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Chapter 2

What Was Your Biggest Tip?

For tax reasons, I do not talk about tips. Some tips came from the shop on group outings. On some or most of the group outings the rule of the day is no need to tip the caddies; the caddies have been tipped, and there is no need to tip the caddie today. That is something that I thought about time to time. Why tell someone not to tip and tell the caddie that is gouging? If you did a great job that exceeded their expectations, and they feel that was the best time they have had with their clothes on, I often got a tip anyway. That was one of my most favorite things to tell the guest that golfed at Pebble beach; this is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Tips come in a lot of ways: like a handshake and eye contact with a thank-you for the round, great job and nice to meet you, but the biggest tip was what I learned on the loop. There is nothing I can buy with that, other than the knowledge for the next loop.

Tickets to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. I was not a Packer backer, but my friend Larry Carroll my brother from another mother, as Larry would like to say had never been to Lambeau. Now here was a tip I could share with a real Packer Backer, so right away I asked if I could bring a friend that has never been to Lambeau Field. I know some of the history: Bart Starr and the pulling guard Jerry Kramer on the quarterback sneak on the goal line to win the Super Bowl in 1966. My high school number was 64; the tailgating and the frozen tundra—yes I wanted to go to Lambeau as well.

Steve aka Gumby asked if I could come in December. Of course what went through my mind was the frozen Tundra, but Steve put that concern to rest when Steve said, “We got a box and we play the Bears,” and at that moment I thought about my brother from another mother. I couldn’t wait to call him about this tip; Steve could not have given me a bigger tip. I got two tickets to Lambeau Field and a soon-to-be-very-happy friend.

Michael Bolton also gave me a tip that I got to share with others. I caddied for Michael Bolton in the AT&T, and we made the cut. For the first time he will be playing the tournament on Sunday, and he was pretty happy about that and proud about it. I think he had a pretty fun Saturday night. I had to find him twenty minutes before his tee time on Sunday, but I could relate to that. He was in the moment that night; making the cut for the Sunday round is as good as winning the tournament. Jack Lemmon never made the cut.

Michal Bolton talked about his upcoming tour, and I said I would like to see him perform. He said that he would be in Lemoore, and that is close to Monterey. No way I went to high school in Lemoore, and I have friends there. Can I bring them? Of course. He gave me four passes to the show at the Tachi Palace in Lemoore. I called Dale Jones and his wife Vicki and asked if they wanted to go. I also called my real estate agent, Caroline Jones, and we all got a photo with Michele before the show, and we really had a great time.

Hootie & The Blowfish came to Pebble Beach and gave me tickets to a show. They were touring Cracked Rear View. The show was in San Jose, and I took my sister Julie too that one. It may not have been the best date, but family first, and it was a good night. Later, Darius Rucker played in the AT&T. That was a fun week on the job; he is too fly. Blow like Hoottie too fly brother never paid for the booty; RIP, Biggie, you are so right—he is too fly.

Tips come in many ways. I like the ones the government cannot tax I have gotten tips on top of tips, I am guilty of that, but hanging out with new and old friends is where it’s at.

Photo with Michael Bolton before the show Tachi Palace Lemoore