One Swing at a Time

Generosity is not in the sum given, but the manner in which it is bestowed.

~Mahatma Ghandi

This is the story of a kid named John, who was funny, smart, confident, and knew how to (and loved to) work hard. He was also our kid, and a much-loved brother. His dinner table comments cracked us all up, the twinkle in his deep brown eyes was mischievous, and he had a smile that lit up the room.

He also loved the game of golf. Which is how he ended up walking inside a private golf club in Scottsdale Arizona, giving the pro his resume, and saying something like: "I'm a good golfer, I'm a hard worker and I'd like to work here." I'm sure he was shaking in his shoes, but I'm also sure he looked the pro directly in the eye and spoke with confidence. Probably inferring something like: You'd be crazy not to hire me.

Which is how he ended up at Troon Country Club.

He loved being part of a golfing community; he loved Troon Country Club. He loved the people he worked for, and he loved the people he worked with. He studied the game of golf even more, he practiced more, he played more, and he discovered he really wanted to teach golf as a profession. He started working toward his Class A PGA Professional certification - which is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor. The joy in his voice, when he'd talk about a class he'd taken or a score he'd had to qualify with, was contagious; we knew he'd found his people and his profession.

And then, at the age of 23, he was in a terrible accident and passed away on November 23, 2002. His family, his friends, his co-workers, and his golf community were all devastated. He was a kid everybody liked ... who had so much potential.

Which is how, with the generosity of Troon Country Club members, the John Kayler Memorial Golf Scholarship was created. Today, its name is the Troon Scholarship Foundation. (also 'The Kayler Event')

Which is how, twenty one years later, the total number of scholarships awarded has reached 300+, valued at approximately $1.5 million in funds awarded.

The best part? Scholars either work for Troon Country Club, or are dependents of Troon employees. Their college experiences run the gamut from first-generation community college students to students completing medical school and PhD's. PGA Class A Professionals to chefs and nurses. A LOT of lives have been mentored and supported over the years.

In 2023, Troon is awarding 38 scholarships valued at $400,000.

Some are first-time scholars; some are repeat recipients. Everyone applies (or reapplies) every year through an application and interview process.

Which is also why we want you to know the backstory.

Shortly after John's accident, two Troon members approached our families and asked if they could start a scholarship fund in John's name. They'd each contribute a small donation to get it started and hold a golf tournament to see if they could raise a bit more money. We were overwhelmed by their gesture as much as we were still overwhelmed with our shock and grief.

During the same timeframe, John's golfing co-workers ('the guys'), invited John's brother Brian to Scottsdale to spend some time with them. They instinctively knew he needed to hear the stories, to remember, and to begin healing. They had taken a Troon baseball-style hat, embroidered JK on the back, and presented it to Brian. The hat was their way of reminding him that he had a support system of brothers by other mothers who would be there for him anytime he needed them. They called it The Divine Intervention Hat ... or DVI hat.

Brian loved his hat so much he asked the club to make enough DVI hats for our families. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all got a hat. Black, Gray, Khaki or Red. Over the years, the hat could be found in backpacks, purses, briefcases, or on heads during soccer matches and SAT exams. During scary doctor appointments, job interviews, weddings and memorial services. All one of us had to do was send a note: "Need a little divine intervention" and the hats would come out.

Back to the tournament, though.

Janet, Brian, and John's best friends Josh (left) and Jake (center)

The tournament's first year was run entirely by volunteer employees and a small group of members who braved Arizona's hot July sun to set up and play a memorial round of golf. The budget was $0 and there wasn't a prize; attendees were just playing golf with friends. About 40 people played in 114 degree heat. They got a free hotdog and a cart filled with ice, wet washcloths, and drinks to keep them from sweltering in the heat. They raised $3,000 to help partially pay tuition for four Troon golf employees aspiring to become PGA Class A Professionals.

The day's prize? Hmmmm. With a $0 budget, what would work? Someone remembered that there was a handful of extra DVI hats in a box in a cupboard. Why not give them to the winners.

One golf swing at a time, tournament after tournament, year after year, the scholarship grew.

It grew into an important mission for the Troon members: To encourage and provide scholarships and educational opportunities to Troon Country Club employees and their eligible children. Over the years it grew even more through the generosity and dedication of the Troon community.

The prize each year? A simple hat.

Not just any hat, though. The Divine Intervention Hat.

As the tournament has grown, so has the lore of the DVI hat. To this day, teams still compete for a Troon baseball-style hat. It's a BIG deal hat. You win a hat and you're part of a very exclusive club. As mentioned above, the hat is one of the most coveted prizes a Troon Country Club member can claim.

And there's this for those who have won a hat: With your Divine Intervention Hat on, a good shot must be followed by THANKS John! A bad shot must be followed by Geeze. Thanks, John. Because as we all know, he's hanging out helping when he wants, and hindering when he wants. He was funny like that. Always helpful ... or not ... depending on the person, the day, whether there was a full moon, or maybe what he had for breakfast. You just never knew.

Do you want to know the coolest part these days? About 95% of the current Troon members never had the chance to meet John Kayler. They only know him through photos and stories. But they support his legacy and the legacy they've created, as if he was their kid too. Because, as one member told me last week after the day's events, "He could have been any one of our kids. We know that. We know how lucky we are that we have ours; we know how awful it is to not have yours. This is our way of making sure 'our' kid John has a legacy that changes lives, like he planned to do with his life."

As the club has grown and the event has grown, so have the day's competitions. There's golf ... of course. But now there's a pickleball tournament. A bocce ball competition. And tables full of folks supporting the annual fundraising through a variety of card games. There's a silent auction that raises a whopping lot of money in one day. Each of these are part of this incredible mission to give back. Members love being involved in any way they can.

Most years several of us family members have traveled to Troon - not only to enjoy the day's activities - but to thank these wonderful people for all they do. And to meet the scholars, most of whom take time out of their busy schedules to work the day's event as their way of saying thank you, too.

We personally thank as many members as we can for keeping our kid's legacy alive. Thank them for supporting this unbelievably amazing scholarship with their time and generosity.

We thank them for locking arms with their scholars and showing + telling these amazing students: "YOU matter to us. Your success MATTERS to us."

That, my friends, is how lives get changed.

And makes a hell of a lot of heartache feel a whole lot better.

One Swing at a Time

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