Anyway, we get an invitation to bring a couple of Turf Choppers down to Ball Hill C.C. for the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando Florida. We received that invitation for two reasons; 1st do to having greatly impressed several of the GM's and course pros at other Palmer owned golf courses, as well we were granted permission by the board allowing our Turf Choppers to be used on their courses. and 2nd we
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavBBoISR1P3c57bVeSna4KwsCLDbCe1BEceoDVTxz0SapyEuQ37-ZQNZqwcdRmlG4KGFvL16NQ4or7vbdEncUCL1-sgzxwtdQKYkntm7qx0-n9_t9uKEG5VfVrcrNQsZd1Vq0B0_CyPhw/s400/single+rider+golf+cart+at+Bay+Hill+2009.jpg)
had done our first full page ad in the Kingdom magazine, Arnold Palmer's up scale magazine. Well come to pass Jon Edwards, the SVP of Kingdom magazine in London met and befriended a gentlemen named Bruce Alexander, who was playing in the Pro-Am tournament at the British Open in 2008. Bruce plays in many of the PGA Pro-Am events and was planning on playing in the Pro-Am at the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational but feared he would not be able to, do to have had a knee replacement surgery and would not be able to walk an entire round of 18. The PGA did grant Bruce his request to use a golf cart for the tournament. Photo to the right is of me, Michael Mazza (letf) and Jon Edwards (right). One day Jon Edwards suggested to Bruce that he maybe able to persuade Bridgeburg Golf to lend him a Turf Chopper for the tourney. Bruce had one look at it and was hooked. All the arrangement were made with Bay Hill CC to have one unit brought down and used by Bruce in the Pro-Am portion of Arnold Palmer Invitational and another to be used as a display model at the Club house.
The 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational ran from March 23 to the 29th. Tuesday the 23rd is a Pros practise day, Wed the 24th Is the Pro-Am Tournament and Thursday to Sunday is the PGA event. At first we were just going to have a couple of Choppers shipped to the course and Jon Edwards who was flying in from London would handle it at that end. I had some business to do in central Florida anyway and had never met Jon so I figured I would take them over myself.
So now I show up on Tues the 23rd with the Turf Chopper. I check in with Bay Hill management because Jon missed his flight and I have no instruction on where or what to do with the carts. Bay Hill GM tells me to bring it around and someone would take it from there. I brought it around to where all the Bay Hill high ups, PGA tournament directors and executives, network reps and sponsor executives where hanging out for the opening day festivities. WOW what a response, I couldn't get them of if. I had one guy that was even driving right up to inquisitive spectator and onlooker giving them demonstrations.
What can I say, they all loved it! They even invited me to stay for the entire tournament with all access pass to everywhere and everything. I was even told to drive the Turf Chopper around for the whole tournament and pass out cards and any literature I had. I was also invited to the private PGA post game party. So having never been to a PGA golf tournament before and grateful for the wonderful marketing opportunity, for free, that they were offering me I accepted the invitation.
It was a beautiful Florida spring morning on Wed the 24th and the Turf Chopper was already a huge hit by all the spectators. However 5 minutes before Bruce Alexander was to tee off the PGA director told me that a clause in the tournament insurance policy was found that would only cover Bruce if he was to use a golf cart leased or owned by Bay Hill CC and registered as a current operating equipment assets as outlined in the tournament application prier to the tournament start date. We were all a little disappointed but none more then Bruce who after a half an hour of riding it around getting used to it, fell in love with it and was very excited to be on one for the tournament. He did want to buy one so we gave him one for cost to take with him after the tournament and he loves it!
It was on that Wednesday when I first started to officially meet all the pros, which looking back was a little embarrassing because aside from Tiger Woods and a few other pros I couldn't tell ya who's who and that was made apparent to me when a tournament spectator came up to me after I had give a demo and a lengthy test ride to a guy. The man came right up to me and said "Do you know who that was?" I did not, and as far as I was concerned he was just an interested customer. Turns out he is one of the all time top money earners on the PGA tour. Shortly after that eye opener Mike Weir and a few other pros walked off the driving towards the club house. Well being a Canadian I do know who Mike is and was extremely excited when they approached me with questions about the amazing little Turf Chopper golf cart I was riding around on. I did give them a demonstration and as soon as I completed the demo one of the pros jumped on it and took off. Mike told me to follow them or I wouldn't get my cart back. He took it in to a players only practise area and began showing it to his buddies. It was at that time when I was introduce to about a dozen of the competing pros.
One of my greatest memories of that week was Thursday morning at the official PGA start meeting in the club house. I was approached by Johnson or Watney (I think) who told me that he had been watching me the past 2 days and had drawn bigger crowds and had more pictures taken of then most of the pros. I do have a bit of a sarcastic sense of honour so quickly responded with " If I ask you for your autograph will you stop wining?" he said "Yes" and grabbed the hat off my head and signed it as well did the guys around us. One thing lead to another and about 28 of the completing pros all came over, introduced themselves and signed my hat. He then returned my hat to me and asked if I liked that, my reply jokingly was "you guys wrote all over my favourite hat. I can't wear it now." But really it was a great experience for me and very encouraging to be accepted in
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikMleFwRGpxLKOCF6A8LZVVzzb-Zs6PFUQrP9fbtbAD07r8dMzHRYysUqP-bX01AFCqN-B8w3KZkzNsyqWB9JbvDWGaQj45B5YUrWb4tJqrG7sy6Cgf9xd59Uf2pdRSM1ulCOJEelgmDt-/s400/florida+031.jpg)
that elite cycle.
This is a picture of the hat that now hangs in my office, unwearable lol.
I did get to meet Tiger Woods twice which was a great thrill for me, but it wasn't at the club house. The first time I was parked in the shade somewhere along the 18th fairway when Tigers tee shot landed aprox. 6 feet from me. As he approach he commented "that's the way to travel. What do you call it??" We talked for a minute or so then he went on his way. The second time was after he had completed his round on Saturday. We formally introduces ourselves and shook hands. WE talked about non-golf related topics for a few minutes before the camera crews whisked him away for some interviews. He really seems like a down to earth and easily approachable kinda guy, real cool.
Over all it was an amazing week for me. I was invited to not only the private PGA post party but was also invited to a annual party that some business mogul's throws at his multi million dollar estate which I did attend, with the company of a beautiful North American Mercedes rep, but thats another story.
I look forward to my next PGA event. Please have a look at the video on our website: http://www.bridgeburggolf.com/