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Jim Ulrich of Eaton Corporation conducts a Q&A with Laurinburg native and golf agent Thomas Parker.
But there was also food for thought provided by Laurinburg native and now golf agent/financial manager Thomas Parker.
Parker talked about his love of golf as well as what Hospice care has meant to his family. The tournament benefits Hospice of Scotland County.
"I don't get home a whole lot, but this is something thats really near and dear to myself and my family. I see great friends of my mother who spent her last few days in Hospice," Parker said. "This is something I was all for because I get it. I spent a lot of time there when I was 7. I think it's a great organization, it meant a lot to my family. My dad has been to some classes since. It's great from the patient side."
A throng of more than 200 crowded the Scotch Meadows Country Club to hear Parker, but also to take part in the tournament that includes door prizes, raffles, silent and live auctions and two days of golf, which attracted 180 golfers.
Jim Ulrich of Eaton Corporation sat down with Parker for a casual conversation with the audience. Eaton has been a longtime sponsor of the Hospice tournament.
Ulrich noted that Parker grew up in Laurinburg and visited Scotch Meadows County Club as a child.
"All I did as a kid was play golf...I played a lot of golf. My life in Laurinburg was pretty sheltered. That's pretty much what we did. I tried to learn how to play Gun Rummy with some of your members, but we weren't allowed in the locker room," Parker joked. "I had a lot of fun playing here today. Scotch Meadows is so unique in that you learn a lot of shots. Playing here today brought back a lot of memories. The quality shots you hit here is fantastic."
Parker successfully played Junior Golf and Future Masters. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1999, where he played on golf team.
"I had a lot of fun playing Junior Golf," he said. "My parents made a lot of sacrifices, I got to go around the world, all around the United States playing golf. A lot of the clients I have today were people I played with when I was a kid."
Parker worked as a player agent for Octagon Golf, but as a financial manager, he now owns his own company and represents nine PGA tour players including Tim Clark, Carl Patterson, Web Simpson, Lucas Glover, Charles Warren and Jonathan Byrd.
He said that his job continues to be challenging with the difficult economic times.
"We're in the service business. Those challenges have only gotten harder, especially with the demands from parents who think their kid's the next Tiger Woods," Parker said. "When Tiger went on tour, in 1996, the purses were about $80 million, this year they'll play for about $300 million ...if that gives you any idea of the 'Tiger effect'."
Parker said that because Tiger Woods has been in the news a lot lately he has helped those in the business to make a lot of money.
"There are a lot of wealthy guys, that are very average in what they do, comparatively speaking, because of Tiger Woods. Our jobs have changed, become a lot more high maintenance, and he's the sole reason why," he said. "You're working twice as hard for half the amount. But how can we complain when we look at the unemployment rate in the country. I'm fortunate that my guys are very educated and they get it."
Ulrich noted that there seems to be a trend in professional golf to hit the ball great distances, which has become challenge for some courses like Scotch Meadows.
"We have some challenges in golf as to where does this go. We can't redo every golf course in this country, but I think we have to roll back the golf ball," Parker said.
It was noted that golf has become more of a global sport, and Parker said he works with a South African and a Swedish golfer.
"In the masters last week, there were 44 americans and 54 players from around the world," he said. "Tiger is making golf global. He's the most recognizable sports figure in the world and he's truly made it a global game."
Sponsors, donors and volunteers also recognized the new Gold Grip sponsors, which donate $1,000, with plaques. The tournament has already raised a total of $80,000 in sponsorship alone.
New Gold Grip sponsors for the year included: Laurinburg Intern Medicine; Dr. Frank J. Ball; Dr. Bradley H. Bethel; Dr. Jeffery A. Moore; Dr. Jonathan Neston; Dr. Steven Launti and Dr. Brian Parkes; Tom and Shari Husdon; Wachovia Bank, Wells Fargo; National Healing Corporation; Dr. John Atkins III; and Ivan Hinrichs, Mass Mutual Insurance. New platinum sponsors included Medical Village Pharmacy and The Morgan Foundation.
Jeff Fiorini, general manager of the event's major sponsor, Eaton Golf Pride, said that the event is always a highlight for the Eaton Corporation.
"Pulling all of this together is a significant task. It really is a comprehensive effort. All the companies that look at Hospice, all of the collegiate golf programs that look at this event and recognize what it means for the community. It's really something we take pride in," Fiorini said.
"Two weeks ago we had the grand opening for our new facility in Moore County. We will be very active in the Moore County community, but we also made it very clear that the roots of where we came from will always be a very important part of what we do," Fiorini added. "Hospice is something we take a great deal of pride in what we've built, we want to make it even better."
Dr. Bill Loftus of Hospice thanked everyone for attending the fundraising events for even evening and noted that all who work at Hospice appreciate the sponsors' commitment to their mission and the trust that Hospice will continue to deliver the best possible compassionate care to individuals and families as they face end of life situations.
"The golf Gods, as we all know, can be very capricious. But fortunately, not all of life is that way. And you folks are evidence of that. You are a testament to the fact that there is persistence in life. There is certainty in life. There is predictably in life. You are it," Loftus said. "You're steadfast support of what hospice is and does means so very much. You understand how important it is to have a persistence of vision over time. To have a commitment to something and then to stick to that commitment. You know deep down that in the end its that persistent of commitment over time that leads to success. Whether its in golf, whether its in life."
Hospice Executive Director Jane Murray asked that everyone attend the final events today.
"Every dollar you give, through your sponsorship, through the silent auction items goes to help someone through their end of life," she said.
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