Author: Head Nut

Remembering the Great Moments of the Past

As we approach the day when we will name our Golf Nut of the Year, I thought it appropriate to honor the great achievements of a few of our past Golf Nuts of the Year. So let’s go, Nuts!

Bob Fagan (#3468) – 2003 Golf Nut of the Year & All-Time Leading Scorer

At the age of 51, he played 6 different 18-hole courses in 124 degree heat in Palm Springs in July in a single day.  624 Points

At the age of 48, he played 6 different 18-hole courses in 114 degree heat in Palm Springs in July in a single day, while walking and carrying his bag on three of the rounds.  And on the sixth and final course, Tamarisk CC, he had no drinking water and the clubhouse was closed.  “It was like the Burma Death March,” said Bob.  1,114 Points

And he survived to play another day. That’s nuts! – The Head Nut

Tom Jewell (#0175) – 1997 Golf Nut of the Year

Played golf on the first day of his honeymoon, April 8, 1956, at Locust Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.  There was snow on the ground, the temperature was a balmy 31 degrees, and his newlywed bride walked with him all 18 holes but didn’t play.   500 Points

Certified Golf Nut #0175 definitely married well! – The Head Nut

Howdy Giles (#2073) – 1994 Golf Nut of the Year

Howdy was Arnold Palmer’s dentist for many years, and when Arnie would come in to have his teeth worked on, Howdy would clandestinely scrape a small amount of gold from his fillings and tuck it away until he had enough to make a gold ball marker. When the top secret project was complete, he bought some black velvet, took the ball marker to the bank, rented a safe deposit box, and placed it on the velvet in the safe deposit box where it resides to this day. 3,000 Points

I think it’s safe to say that it is the only ball marker of its kind on Planet Earth. – The Head Nut

Mike Noyes (#2211) – 2000 Golf Nut of the Year

Mike spent nearly $10,000 to construct a 3-hole chipping and putting green in his backyard that he has dubbed “Dry Creek Golf Club.”  It comes complete with a dry creek bed, tee markers, ball washer, yardage marker, club cleaner, sand trap rake and bar stools from the now defunct “Driftwood Golf Club” in Huntington Beach, California.  2,300 points

We lost Mike to The Great Fairway in the Sky several years ago but we still remember and honor him as one of our all-time greats. We miss you, #2211. – The Head Nut

Joe Malay (#0020) – 1986 Golf Nut of the Year (Our first Golf Nut of the Year)

Joe Malay doesn’t have a job..  “Well, it’s a problem,” he says.   “It would have a negative effect on my golf.  You see, I love golf too much to work, and golf and work are incompatible.  I love to play in golf tournaments, so that’s what I do.  I plan to get a job when I’m too old to play golf.”  His source of income?  “To be determined at a later date,” says Joe.  “I’m independently happy.”

Joe Malay has always marched to the sound of a different drummer.  He lives in Weiser, Idaho, a small town in western Idaho, and everybody knows Joe.   Well, except his wife, Mary.  Joe isn’t home a lot during the golf season, so when someone calls and asks, “Where’s Joe?,” Mary replies, “I don’t know, let me check the IGA (Idaho Golf  Association) schedule.”  Every golf nut needs an understanding wife, but Mary breaks all the records.

Joe played in 53 tournaments in 1986, and the tournament season is only nine months long so that adds up to nearly six tournaments a month!  In fact, he’ll often play in two tournaments on the same weekend, getting a morning tee time in one, and an afternoon tee time in the other.  Joe gets in plenty of practice rounds too.  He averages over 300 rounds of golf a year, and that’s done in only nine months, since it gets pretty cold in Idaho in the winter.  If you run the numbers, you’ll see that Joe averages thirty-eight 18-hole rounds of golf a month!  The final tournament of the year for Joe is the Pneumonia Open.

Speaking of cold weather, one bitter cold day in the dead of winter, Joe decided that he needed a round of golf to keep from going nuts.   The temperature was 18 degrees, the wind was blowing 20 mph, the fairways, greens and water hazards were frozen solid, and the flagsticks were frozen in the cups.  Joe shot an unbelievable 62 at Gem County Muni in Emmett, Idaho, and that was with a ball out-of-bounds on one hole!

There’s only one Joe Malay. His love of golf runs deep, and a round of golf with Joe is about as much fun as you can have on a golf course. – The Head Nut

Michael Jordan (#0023) 1989 Golf Nut of the Year

When the 1993 All-Star Game was held in chilly Salt Lake City, MJ skipped “Media Day” and flew to Las Vegas with two other All-Stars to play golf at famous Shadow Creek.  When asked why he flew to Las Vegas, he stated that the NBA should arrange to hold All-Star Games only in warm-weather cities so he could more easily play golf.  500 Points.

