An Interview with the Chairman

Legends Want to Know: An Exclusive Interview with the Chairman of Legends In Our Own Minds®….

We've all heard or read the stories: the birdies, the holes in one, the tall tales around the barbecue, even the infamous mooning of the clubhouse. As with any legend, some tales are true, some are embellished. But we wanted to get the real scoop, the truth about the beginnings of Legends in Our Own Minds®. To learn the unadorned facts, we turned to the Man, the Chairman of Legends, the one who is the first Legend In His Own Mind: Dave Ginger.

Staff: Mr. Ginger, tell us briefly how "Legends" got started.

Mr. Ginger: Legends In Our Own Minds actually started about ten years ago with a group of us friends getting together for a weekend of golf in Austin, Texas. It was primarily my way of showing appreciation to those guys who helped me learn the game. As the weekend came to a close, we decided that it had been so much fun we would do it again the next year and everybody would bring a friend. Therefore, the second year, we had five foursomes to play, and it has remained that way ever since.

Staff: In an earlier conversation, you called your Legends tournament more than just another golf outing. You called it an event. Can you explain that comment?

Mr. Ginger: We have three days of golf, some friendly bets, a Saturday night cookout with delicious steaks, our favorite beverages, big cigars and a whole lot of "story telling." However, the most important thing is that we are all very good friends and the camaraderie that we have developed through the past ten years is fantastic. It is truly an event that we all look forward to each year.

Staff: You and your partner trademarked the Legends In Our Own Minds. Can you tell us why?

Mr. Ginger: We always had some kind of token for the guys to take home each year as a memento for each tournament. Usually we bought shirts and caps and occasionally we had other items like bag tags and even golf bags. We formed the company originally to be able to buy our tournament mementos at discounted prices. As time passed, it became clear to us that we were on to something bigger than we first realized. The Legends In Our Own Minds name attracted so much attention that we decided to get our own trademark to prevent someone from using our ideas. It's that simple.

Staff: Are you worried that Legends will become too big, too "commercialized?"

Mr. Ginger: Never happen. Each tournament is unique. While the mechanics may be similar, the people involved, the atmosphere, the setting, the spirit of each event is different. Even a national tournament doesn't just happen out of thin air. Smaller, fun, individual tournaments lead up to it.

Member Discounts:

When the stars align just right, you have to act fast. This month is the start of summer and the primary golf season, plus -- we managed to tie down the Chairman for an interview.

In honor of that, we decided to offer some hot specials.

THIS MONTH ONLY and FOR MEMBERS ONLY:

** Golf Balls with the Legends® logo --- 20% off, limit two boxes.
** Schedule a Packaged Tournament (we do all the work, you have all the fun) and each member of your group will receive a complimentary Legends® bag towel.
** And show off them hairy legs - call the Legends® office to find out about this season's coolest golf shorts - 10% off the regular price.

These discounts are available to members only, but be sure to visit our Pro Shop for other discounts and specials.

Golf Tip of the Month:

From Lord Byron Nelson: The Best Putting Tip I Ever Received:

After completing the first round of a PGA tournament early in his career, Lord Byron returned with his wife to their hotel room. He quickly took his putter from his bad, dropped two golf balls on the floor and began stroking them across the carpeted room. He declared that his putting was terrible and that he made absolutely no putts during his round that day. His wife was direct in her response. She said, "Well, Byron, you just need to hit the ball closer to the hole!"

Visit the Golf Tips Archives in The Club Library for more exciting and valuable advice.

Member News:
Legends Hole-in-One:

Lloyd Draper reports that he made a hole-in-one on the Dallas Bestest Golf Course. According to the local golf pro, who verified the hole-in-one, Lloyd hit from the women's tee and sliced it horribly. Miraculously though, the ball, a Legends Slazenger Power Control, bounced off Lloyd's Big Bud Beer cooler (he stashes them strategically throughout the course), ricocheted over the sand trap, rolled through the rough, and dropped right smack into the hole on the 14th green.

Congratulations to Member Lloyd Draper!!

(Although this Legends Hole-in-One story is a tall tale, it's a myth sure to be embellished in the 19th Hole for tournaments to come.)

Legends "Say What?":

Legends members love their golf, no doubt about it. Take Member Robert Frey of Oakdale, Minnesota:

Apparently when he's secured a hard-to-get tee time, nothing will keep Robert (known to friends as Rob-Bob) from the course, even a late spring snow. He set off for his morning round, ignoring the light flakes dotting his Legends cap. Even when the snow began to fall in big puffy flakes and fill his pull bag, he plowed on, literally. Rob-Bob managed to play nine holes, before dragging himself and his snow-covered bag back to the Pro Shop.

According to Jed Smith, the pro shop manager, he was shocked to see Rob-Bob crawl in since he had no idea anyone was still out on the course. When he asked Frey how he did, Frey said, "How'd I do? Are you crazy, man? It's a blizzard out there. Thank God for cleats, or I never would've made it up that last hill on nine. But look at this--only seventeen over. You try finding your balls in the snow."

(Hey! - send in your member news so I don't have to keep making up this stuff.)

Look for Member News posted on the Legends web site -- visit The Library in The Club.

Legends "Highlights in Golf History":

Picture it: Mount Fuji rises snowcapped and majestic in the background. Ahead of you, the 18th hole on the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan. In front of the green - a still, ominous pond. Behind the flag - three bunkers, white and groomed. You hit your shot and the ball rolls back into the pond. What do you do?

If you're Lee Westwood in the 1998 Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Master, you see that your ball is still half visible, so you climb into the pond and take your shot. Westwood hit a lob wedge, made birdie, and won the tournament.

Sometimes you just have to take a chance and go for it.

It's not just trivia; it's history.

Legends Calendar:

This month, we're highlighting two tournaments: The 13th Texas Legends Tournament and the Colorado 2001 Invitational Tournament.

Near Austin, Texas
Barton Creek, Lakeside
May 14-16, 2004

The Legends In Our Own Minds® 2004 Tournament in Texas marked the Thirteenth Anniversary of our event. For the celebration of this milestone, we extended the tournament from a two-day event to a three-day competition. We also increased the field of players from twenty to twenty-four.

Players came from as far away as Colorado and Florida, as well as from all over Texas, to be part of our annual Legends weekend. Adding the third day allowed us to play one round at the Apple Rock Course in Horseshoe Bay as well as our "home" course at Barton Creek Lakeside.

Be sure to check out the pictures from last year's tournament in the Photo Gallery. We'll post blackmail-worthy photographs from our 2008 National Tournament as soon as possible after we sober - er, rest - up.

All Legends golfers know how to hit the balls and party. Break out the clubs, the champagne and the cigars.

Happy Golfing to the Legends In Our Own Minds® golfers. You're not only originals, you're true Legends.

 

A LOOK BACK:
Aurora, Colorado
Saddle Rock Golf Course
May 18, 2001

Legends In Our Own Minds® designed another fun day on the beautiful Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora, Colorado on May 18, 2001. The Colorado Open has been played on the Saddle Rock Golf Course in 1999 and 2000.

The Invitational Tournament attracted some of the best golfers in Colorado and many not so good golfers (but we won't name names). However, we are always Legends In Our Own Minds®.

The Legends In Our Own Minds® Colorado 2001 State Tournament awarded over $2000 in golf prizes, reduction in golf fees, and other awards.

Be sure to visit the Legends website -- results and photos are up and ready for viewing. What a great time everyone had!.