I would share with you how Michael Jordan, #23 for the Chicago Bulls, became a member of the Golf Nut Society and Certified Golf Nut #0023.
In short, it was a huge stroke of good fortune. A dear friend, Peter Moore (#0002), and I played golf every weekend in our regular foursome. At the time, Peter was the Worldwide Creative Director for Nike. It was his job to create an image – a marketable brand – for the athletes who signed with Nike.
When Michael signed with Nike, Peter and his team met with Michael whenever he came to town for brand and shoe design discussions. They did have one minor problem with Michael. He told Peter he was only good until Noon each day, after which he was going to play golf the rest of the day.
Peter called me one day and asked if I would like to join Michael and him for a round of golf. It was the easiest decision I’ve ever made. We had a great time, and at the end of the round, as we stood on the 18th tee, Peter said to Michael, “Ron has a club you might be interested in.” Michael replied, “What kind of club?” He thought Peter meant a golf club you swing, not a golf club you join, so I chimed in and said, “The Golf Nut Society of America.”
“What kind of club is that??” he asked. So, I explained it to him, and he said, “You don’t understand, you have to pay me to join your club.” And I replied, “You don’t understand, I can’t afford you.” He laughed and said, “Give me the information and I’ll check it out.”
This was the summer of 1986, and I had just founded the group a month earlier. Fortunately, I still had Nut #0023 available, which was yet another stroke of good fortune. One thing led to another. Michael liked the Golf Nut Society and the idea of being a Registered Golf Nut (Now Certified Golf Nut), and joined, becoming Nut #0023″.
Over the next three years, whenever Michael visited Nike, Peter would ask me to pick him up at the office and take him to our club to play golf. We would play until dark unless he was in town for a game. On those days, we would limit the fun to only eighteen holes. Each time we played, I would ask, “What have you done to earn Nut Points since we last played?” His obsession for the game was truly amazing. He racked up a ton of Nut Points.
In the summer of ’89, as we were playing, I said, “You know, Michael, you are now in 3rd place for Golf Nut of the Year. If you will finally take the Entrance Exam, you could win the title this year.” That’s all he had to hear. “Give me the exam and I’ll mail it back to you. I’m gonna win it,” he replied.
And he did win it. Michael took the exam on his return flight, put it in the mail, and sent it to GNS headquarters. His Entrance Exam score, added to his massive Bonus Points, put him at the top of the rankings for the year. At the end of the year, he was named 1989 Golf Nut of the Year, and received worldwide publicity for the win. Needless to say, it put the Golf Nut Society on the map and gave us a lot of credibility.
Meeting Michael Jordan, when he was at the peak of his fame was an incredible journey. I get into more detail about our relationship in my book Golf Nuts – You’ve Got To Be Committed, but as I look back, there were many great moments.
Perhaps the most memorable for me occurred after I had moved to the Phoenix area. Prior to the Bulls’ game six win in the NBA Finals to clinch the title, I called MJ’s office and told his assistant that I now lived in the Phoenix area, and that if he would like to tee it up, I was a member of a private club where he would be allowed to play golf in complete privacy. Michael called me the day before the game and said, “Let’s do it!”
We played 36 holes that day, 18 holes before his practice session, and 18 holes afterward. In the afternoon, two Golf Nuts – Ken Kellaney (#2020) and Duke DeBernardi (#0889) – joined us, and MJ won all the money, a foreboding of things to come on the basketball court for the Phoenix Suns.
The next day, Michael Jordan (#0023) won the NBA title.
Great memories.
Thank you, Peter Moore.
The Head Nut
#0001
P.S. Michael has his own dedicated page on our website. You can find it here.
