After about 20 or so homeowners, friends, relatives, Greater Cedar Rapids Open (GCRO) committee members and Hunters Ridge staff spent about two hours Sunday evening sweating their a—- … I mean tails off repairing divots around the course, they got an unexpected treat upon returning to the clubhouse.
While being provided some necessary refreshments after the “holey war,” J.J. Beckstrom, who will tee it up this week at the GCRO, was at his Tiger Woods best.
Remember the Tiger commercial where he’s bouncing a golf ball up and down and around on his wedge. Well, Beckstrom, a Muskegon, Mich., native and who went to Michigan State, is staying with John and Donna Negro here at Hunters Ridge. He didn’t fare too well at Waterloo, which was a break for all those in attendance Sunday night.
Beckstrom rivaled whatever Woods could do with that wedge – at least in this instance – bouncing it off his wedge, through his legs, up on top of his back and neck and catching it – with the wedge, as it came down. He had the ball spinning on the wedge, stopped the ball spinning, had the ball on his wedge as he went round and round in a circle, all to the applause of the Divot Party-goers. It was truly incredible what the kid can do with that wedge and the ball.
The personable Beckstrom is a “golf assistant” at Old Collier Golf Club in Naples, Fla., where he makes enough money to pursue his dream of playing. If that doesn’t work out, he’s got a good gig at Old Collier and maybe could make a few extra bucks off his wedge show. Unfortunately, he hasn’t let anyone put it on YouTube yet. But I’m telling you ………………………
A “golf assistant” in Beckstrom’s case is someone who helps a golfer manage his game. If you want to call it a glorified caddie, so be it. But one of Beckstrom’s regular clients is Best Buy Founder and Chairman of the Board Richard Schulze. And, Beckstrom says he talks to Schulze on the course just like he would talk to you.
What’s Old Collier like? Go to the website at www.oldcolliergc.com. Wow. I only dream of playing places like that.
Beckstrom is hoping for a better showing this year at the GCRO. He did not play last year, but finished in a tie for 27th in 2009. He missed the cut in 2008.
How did he learn his little trick shot act? “There are some long winters in Michigan,” he said. “I know you know all about those here in Iowa, but ours are a little longer.”
Don Wojciechowski resides in the Hunters Ridge Golf Course community and plays the course on a regular basis. He’s a former sports editor for a suburban Chicago daily newspaper and an avid golf fan.