“I was nearly 60 and had never hit a golf ball in my life. I ended up being hooked after hitting two baskets of balls,” Ron recalls.

Ron Neal and his wife, Yvonne, have owned Hair Options in Tallahassee for over 30 years, where they are well known for their exceptional expertise in hair restoration.

A passionate fisherman for many years, Ron was surprised to get a bite from a totally different sport  -- a big chomp from the “golf bug.”

About two and a half years ago, Ron and Yvonne went to visit her sister and brother-in-law, Annette and John Saylor, in Cincinnati. 

Ron, who had never had any interest in golf, was being the epitome of the polite guest by watching the Ryder Cup tournament with avid player, John, when something about the game suddenly intrigued him. He commented to John that he’d like to try it, and that afternoon Ron was on a driving range for the first time. 

“I was nearly 60 and had never hit a golf ball in my life. I ended up being hooked after hitting two baskets of balls,” Ron recalls.

Laughing about that day, brother-in-law John says, “I’ve never seen anyone hit a golf ball that well the first time!  I told Ron, ‘You are a natural at this. Don’t listen to anything I say. Just do it your way!’”

Since then Ron has enjoyed the game immensely, and says, “I just like the complexity of the game, and the challenge that it is.”

For the last year and a half, Ron has played on Wednesdays with Dr. Charles Pettis who is the Senior Pastor at the Fresh Fire Worship Center on north Monroe Street in Tallahassee.

Charles says that Ron’s attitude toward golf is easygoing even though he is committed to doing his best at whatever he does.  “Ron wants to perfect his game but he’d rather enjoy it,” he says.  “If you ever make it more than a game, it ceases to be fun,” he adds.

Ron and his friends enjoy playing at courses all over the area.  These include local clubs such as the Seminole Golf Club, the Southwood Country Club, the Capital City Country Club and others.

They also feel that it’s time well spent to travel to the Golf Club of Quincy, the Indian Springs Golf Club in Marianna, as well as clubs in Georgia which include the Bainbridge Golf Club, the Crooked Oak Golf Club in Colquitt, the Cairo Country Club, and more.

Sundays, Ron plays with buddies, Gary Baer, Allen Harrod, and Brian Delaney.  

Gary, known for his good-natured razzing, comments on Ron’s powerful swing, “We’re having to develop a golf ball with a GPS just for him when he tees off.”   

“We also have to be sure the battery in the cart is charged because we never know how far we have to travel or in what direction!” he laughs.

Buddy Allen Harrod feels that Ron is a happy golfer no matter what. “He will have like two 8’s in a row and then hit the most beautiful shot you ever saw n your life,” he says. “He’s just happy with 8’s and tickled to death when it’s a par!”   

When asked if he has a favorite course, Ron says, “I enjoy playing all of the clubs. I like the Capital City Country Club and the Bainbridge Country Club. Their (BCC) rate is $30 for 18 holes and a cart. I think it’s worth the 45 minute drive.”    

Ron appears to have his best golf experiences with brother-in-law, John, who originally introduced him to the game, and what happened on March 12, 2009, proves it beyond any doubt.

Ron tells the story:

“The weather was beautiful that day. There was no wind and it was about 78-80 degrees. We had just come back from St. George Island where we caught a few fish, and actually played some golf down there at the St. Joe Golf Club. We drove back the same day…

“That afternoon, at the Capital City Country Club, at Hole 3, I made a 168 yard shot with a choke down #3 hybrid club.

“I said to John, ‘I don’t see my ball. It must have rolled back into the sand bunker.’ 

I took a look but it wasn’t in the bunker. 

“So my brother-in-law went over and he looked in the hole, and he said, ‘Oh, my God, it’s in the hole!’ And then I said, ‘Oh, my God, it’s in the hole!’ Then we had a bear hug!” 

The director of Capital City Country Club, Dale Brown, had this to say about the statistical chances to make a hole-in-one: 

“According to a 1999 issue of Golf Digest, an insurance company put the odds for a touring pro to make a hole-in-one at 1:3,756; and, for an amateur like Ron, it’s 1:12,750!”
   
Currently, Capital City Country Club is undergoing course renovations and will re-open around Labor Day (2009).

“We’re updating our irrigation system. Also, we’ll have all new greens and new bunker sand. Since there won’t be play for five months, it will be in the best condition it’s ever been in,” Dale explains.
 
As for his best golfing tips, Ron leans back and says, “Here’s my tip. Keep playing. Don’t throw your clubs. Don’t let golf make you angry. Remember what the famous golfer, Ben Hogan, said, ‘Golf can only be played. It can’t be won.’”

When asked for his advice about how to make a hole-in-one, Ron smiles and gives an inspiring response, “It’s just really an enjoyable game.  My advice to anybody is – anybody can be lucky. Even if you’re a senior it’s not too late to take up golf.”