GOLF CHANNEL PERSONALITY Gary Williams (left) was a guest of Tyler’s Harry Leatherwood (right) for the annual Mint Julep Member-Guest Golf Tournament over the weekend at Willow Brook Country Club.

 

From the world of politics to golf broadcasting is not a typical career path. Yet that is the journey taken by Gary Williams, the host of Morning Drive on The Golf Channel.

In Tyler with his wife Julie, the Williams were the guests of Harry and Dawn Leatherwood for the Mint Julep Member-Guest at Willow Brook. Thanks to the hospitality of his hosts, Williams got a taste of golf, East Texas style.

The Williams are from the Northeast originally and were outfitted with Cowboy hats and boots by the Leatherwoods before sampling the local cuisine and attending parties associated with one of the top social events of the year at Willow Brook.

“We loved it, just loved it here,” Williams said. “Harry and Dawn showed us a great time and we never realized how pretty it is here with all of the greenery and hills.”

As host of Morning Drive, Williams uses his unique background and skill set each morning of the week to offer informed commentary about current events in the world of golf. His comments are often designed to stimulate conversation with his co-host and guests. That he is able to interview some of the most important and interesting personalities in golf each week is enviable to most golfers who like to start their day with a large dose of the Morning Drive.

A good case in point is Williams’ take on Jordan Spieth, the newest sensation in golf.

Spieth rejuvenated interest in golf for many with his outstanding play of late, winning The Masters earlier this month after almost winning tournaments in both San Antonio and Houston. And since Williams was now in Spieth country, what does he think about the 21-year-old whiz kid from Dallas?

“He is so good from the hole back to the tee,” Williams said. “Most people spend so much time wrapped up in how guys hit it from the tee to the green but he is the best from the hole back to the tee. It is really neat and I hope people can enjoy and appreciate how he plays the game, how he chips and putts.”

As for Spieth’s impact on the game, Williams expressed an opinion perhaps shared by many that the Masters win by the 21-year-old marks the beginning of a new era of golf.

“I certainly hope so,” Williams said. “He is fun to watch and from what I have heard, just a great young man. Yes, I think we will soon have him on our show.”

Such commentary is indicative of an observer of the game who is able to articulate what others may also be thinking. Williams surely heard some opinions at Willow Brook where more than a full field of more than 100 golfers enjoyed the Mint Julep competition.

Since its inception in the late 1960s, the annual Mint Julep has been as much about a good time among friends as serious golf. Tyler oilman Jimmy Walker was instrumental in getting the tournament started and in those early days, celebrities like legendary football coaches Darrell Royal of Texas and Frank Broyles of Arkansas would find themselves playing together at Willow Brook with their hosts and enjoying fellowship.

Williams is a celebrity more in step with modern times. With the expansion of cable television and the seemingly unlimited choices of topical channels, the Golf Channel has continued to grow and assert its place in sports television. Originally started by Arnold Palmer, the channel’s programming and personalities have continually evolved and the ratings and demographics of its audience are attractive to advertisers.

As a political science major at Vanderbilt University, Williams worked for a stint after college with Vice President Joe Biden when he was a senator from Delaware. It wasn’t long before he decided to leave politics for sports journalism and landed a job with a local television station in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“The first event they asked me to cover was the U.S. Open in 1998 when Payne Stewart so painfully lost the last day to Lee Janzen,” Williams said. “But I got to cover the Open the next year when he won at Pinehurst and that was just amazing.”

Williams’ connection to the Leatherwoods goes back to his college days at Vandy in the 1980s when Dawn was a fellow student and friend. They have remained friends through the years and the Leatherwoods were eager to host Williams and his wife during the Mint Julep.

“We had a great time having them here,” Leatherwood said. “We tried to show them some good Texas hospitality. You know, nothing fancy, but just a good time.”

Williams and his wife reside in Orlando, Florida, the headquarters of the Golf Channel, but he proves an old axiom of golf — “if you want to play a lot of golf, don’t get in the golf business.”

“I don’t play that much,” Williams said. “We live near a great course, Interlachen, but I don’t get out on it much at all. I played high school golf but not in college.

“I just loved playing Willow Brook because it’s a classical, old school course that plays a lot longer than it looks. Those hills make it challenging. Harry and I played pretty well this week but just didn’t make any putts.”

Leatherwood echoed those feelings by saying, “we hit some good shots and some bad shots and couldn’t buy a putt.”

With the Golf Channel enjoying continued success, Williams sees an even brighter future for the network. He started in January of 2011 and so approaches five years as the host of the morning show. With the show’s popularity, Williams sees more opportunities for engaging conversation.

“One of the greatest things about being with the Golf Channel is getting to know people like Arnold Palmer,” he said. “To be able to visit with him at his home in Orlando is something that is so memorable. He really is the king of golf.”