Misshapen metal baskets, old balls with the thick red stripes surrounding and weathered old mats. Perfect! It was June of ’89 in Moose Jaw on my 10th birthday and my parents bought me a set of Northwesterns – a common starter set with only odd numbered irons but a complete set of woods (1, 3, and 5 woods). The rest of my summer was on autopilot – My 1 wood and 3 wood across the handlebars, 10 minute bike ride to Hooks N’ Slices Driving Range, beat balls until I was blue in the face, play a round of minigolf, collect free popsicle from nice business owner, go home, repeat next day.
Every last dime from the money earned on my paper route went to that driving range. The Owners name was Sammy Klein. He was a somewhat successful businessman in town and decided to open up this driving range as a sort of retirement project.
I have always loved the name Hooks N’ Slices because it doesn’t give you the expectation that you need to hit the ball perfect to have fun. “Tour Joes’ Ultimate Performance Centre” might get you white-knuckling your wedge shots but Hooks N’ Slices is just like…”whatever man….have fun”, and I loved that.
Thank you Sammy Klein, your decision to bring golf to your community helped shape my life. I owe you a debt of gratitude. You don’t know it but you helped shape my life.
Thank you to my parents, the late Bev and Greg McCartney, for my first set of clubs and for always allowing me to be a kid and have fun.