Gayle Moss

If you ever have the opportunity to stay and play golf on Maui, I strongly urge you to check out THE PGA golf professional that epitomizes the term “generous soul” – PGA golf professional, David Havens – founder of The Haven’s Experience at Maui Nui golf course. This past November we were fortunate to play in David’s Throwback tournament – a very special event that raises money for his charity – Spare for Change. A couple of weeks ago, I heard from David that a lucky young woman was now the proud new owner of my clubs. So the next time you look in your garage or basement at a lonely golf club or set, think about the joy you could bring to someone who couldn’t play the greatest game on earth without your help.

Later that afternoon I was laying by the ocean thinking about Roy and all the great people we’ve met on the course and suddenly David Havens, PGA Director of Instruction at Ka’anapali Resort from 2009 to 2016 popped into my mind. This year, we arrived on Maui to learn that David had moved to the Maui Nui Golf Club as the Director of Instruction of The Havens Experience — a move fuelled by his desire to be closer to home (Kihei – a 45 minute drive from Ka’anapali) where he lived with his beautiful wife and two young children. On Hole 3 at The Royal @kaanapaliresort , think about Fleetwood Mac because, here, "You can go your own way." and score pic.twitter.com/zISfd5PMPy #6 @kaanapaliresort Royal is a nice reprieve after 5, so listen to Bob Seger, "Turn the page" & go for birdie https://t.co/BlZeeD2RiV pic.twitter.com/R8CHBp9hge #7 @kaanapaliresort is my "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin – a song of hope

So when I saw that the renowned golf poet, Leon White, had written another book called “Opposites in GOLF I finished the book in one sitting and made sure to read every poem out loud (It’s the only way to truly experience the magic of his words and phrases.). That was a few years ago, but when I read The Opposite of A Hole-In-One, it all came back to me and I felt the unpleasant chill Leon wrote about. Read it for yourself (out loud) and let me know what you think… Forgive me, Leon, but I decided I had to write my  personal sequel to your poem to remind me that a hole-in-one just might be in my future.

But after working in industries that have  been digitally disrupted, I have come to realize that the problem with golf is not the Internet, it’s Digital Darwinism. The leaders in the golf industry suffer from this affliction, not because they aren’t intellectually intelligent, but because they lack the Social IQ needed to thrive in today’s  constantly connected, socially-centric world. In the video industry, survival of the swiftest saw Netflix cannibalize its own DVD rental industry and move into streaming video. The last thing the golf industry wants to do is revolutionize itself beyond the millions spent in equipment and ball design every year – investments that have proven to do little to help improve the handicap of the average golfer.