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A few years back my wife and I were driving to The Players Chamionship and I was telling my wife how Tiger will cuss when he hits a bad shot and she didn't believe me. Well we were standing on #4 tee box and Tiger hooked on into the deep rough and yelled GD Tiger and my wife laughed and he turned around and gave us the biggest *** **** look ever. It was great.

The only golfer I've met is Kelly Gibson who is from New Orleans. He's not playing much anymore but has been very busy helping out here post Katrina with a program called "Feed The Relief" which has been giving meals to relief workers. His connections with the tour has created a great program and his efforts here have been greatly appreciated. It's no surprise though; he's a great guy. He came into a club I worked at on Bourbon Street years ago and we got to talking. He gave me some swing tips. I have seen him on several occasions and we always end up having a beer together. Great guy.
I also have a funny story, though it wasn't a meeting of a player. I used to work at Senor Frogs in Cancun, Mexico as an emcee in the mid-90's. I watched as Tiger Woods won his first green jacket in '97, and become a truly international sensation. Two days later, Tiger was in Cancun to promote his becoming a partner in the All-Star Cafe chain (remember that place?). So he's done his thing at the All-Star Cafe and is just hanging out. I happened to be off that night, but went in later to hang out and was told this story. Tiger shows up at Senor Frog's (of course on my night off...) and my friend who also was an emcee saw him come in. In our line of work we sometimes bump into celebrities or see them in our clubs and we make it a rule not to announce their presence on the microphone. They usually want to be low key. My friend however got caught up in the moment because Tiger was bigger than anything at that time. He announces over the microphone that he wanted to welcome Masters champion Tiger Woods to Senor Frogs. At that moment, the crowd swarmed him and he had to run out of the club. My friend was tremendously embarrassed, and I was truly miffed to not have been able to get an autograph!

Great stoies, keep them comin'

I forgot to mention that I've also met a number of the European Ladies; including Laura Davies. I've had several long conversations with her, several about dogs.
I was roped in as a marshall for her match at the Guardian Irish Ladies Open one year; but the weather was so foul for the 3rd round we'd no one to marshall.
I was genuinely needed for the final round though.
She's a very genuine person.

1988 Senior event in Indianapolis, Broadmoor CC

I was an assistant pro at the time and met several of the players and their caddies. I did a favor getting Bob Bolt and his sponsors on a different course during the practice rounds, so he had the club trailer guy build me a driver.

We were testing and adjusting the driver at the driving range. Bob was watching me hit the ball and then Miller Barber came over in his Bright Orange knickers, and pointed out something I was doing wrong and I corrected it. As I started unleashing drives, Dale Douglass and his caddy, Cowboy, came over. We were having fun and I was just hitting balls. Finally, Arni and his caddy, who had been working on several different drivers came over.

"Son, I like your swing, but it would help if you took a wider stance."

"Mr. Palmer, I am wearing dress shoes and am affraid of slipping from a wider stance"

"You're hitting the ball that far in dress shoes, what are you doing working at a club?"

"Mr. Palmer, if you saw me putt, you would know why I teach for a living."

The crowd of players and spectators broke into a huge roar of laughter, and Arni patted me on the back(gently thank God, have you seen the size of this man's hands??? Baseball mitts), and headed toward the club house. He was the perfect straight man.

I hit one last ball, which cleared the fence at the end of the range and broke a window on a car on the street, causing the car's alarm to go off. Miller Barber looked at me smiled, then turned to the crowd and said that will be all for todays show. We'll be back tomorrow. I shook everyone's hand and went back to work, with my new driver in hand.

I had the best golf moment of my life, and the clubs insurance paid for the car window. A true Win-Win...

I used to play and hit balls at Griffith Park here in Los Angeles. The Golf Shop was operated by Jerry Barber (PGA Champion) and his sons. So one day about 1992-3 I was on the range hitting balls, and I was struggling, hitting everything with a huge slice. Everyother ball was clearing the fence on the right and going into the brush. Jerry walks by and says, "Keep them inside the range", and kept walking. I told him, "I wasn't doing on purpose and if I could I would".

I guess he was tired of me losing all their range balls.

You can say a pro met me, and they had a good experience. A few years back I got Phils autograph, and shook his hand ( merecedes i think in la costa several years ago.) He ended up winning the tournament. I had a feeling he would. He was the only pro to let me shake his hand maybe i didnt wear my deodorant that day. Just 2 years i ago i met mike weir at the nissan and he gave me a high five. He ended up winning also. The only 2 pros who shook my hand , and won.

