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Sean’s Golf Shop a Snapshot of American Spirit
A few of our new neighbors invited my husband to have breakfast and go to a golf course practice range to “hit a few.” I suspect the guys just wanted a nice, big, homemade breakfast. I can confirm this theory because my husband gushed about the breakfast more than the practice range. It also was discovered that after three years of sitting in storage, his glove disintegrated into a hundred dandruff-looking white flakes, and the handle to his putter followed suit. The driver was also not up to par – no pun intended. Time for a new driver, putter, and glove, I asked.
He launched into a search that produced a place called “Sean’s Golf Shop – New and Used Golf Clubs – Golf Repair Services.”
We drove past an unassuming, tiny shop off a busy road that said Steve’s Golf Shop. “That’s not it – I’m sure it said Sean – not Steve!” said my husband. Then ask Siri, I said. She knows everything (note Siri is a woman’s voice? We always ask directions). Siri said turn around and make a U-turn. We found ourselves at Steve’s. I said, can we ask why the sign says Steve’s? No, was the reply. I just want to find a new driver. We enter the tiny, unassuming shop.
My husband asks me to help him find a particular brand of driver. Are you kidding, I said. I’ve played golf once (ok – it was fun) and several rounds of miniature golf. What do you mean that doesn’t count? I told him to ask the expert – Sean…..
Sean emerges from the counter with a cheerful “What can I help you find?” Sean is a young guy with a hip haircut, but a little slow to move, maybe a back issue? Immediately he launches a full explanation of two drivers and their differences. One has these “mixed metals” and is popular for this sound and the other sounds different, due to the fact these these two alloys were mixed to create this driver. “You’ll hear the difference right away”, Sean said with confidence. Scott asks “Can I try it out?” Sure – right over there!
Everyone knows women have smaller bladders than men, so I ask if I could use the bathroom? “Sure!” Sean exclaimed with the same enthusiasm. “Right over there – just go for it!” So I went for it.
My husband selected the club he wanted, and then asked about a putter. Again, Sean pulled out his favorite and explained in golfing technical terms what he liked and why it’s becoming popular. So my husband shared that he likes the putter he has, but the rubber handle grip has crapped out. Again Sean to the rescue. “No problem – easy fix! It’ll take five minutes!” He emerged with a very nice new handle grip, club all polished, and a new free “golf sock.” Scott purchased two new gloves and we left more than satisfied – with the customer service, knowledge, and cost.
I did ask him why it said “Steve’s” Golf Shop on the little sign out front? He said, “Oh, that was the old owner – he left.”
I was curious about Sean. There was a row of golf books on a shelf behind his counter and his “fix-it” shop in the back was full of everything and looked to me – a rookie – to be in disarray. He said he decided to learn everything about golf – and stepping out on faith – launched his little business right when COVID hit. “I got this inventory pennies on the dollar.” he said. “I knew that golf and being outdoors was going to be popular when things were shuttering.”
I have to say, knowing nothing about golf, that this was a snapshot of the real American Spirit. He had all of it – enthusiasm and a genuine love of his business, and was contributing his skills in a positive way.
Do you know of a small, unassuming shop, restaurant, or entrepreneur that embodies the American Spirit? This has always been the backbone of every corner of our great country, the deli, tire store, dry cleaners, hardware store, car wash, and people like Sean and his golf shop. Oh – and those breakfast places…….
Here he is on TV doing an interview! Support your local entrepreneur!
Published in General
I present to You the greatest club cover I have ever seen (be sure to show Yer Husband):
Still cracks Me up looking at it.
Ha! I’m not sure what I’m looking at…..I was in the bathroom….
Funny timing.
I was crammed into the back seat of a very small car yesterday, sharing space with my husband’s clubs, traveling from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
I spent about half the time wrapping my scarf around various clubs trying to discover and end the source of the most annoying rattling. Where upon I noticed one club was a “Cleveland” (I know little about golf and less about clubs)
I worked in the office of a large California Bank that provided the start up funds for Roger Cleveland Golf Co back in the 80s and met him many times. Started on a very small amount of financing. Apparently he’s a big deal now.
Good for Sean. He was correct about golf, JY finally had to join a club in SoCal just to get a tee time during Covid. But I was informed by cousins last night that all the golf courses in Scotland were shuttered during Covid. Because … who the hell knows. JY’s eyes lit up – he’s out playing with them now and is hopeful they’re not nearly as practiced up as him.
To address the actual question I’m the OP, my boss and I are wrapping up a reverse mortgage for a local restaurant owner. He’s well known in our small town for a killer margarita and decent Mexican food. He’s been a fixture for 30 + years and is now retiring.
My boss heard a radio interview he recently did on local radio. He came to America at 9 (sans parents. Maybe met up with other relatives?). He’s got a third grade education and has been working since he was 10. Managed to start his own restaurant in our little town (also made some money in real estate development before 2008) and raised 10 kids.
Delightful gentlemen who makes me feel inadequate about my lack of achievement.
Wow Anne – great story! We like watching Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives – he finds these roadside treasures that have amazing food and the owner is always someone with recipes handed down throughout the generations. My mouth waters! Ten kids? That’s a lot of staff!
We love going to our gun shop. We are buddies with our gun guy, who flies a Trump flag and celebrates freedom. We can always figure in commiserating time, as we all lament the state of the country.
My brother-in-law in Tarpon Springs says the same thing about the local barber shop that he frequents. Funny there is still a comradery in a barber shop :-) a.k.a. Floyd