Best of Both Worlds
By Fred Featherstone
USGTF and CGTF Member
Sarasota, Florida / Toronto, Ontario

“The best of both worlds,” that’s the expression I frequently hear from people when they inquire and learn that I am a golf teaching professional with the Canadian and United States Golf Teachers Federations. From October to June each year I teach in beautiful Sarasota, Florida and return in late spring to reside in the charming town of Oakville, Ontario the former home of the Canadian Open for the past 20 years. The next inquiry most people have is how do I manage as a Canadian citizen to escape our brutally long and harsh winters and work in such pleasant conditions in the sunny south each year? Well the simple answer is “Lottery Winner.”

Now I’m not referring to the multi million dollar lotto that we all dream of claiming, but rather the lottery conducted by the Immigration and Nationalization Department of the United States Government. Back in 1988, they offered permanent residence status (green card) to a small number of applicants from around the globe based on a non-preference system.

At approximately the same time as being issued my US Visa, I happened to notice an advertisement in a popular golf magazine outlining the advantages and offering the opportunity to qualified individuals to start a career in the golf teaching profession through the USGTF certification program. I had been toiling diligently for some thirty odd years as a sales representative of home improvement products throughout the province of Ontario. I felt it was time for a change of direction in careers, and simply asked myself why not spend time at something I had a real passion for? In August of 1990, I successfully completed the certification course conducted in Ellicottville, NY. A few months later I was on my way to Clearwater, FL.

Since that time, I’ve been fortunate enough to work and teach for the Florida Golf Schools at such outstanding Tampa Bay area golf courses as the Belleview Biltmore Resort, Bardmore Golf Club, Cypress Creek, Sunrise & the Tournament Players Club in Sarasota.

During the slow summer months in Florida, I’ve returned to Ontario to teach with the Recreation & Parks Department in the city of Mississauga and work part time at the fabulous Glen Abbey and Lion Head Golf Courses.

Of course I’m still trying very hard to rise to the occasion one more time to win that very elusive other lottery that we all dream of. However, my best of both worlds lifestyle that I’ve been living for the past twelve years would probably not change that drastically.