Bob Vokey’s three-day itinerary for his trip home to Canada this summer featured his first visit to Acushnet Canada headquarters in Woodbridge, Ont., a Team Titleist event at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley and a short-game clinic at Toronto Golf Club, where Titleist’s master wedge craftsman extolled the performance virtues of Titleist’s latest SM10 wedge series.
There was also a much-anticipated sidebar to the trip north.
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member got his first opportunity to experience a shiny new glass encased locker in the TPC Toronto locker room commemorating him as the Hall’s 79th honoured recipient. Populated by several items that Vokey donated, the locker also includes the first wedge he designed. That was given to the Hall a few years ago by the late Andy Bean, a PGA Tour winner.
Kept off the itinerary was a surprise courtesy of Acushnet Canada.
“Bob turned 85 the day of his visit,” said Matt Goodman, Titleist Canada’s director of product marketing. “Our goal was to give him a memorable birthday.”
While executives ushered Vokey around on a “totally bogus office tour” 90 employees had left their workstations and gathered behind the facility’s warehouse. Food trucks, a pizza oven, live music and a huge birthday cake were already in place.
The unsuspecting guest of honour admits he was kind of confused why the building was so quiet.
“I’d never been to Acushnet Canada before,” he said. “We arrive and there’s literally no one around. I’m thinking, man, what is going on? A lot of people must work here. This is a big place. Where the heck is everybody? Maybe it’s lunch time.”
More like party time.
Once the tour reached the warehouse area Vokey was told there was something out back he needed to see.
“Bob opens the door and everyone yells “Surprise!” He was totally caught off guard,” Goodman said. “It was a great afternoon for all of us, especially the birthday boy.”
Vokey could not have been more appreciative.
“That’s as good as life gets right there. I mean, what a moment. Everyone at Acushnet Canada was so great, so kind. I still can’t believe what they did. It was a total surprise,” he said with a smile.
Vokey has a lot to celebrate these days.
Sixteen years after being diagnosed with kidney cancer and undergoing a successful operation at Cleveland, Ohio’s Mayo Clinic (for the removal of his right kidney), the Verdun, Que., native remains cancer-free.
Since 2004, Titleist Vokey wedges have been the No.-1 played wedge on tour and the current SM10 line is poised for record-breaking retail sales.
With the day-to-day operation of the Titleist wedge franchise turned over to Aaron Dill, his hand-picked successor, Vokey has taken a step back without stepping away.
“Right around when I turned 75 Coach (former Acushnet CEO, Wally Uihlein) called me and said, ‘Voke, you’ll be 85 years old, still at TPI (Titleist Perfomance Institute in Oceanside, Calif.), still fitting and helping people,’ and here we are. Wally was right again,” he said. “He called me recently and said, “Bob you can’t leave. You still have too many ways you can help the company.’ He wants me to write a book about wedges. Who knows? Maybe someday.”
For Vokey, trading in his grinding wheel to conduct more Titleist sponsored clinics — like the one he did at TPC Toronto with former NHLer Mike Cammalleri — and more personal appearances has been fun.
“I love it. Talking to people about wedges and the short game is home-game stuff. There’s a lot of joy in that for me. I want to help people enjoy a difficult game a little more,” he said.
Cory Gerrard, Titleist Vokey Wedges marketing director, says Vokey’s influence extends well beyond the realm of business.
“The best thing about being with Bob every day is you learn about product, you learn about hard work and ethic, but you also learn a lot about humility and how to treat people,” said the affable Aussie who accompanied Vokey on his trip to Canada. “It’s pretty clear wherever we go that people love Bob and that’s not by accident. It’s all very genuine and Bob has set the standard for looking after people.”
Seeing his Canadian Golf Hall of Fame locker for the first time was a pinch-me moment.
“I still have trouble believing it,” Vokey said. “I look at the name on there and think, is that really me? I’m just a golf club guy. I never broke par or won championships or represented Canada in the Presidents Cup. The day I was inducted I remember sitting beside (Jack) Nicklaus up on the stage with the other members of the Hall and I was like, wow, how did this happen? I really wasn’t sure I belonged. But I’m humbled and I’m grateful. Being part of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame is an honour.”
Despite leaving Montreal for California nearly 50 years ago, he’s never forgotten where he comes from.
“I love coming home because I want to give back,” he added. “This country, the province of Quebec (Vokey is also a member of the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame), it’s always meant so much to me. Having family here over the years it’s always special to come home.”
Plans for any official retirement remain on hold. Vokey is scheduled to be at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., in January, has more upcoming Team Titleist events lined up and plans for his next wedge line are well underway.
“I think I’ll keep going until something forces my hand and I have to stop,” he said. “I’ve had four knee operations and spinal fusion surgery on my back, so I’ll know when it’s time. But I’m not there yet. I’m still on a mission. My mission is to continue to spread the wedge gospel. I still love doing what I’m doing, and I intend to keep doing it until I can’t.”