It is not wise to deny #0023 his appointed rounds. He will find a way to tee it up regardless the circumstances! We Golf Nuts are honored to have such a famous athlete and celebrity as a former Golf Nut of the Year. – The Head Nut

E.M. Vandeweghe (#1191) 1993 Golf Nut of the Year

He was practicing his swing one morning when he “got it!” His son (Ernie, Jr.) convinced him not to change his grip, and told him he would put the top down on the convertible and drive him to the golf course so he could try his new swing.  They drove the two miles to the course with E.M. holding onto the club in the back seat, never once changing his grip.  When he arrived at the course, Ernie, Jr. teed up a ball, and Dad took a swipe at it, shanking the ball into the pro shop.  It was 7AM, and his hands had frozen on the drive to the course.   307 Points

This was clearly one of the great moments in Golf Nut history. E.M. was a legend at his home club and in the Golf Nut Society. He loved golf and we loved him. Rest in Peace, #1191, you are truly a legend who will live forever. – The Head Nut

Scott Houston (#1186) – 2002 Golf Nut of the Year

While caddying for Arnold Palmer at Pebble Beach, he pocketed a divot taken by Arnie on the 18th hole, took it home, and planted it in a flowerpot.  For several years, #1186 cultivated it, even feeding it Coors Light at times. He would take it with him when he went to the range to practice, and even took it out for Sunday drives in the country so “Arnie” (Yes, he named it “Arnie”) could get some much-needed sun.  It was such a compelling story that one filmmaker featured Scott and “Arnie” in his documentary entitled Golf: The Ridiculous Obsession. You can view the video HERE. 5,000 points

One of my all-time favorite Golf Nut stories, and #1186 is one of a kind. In fact, that begs the question, What kind of mind thinks of such things? – The Head Nut

Charlie Madge (#4025) – Our reigning Golf Nut of the Year!

At last count, the inimitable, irrepressible, Charlie Madge had made 3,001 four-footers in a row on his putting mat. I’m sure the count is higher by now, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Bonus Points. You can check out the rest of #4025’s accomplishments HERE. They will blow your mind!

3,001 four-footers in a row! Who does that?? Answer: A Certified Golf, that’s who. – The Head Nut

Well, I hope you enjoyed our trip through the past. Now you know why every Certified Golf Nut has a Nut #. That way it’s easier for the authorities to round them up and take them to the funny farm if they go over the edge.

The Head Nut

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Michael Jordan, Certified Golf Nut #0023

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

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P.S. Michael has his own dedicated page on our website. You can find it here.

One of My Favorite Nuts

If you can gain access to this…

You are one very special Golf Nut because you know this guy…

Yes, The King himself.

That’s Dr. Michael Cohen, and he is standing in the warehouse where Arnold Palmer stored every golf club he ever owned.

It simply doesn’t get any more special than that, and it earned “Doc” (Nut #2780) 5,000 Nut Points.

Well done, #2780!!

The Head Nut

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World’s 1st “Almost Hole-In-One”

“I know quite a few folks who have a HOLE-IN-ONE commemorative plaque, but to the best of my knowledge, I’m the only one with an ALMOST HOLE-IN-ONE commemorative plaque.

Thanks to my dear friend, Joe Vieira, who has his hole-in-one…as does Rob, who took the photo.”

– Bob Scavetta (#1696)

Hey, #1696, what are friends for if not to remind us of our golf “almosts”?

The Head Nut

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A Rare Double

This great photo of golf balls autographed by Michael Jordan and Arnold Palmer was sent to us by Ken Kellaney (#2020). We call him The Legend around here as he is a 10-time Arizona Golf Association “Player of the Year”, has won a record 5 Arizona Amateur titles, and was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

He is also certifiably nuts when it comes to his golf swing. A few weeks after shooting 62 (at age 63) he decided to change his swing. Go figure…

The Head Nut

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Golf Nut of the Year Roll-up

As we approach year-end, I’ll be sharing stories about our fellow Certified Golf Nuts in advance of naming or 2021 Golf Nut of the Year in early January.

To get things kicked off, here’s a sampling from Charles Madge (#4025) our wild and crazy reigning Golf Nut of the Year…

Here’s Charlie’s three-volume golf autobiography. It weighs 20 pounds. Ruling: 700 Points

And, who has both Arnold Palmer’s and Sam Snead’s autograph?? Well Golf Nut of the Year Charlie Madge does. Ruling: 2,000 Points

And, who but our wild & crazy Golf Nut of the Year would have played 545 different golf courses around the world; 27 outside the U.S.? YIKES, imagine the cost! Ruling: 545 Points

And, speaking frankly, only the mind of Charlie Madge could come up with this putter. Ruling: 118 Points

And, who but our reigning Golf Nut of the Year would have this amazing putter that was designed by NASA for putting on the moon? Ruling: 1,000 Points

And, how many 90-year-olds can shoot 89 in a state tournament?? Ruling: 589 Points

And, who but our Charlie would design and build “The World’s Largest Sand Wedge”? Ruling: 100 Points

Well, there you have it. A thumbnail of the inimitable and endlessly energetic Charlie Madge (#4025).

For the whole story of the amazing Charlie Madge, our reigning Golf Nut of the Year, click HERE.

I will be posting additional stories about our fellow Certified Golf Nuts in the coming days as we approach the naming of our new Golf Nut of the Year.

In the meantime, keep searching for The Secret and report your findings.

Go Nuts!

The Head Nut

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