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Farewell, golf buddy, we'll play on for you

By BILL STEVENS
Published October 5, 2006

Ocean Hammock on Florida's east coast is one tough test of golf. The wind blows strong off the Atlantic, and razor sharp palmetto intrude right up to the edge of the lush green fairways. But the biggest challenge is keeping your concentration because the view of the turquoise sea is so magnificent.

Chuck Rushe knew that, and he had his game face on. He wasn't going to be the one to blow it for his team. This par-5 hole set up perfectly for his sweeping right-to-left draw.

We tossed him the yellow ball.

On this perfect November morning, the Saturday Morning Golf Group from Pasco County was full steam into its annual five-day competition. Our leader Ken - the commissioner - knows that golf is 80 percent mental. So on this day, on this long, difficult course, he chose a game he calls the Yellow Ball.

Without getting into too much detail, the only way a foursome can have a chance to win is to finish all 18 holes with at least one of its three yellow balls. You can be swinging the club like Tiger Woods, but when it's your turn to hit the yellow ball, your knees turn to jelly.

Did I mention the other 20 percent of golf is mental?

So anyway, here comes Chuck Rushe, a bear of a man with broad shoulders and an easy manner. He doesn't rattle. We've already played a half-dozen holes and somehow managed to retain all three yellow balls, so we're feeling pretty good about having our ace on the tee.

Slowly, Chuck sweeps the club back. Everything looks good. He pivots, cocks his wrists, digs in his spikes and with great authority and style snaps the optic yellow Top Flite about 250 yards - into the lake.

We toss him a second yellow ball.

Chuck pivots, cocks and digs.

Splash.

Ball three. No way is this one going left.

Chuck pivots, cocks, digs - and the last ball goes farther right than Rush Limbaugh. We haven't finished the front nine and we're already out of the competition. No problem. We'll just relax and enjoy the scenery the rest of the way.

And don't worry, Chuck. We won't tell anyone.

Right.

Everybody in this group gets his turn in the wringer - no exceptions. We all admire Chuck, one of the originals who started taking these trips almost two decades ago. But now the act of losing three yellow balls is getting it's own name.

Rushe-ed.

He doesn't mind. The banter is part of the fun, part of men being men. Later there will be football on TV, beer, cigars, laughter. Lots of laughter.

And come sunrise, another 18 holes.

This is what Chuck's buddies want to think about today. The good times. The golf. Anything but the last two months as the cancer spread like wildfire.

Chuck died on Tuesday. He was only 58, a devoted husband, father and recent grandpa. He was a wizard with numbers and no doubt could have parlayed those skills into a big-money job in private business. Instead, he devoted his life to public education and served as the Pasco school district's chief financial officer. He came within a whisker of being superintendent in 2004, even though he was about as comfortable at politicking as he was standing over that yellow ball.

This has been a crushing year for people who have worked so hard to secure a solid reputation for the Pasco school district over many years. Former superintendent John Long died suddenly last Oct. 26. His heart gave out while he was on a hunting trip in Montana. At 59, he got to enjoy only one year of retirement.

Long cared deeply for this county, which is why he handpicked Rushe to succeed him. And now they are both gone - way too soon.

It makes me smile to think of John Long growing a beard, donning blue jeans and tromping around the wilds of Montana. For Chuck Rushe, the golf course offered the same escape and a special camaraderie that I was fortunate to witness.

Chuck's golf buddies have been talking a lot about him the last two months, worried and helpless. We're all getting up in years. We see how fast he went, and we pledge not to waste time or take life or love for granted.

Meanwhile, the November trip draws near. The commissioner is planning the games, including the yellow ball. Normally there would be two dozen players, but this year he has limited to field to 23.

Chuck Rushe will be there in name and spirit.

He'll be the 24th man.

MEMORIAL SERVICENEW PORT RICHEY - A public memorial service for Chuck Rushe, the chief finance officer for Pasco County schools, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Ridgewood High School gymnasium, 7650 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey.Rushe, 58, died Tuesday after a short but intense battle with lung cancer.Donations may be made to Hernando-Pasco Hospice, 12107 Majestic Blvd., Hudson, FL 34667

[Last modified October 4, 2006, 23:02:25]