Grandpa - The Life of a Golfer and Great Man :: Biography Biographies Essays

Grandpa - The Life of a Golfer and Great Man As I got to know my husband's family, I knew golf was the one thing I eventually was going to have to learn. To them golf is more than just a sport, it is a way of life. Every summer they gather on the golf course for at least one round of golf a week and it always made me wonder, what is it about the game that has got them this hooked? Is there something about it I am just not getting? Every holiday, birthday or major occasion, there is always someone who will happily accept any gift related to golf. So one day, I began to ask questions, and eventually I found out the person they have to thank for this wonderful vice is Grandpa Luke. Luke Sutton is an 80 year old man who has played many roles. As you see him standing on the green, you see a man covered with the suntan of many summers spent outside playing golf. You see big rough hands, worn down from years of factory work, and the grey hair and many wrinkles he has earned. But you also see the twinkle in his eyes and the great big smile on his face that always invites you to come and talk with him for a while, since he has many stories to tell. I would like to tell you the story of how he became the golfer that he is, since it is an accomplishment of his no one knows much about. Luke Sutton was born in 1915 and grew up during the Depression Era in Henry, Illinois, a small suburb of Chicago. At age 9 he and his older brother found jobs as caddies at the Ravisloe Country Club. He was two years younger than the age limit for caddies, but he persuaded management to allow him to caddie for the ladies in the club. He was such a small boy and their golf bags were not as heavy as the men's golf bags. He was paid one dollar for each round played and when it was time to go home, he would walk the four miles back home. "Don't break the dollar for bus fare," his mother would say. It was a rough time financially and every little bit helped the whole family. It was through caddying that he developed his love for the sport.