Some were low maintenance, consuming Bloody Marys and screwdrivers as soon as they cleared the first green. He also taught Bebe how the members liked to play. On the course, Tom counselled the rookie on wind, reading greens and club selection. He recognized Bebe’s humble nature and took him under his wing, but never told him what the note from Palmer said. Tom drank, smoked and couldn’t stay away from poker nights, but was also sensitive enough to keep a note from Palmer safely hung in his locker. His claim to fame was caddying for Arnold Palmer at the King’s home club, Bay Hill, nestled among tangerine groves outside Orlando, Florida. Tom, better known as “Toothless Tom,” was the ringleader of the group and what he lacked in incisors he made up for in knowledge he’d collected over years treading fairways across the country. Only after successful completion, would the young caddies be unleashed on the heavyweight membership.īebe was paired with one of the longtime loopers who walked the line of outlaw and foreman. His first day, the caddie master assigned each new hire to a veteran caddie who would teach the ways of the course. The transition from municipal golf to country club was stark. The club needed help and offered him the job on the spot. He was there upon recommendation from his high school coach who suggested he apply for a summer job as a caddie. Wide-eyed, Bebe drove through the gates of the club, oblivious of its status. The course itself was impressive, too, sprawling over 36 holes and known for hosting major championships. Presidents Coolidge, Eisenhower, Taft and Wilson were frequent visitors, while business giants Rockefeller, Chrysler and Hearst also retreated from the public eye to the comfort of the club’s grandeur. His 9-hole score was good enough to make varsity, prompting a boost of self-assurance that perhaps golf could be more than a talent.įounded as a meeting place for members of Congress and businessmen, Congressional Country Club had been a site steeped in privilege and tradition since its opening in 1924. teacher encouraged him to try out for the high school golf team. After being made fun of for wearing his traditional African clothes, he started showing up in long trousers and collared shirts, only to be ridiculed for being a “preppy boy.” He was blessed to be an American, but knew he was still Nigerian at heart. Three-thousand Americans were killed, and anti-immigrant sentiments soared.īebe felt the repercussions during his first day at his new American high school. Then on September 11th, an American Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into the World Trade Center. This was the summer of 2001, a time when America was hopeful and welcome.
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After a couple months, the head pro let him play for free and his father let him cancel his return flight. “The American dream,” the 16-year-old thought. His routine was simple, chase a ball around nine holes and follow it up with a beef frank. Capitol, it was a blue-collar track where anyone could play for 12 bucks in the evenings and get a decent meal. The best way to feed his obsession was at a nearby golf course called Gunpowder.
area since the mid-1970s, but he quickly learned hotdogs were more intriguing. It was supposed to be a summer spent with his father, who had worked in the D.C. A food he had only read about in books.Ībimbola Olakanye, or Bebe as he’s known on tour, flew from West Africa to Maryland a few weeks prior. (Editor's note: This story was written and produced by Golf Channel and NBC Sports features producer Nicole Gaddie, stepped onto the golf course for the first time in search of an American culinary delicacy.