In early April, I had the good fortune to be invited to attend a “David Feherty-Live Off Tour” performance at Sandhills Community College, in Southern Pines, NC. It was an intimate affair inside Owens Auditorium with approximately three-hundred patrons in attendance.
The set was not dissimilar to David’s “Feherty” television show, inclusive of a Persian rug, a desk, a comfortable leather chair and a credenza; adorned with a stuffed chicken and a framed photograph of his wife; Anita. The format for the evening was ninety-minutes of standup and thirty-minutes of Q&A.
Background: David Feherty, commonly referred to as the funniest man in the game of golf, is a former professional golfer and a former on-course broadcaster for NBC. As a professional golfer, he competed on the European Tour; played in the 1991 Ryder Cup and later in his career, joined the PGA Tour. For ten years and one-hundred and fifty shows, David hosted the Emmy-nominated self-titled “Feherty” interview series on the Golf Channel.
Martin Kauffman from Golfweek wrote the following, “At his best, Feherty has a unique gift for free-association thinking that manifests itself in creative word play. He can describe a fairly mundane act-say, a 9-iron approach from 140- yards with a witty rift that distinguishes him from his contemporaries.”
The combination of David’s experiences on Tour as a player and a broadcaster as well as his relationships with athletes and celebrities from all walks of life, were amusing fodder for his standup routine. A gifted story-teller; his colorful personality and irreverent wit, delivered in his Northern Irish accent, made for a compelling presentation.
As I reflected on my evening with David, my greatest joy came from the Q&A session, long after David professed Dustin Johnson as the winner of the upcoming Masters Tournament.
The Story: David settled into his leather chair at the front of the stage and began to solicit questions from the audience. In no time flat, a gentleman, one row closer to the stage and two seats to my left, enthusiastically shot up his hand. It was reminiscent of your elementary school classmate who enthusiastically raised his waving hand to the sky, anchored at the elbow by their other hand, while simultaneously beckoning “oooh-oooh”! Due to his exuberant behavior, he was rewarded with the very first question. It was quite of a production, as the gentleman, slowly, confidently, lifted from his chair, hiking his pants and rocking from side to side before uttering the following; and I quote, “David, do you remember me?” I was sitting in Row N, which meant the question-asker was in Row M, thirteen rows from the stage in the dimly lit auditorium. David was polite but clearly confused, unable to connect the dots. The question-asker, not content with David’s response, followed his initial question with; “Of course you do, you had dinner at my house in San Diego.” David was polite, still clearly confused, still unable to connect the dots. The question-asker quietly slinked back in his seat.
David acknowledged another question-asker who was interested in his relationship with Tom Watson. David’s response was thoughtful and heartfelt, as he shared the details of Watson’s kindness during his very darkest days.
It was time for yet another question, and the gentleman, one row ahead and two seats to my left, decided to give it another go. “David, you wrote a story for Golf Digest some years ago about playing golf on an island. Would you be kind enough to share the story with the audience.” David paused, hemmed and hawed for a few uncomfortable moments; once again unable to connect the dots. The repeat question-asker shriveled back into his seat for the second time.
Seconds later an obnoxious attendee, without being recognized, hollered from the rear of the auditorium, ”David, who is going to win the Masters?” David paused, glanced to the left and to the right of the patrons in Row A and softly asked a question of his own, “Haven’t we been down this road about an hour ago?”
After the crowd settled down, David pointed to a gentleman in the far-left corner of the packed house, who asked a similar question regarding the importance of Tom Watson in his life.
David paused, stared blankly at the question-asker for more than an awkward moment, slowly leaned forward in his chair, placing his head in his cupped hands mumbling into his microphone, “What is wrong with you people!”
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