Staring at my golf clubs standing in the corner of my office, I remember the many rounds of golf that Greg and I played over the years. I remember many pleasurable rounds working with Greg on improving his game and playing in tournaments at Northwoods CC. I remember the day he called me and said he finally broke 80 and the day he scored a hole-in-one.
When I look at two crystal trophies on the shelf, I remember back-to-back championships we won at an invitational team tournament at the revered Peachtree Golf Club.
I remember us playing weekdays at the original Reynolds Plantation course when very few people were out there and we always got in 36 and often 54 holes a day. I remember having the opportunity to explore all the other Reynold’s courses with Greg as his reputation as a good and gracious golfer and his Reynold’s membership grew.
I remember the many hours we spent in friendly competition, mutual encouragement, and no mater rain or shine, we most often ended a great day with the Nineteenth hole, steaks on the grill, and a good cigar watching the sunset over the 14th fairway.
I know that Greg and I played golf with many other people in our time, but I will always remember Greg as a brother and my best golfing buddy. I trust he felt the same way.
Rest in peace dear friend.
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Greg was a complicated guy in the best sense of the word. He could be gruff, stubborn, reserved, funny, sharp, and incredibly loyal all at the same time. He wasn’t always easy to know quickly, but if you took the time, there was a lot there to appreciate and respect.
Over the years, and especially in the last several months, I got to know a side of Greg that I’ll always be grateful for. I got to hear more of his stories, spend more real time with him, and see more clearly how much he loved his family. Somewhere along the way, he became more than just my father-in-law to me. He became a friend.
I’ll miss him, and I’ll always be thankful I got to know him as well as I did.
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