300yard+, Can I shake your hand

Played with Vicente Fernandez in the Pro Am at the Allianz Championships a few years back. He was one great guy. He'd answer all the questions the other players in the group threw at him. He gave a few pointers. And he could reach in a little deeper and just murder the ball. At the same event...had the opportunity to meet Gary McCord, Miller Barber, Dana Quigley, Jim Thorpe, Hubie Greene and a few others. Dana Quigley talked to us for a few minutes...you could just sense how excited he was to be playing on the tour. Another good guy.

Michael Campbell was engaged to my cousin...yeah...WAS...He left her to be with his current wife julie

It tore the family apart but i have no hard feelings,great guy & yep..he really is as genuine as you see on t.v He spent x-mas with us her @ home a while back.Man,i use to hang round him like white on rice lol I would go to practice with him & pick all his balls up & count them for him,50 cents a ball & a free ice cream at the end of the day...what a deal ! haha

Not to mention i was chillin with a world class golfer

Hes the man & i'll always have time for him.

Another note -a friend of mine works for gulfstream as a field engineer & happened to get a call out to help 2 guys out whose plane had broken down.When he turned up to greet them it was JACK NICKLAUS & BILLY BOB THORNTON LOL !!! Yep,you heard correct.They are really good friends & spend alot of time hunting together on billy bob's ranch.They had to wait 2 hours for a plane part so jack tookthem to the local diner & shouted them all a milkshake haha sweet eh ?! My m8 was shootin the **** with jack nicklaus & billy bob...wow im jealous :D

Was chatting to Michael Campbell yesterday and today. Also had a long chast with Sandy Lyle, Padraig Harrington, David Carter , Ignacio Garrido, Jamie Spence and a host of others at the Nissan Irish Open during the long break in play.
I haven't seen Jack for a while, but got a get-well note from his wife, Barbara.

I haven't really met a tour golfer, but I was watching an annual local tournament and walking with the Miller's and Nicklaus's. Johnny designed the course and I told him that I thought it was a great course and that I played there all of the time.

His words: "Yeah, it's kind of neat."

Myself and my 4 mates met the 12 greatest golfers in the World (well actually 10 as Levet & Monty didnt turn up!) in an Irish bar somewhere near Detroit (town was Birmingham I think?) in September 2004. The place was packed full of golf fans, pros, journalists etc all celebrating Europe's greatest ever Ryder Cup victory. The European team arrived together and were soon directing the mayhem from on top of the bar itself. The ringleaders were Westwood, Clarke, Sergio & Poulter although all the others got into the spirit of it. It was a wild night.

Got to talk to many of them & they were very friendly, if not a little over-watered (same as the rest of us!). Poulter was a lot more down to earth than his trousers, Howell & Donald quiet but just normal guys & Clarke & Westwood were letting it rip.

It was an unforgettable party...the only problem is that nobody believes we were there cuz we had no cameras (as they were banned from the golf course earlier and naturally we were still on our way home) and therefore no photos!! At least we have the memories and we're ready to do it all again at the K Club in September....(think I'll bring the camera).

At the Western Open several years ago, one of my best buddies briefly met Jean Van De Velde. He knows only several phrases in French. As Jean walked right past him, my friend said "good luck, Jean" in French. Jean stopped and began speaking French to him in full sentences, as if he was elated that he found a fellow frenchman in the states. My friend got real nervous and had to say "that's all I know in French, sorry." Jean laughed, put his hand on his shoulder, and just said, "thank you." People around laughed because they then knew Jean was trying to embarass him by throwing all the french back at him.
It just seemed like a genuine moment from a genuine guy.

Won't give long details, chatted with a few on different days of the week. Usually at Hilton Head....it is amazing how they flip the switch from Wednesdays round when they talk to everyone and Thursdays round when they are oblivious to everyone on the grounds....I wish I could concentrate/focus like that....I do have to say that it was fun watching Charles Howell III smile and laugh while my 3 year old daughter played her version of hide and seek with him. Also, Ted Purdy gave her a ball after a second round birdie (and I was worried he was going to ask us to move as we were waiting at the back of the next tee box when he came to the tee)....

I met Adam last year at the Mastercard Masters. He gave me an autography :D :D I was so happy! Got tons of pics as well :D He was just very nice to everyone :)