There were a lot of familiar faces at Tchefuncta Country Club last Thursday night when a very special evening was put together to recognize former Pinewood Country Club golf pro James Leitz.
James was one of two inductees into the PGA Gulf States Section Hall of Fame, with Timberton Golf Club pro Ron Hickman also joining the elite group of golfers and pros.
The banquet room at Tchefuncta was packed with well-wishers, former golfers who were taught by James, and many longtime friends who all came to show respect to a man who touched the lives of literally thousands in the Slidell area during the years he was the pro at Pinewood from 1975 to 2015.
And for me, it was a great opportunity to say hello to just as many old friends, coaches and golfers who had a connection to James.
I’m in that group of guys getting older now. It seems that once you get close to the age of 60 it is normal to begin reflecting on what you have done with the days the good Lord has given each of us. Have we done things we are proud of? Did we do something that helped others? And will we regret the things we could have done better?
The gathering at Tchefuncta was a testament to the fact James Leitz did a lot for more people than we could probably count.
Was it because he was the greatest golf coach ever? Maybe not, although he did create a reputation as a coach and PGA professional that led him to the top of the mountain—and that would mean being acknowledged by the coach for Tiger Woods, who invited James to a number of tournaments where Tiger played so James could observe and make suggestions. In the world of golf, it probably doesn’t get much better than that.
Did James get recognized because he became one of the best golfers ever seen in the Slidell area? Well, probably not, although he was far above average especially in his younger days and could beat the pants off most of us.
So, what was the reason so many people showed up to honor James and give him the respect he deserved? In my mind, along with those other reasons, it was due to the friendship and kindness he showed to each and every person he ever encountered.
I met James in the very early years of my newspaper career in the early 70s. I was a young kid who was hired as a sportswriter at the Slidell Daily Times while I was only 18. For whatever reason I liked the idea of putting as many people and Slidell sports in the paper as possible. And quite honestly, local golf clubs don’t usually get great coverage unless they have a pro who sends things into the paper and constantly calls for coverage.
I can’t even remember if it started like that for James and I, but what I do remember is that I began regularly going to Pinewood, partly for the junior girls program that Margaret Donaldson had started (and yes, she would pester the fire out of me to come take the pictures of the girls!), but I also met James since my brother Tony and I were very amateur golfers and liked to play. James would tell me about some weekend tournament they had, I would always put it in the paper, and then I started coming out for any kind of extra events they had to get pictures.
We became great friends and as long as James was there, he was the biggest promoter of the game of golf there was. He started the high school golf team, helped the kids in any way he could, and supported golf for kids, men and women. But at every stage of his career it was always about being friendly and kind to people, supportive to the players, and doing all he could for the game of golf in Slidell, and beyond.
And that’s why so many people showed up last week in Covington. James was still the same smiling guy he always was, working the entire packed room with hugs and pictures before he got to say a few words after his Hall of Fame presentation when he tearfully thanked everyone who was there.
As he told me, “I cannot put into words what it meant to me to see so many people show up.”
It was clear that now at the age of 62, James won’t be looking back on his life and wondering if he did enough. Did he help people when he could? Was he there for others when needed?
That answer was pretty clear by the turnout and the sincere congratulations he got to enjoy the entire evening. It was something well deserved, and I am happy that even though he isn’t working at Pinewood anymore, he made sure to call me about the big night. James is a man who deserved the many accolades he got to hear that night, something he more than earned for years of service to the Slidell community.
Kevin Chiri can be reached by e-mail at kevinchiri@gmail.com.