Some would say I had an idyllic childhood. I was the youngest son of Jack and Lois Schoch. The four of us (including brother John, four years older) lived on Washington Avenue, in Springfield, NJ. My father managed stone quarries for Houdaille Construction Materials Company during the day, moonlighting with Mr. Brown or Mr. Heerwagen in the evenings as a painter/wall paperer/carpenter. My mother was a Registered Nurse in our School District, followed by her association with Dr. Bruton, an ... continue reading...
Hired Guns
It all started innocently enough; a mid-December fundraiser (1st Annual Maxie’s Golf Classic for ALS) to support Maxie (owner of Maxie’s Grill & Taproom) and Kathy Gleaton. Erin and I were scheduled to play in the scramble format with our good friends, Jim (Hambone) and Carol Hermann. Unfortunately, with temperatures in the teens, the event was pushed back a week. Due to family commitments in Erie, PA, Hambone and Carol were unable to participate in the rescheduled event. Well, with the ... continue reading...
Almost All Access
In late May/early June 2024, we traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to visit our dear friends Jim and Lisa. During our visit, we spent one day at the US Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club, as guests of our other dear friends Joe & Shelby, with access to all of the trimmings. A bonus for the day was the opportunity to visit with my goddaughter (Julia) who was working the event as a Production Manager for NBC Sports. On our way to dinner that evening, Julia asked if I would be interested ... continue reading...
They’re Not Dogs, They’re Hounds!
Growing up on Washington Avenue in Springfield, NJ, our Thanksgiving Day routine was cast in stone. It started early in the morning, with Mom sliding the turkey, wrapped in a brown paper bag, into the oven. I never understood how the brown paper bag thing actually worked without the turkey being incinerated let alone our home! Following the turkey insertion, we were off to watch my brother and the Jonathan Dayton Regional High School Bulldogs play the Indians from Rahway in their final football ... continue reading...
Gus, Part II
As mentioned in “Gus (Part One)”, I chose to make a significant investment in my golf game, one-month prior to my Three-Day Member-Guest in Pennsylvania. In retrospect, the timing of my decision; to pull the old jalopy into the repair shop for a major engine overhaul, was quite a gamble! I met Gus Ulrich in the northwest corner of Pinewild Country Club’s driving range. Gus, a PGA Professional, has been the Director of Instruction at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, NC, since 2008. Gus is ... continue reading...
Gus: Part 1
- The definition of insanity (the state of being seriously mentally ill; i.e. madness) is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It has been some time since I have shared the status of my golf game, which truth be told, has been in shambles for years. A high percentage of my time revolves around my love for the game of golf. I work on a golf course some fifteen-twenty hours a week, I write about golf, I talk to my friends about golf, my side-hustle is golf ... continue reading...
Seeking Solitude
In retirement, I have had three public-facing part-time work experiences. The first was behind the counter in the Pro Shop at World Woods Golf Course in Brooksville, Florida and the second and third were as a Range Attendant at Pinehurst Country Club and the Country Club of North Carolina (CCNC) in Pinehurst, North Carolina. At some point, I came to the conclusion that I have turned into a bit of a curmudgeon as I am no longer capable of mustering a compassionate response to the occasional ... continue reading...
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