Meet the golfer in you: Feico

English translation

It’s Time to Share My Father’s Golf Story

I think it’s about time to tell you all a bit about my father’s journey with golf. Grab a seat, because this is a story you don’t hear every day.

My dad has always been an active guy—football, squash, you name it—but now, he’s completely immersed in golf. And when I say completely, I mean it. Here’s an example: when he goes out for a walk with the dog, he always carries a golf club in his hand. Why? Because, according to him, it’s a great way to practice your swing while the dog runs around. Makes sense, right?

When I was forced to stop playing football, my dad convinced me to join him on the golf course. Like many young people at 18, I thought golf was the most boring sport on earth. But then we went to the driving range, and something clicked. I secretly really liked it. What my dad cleverly did was convince me to buy a set of clubs—an S, 9, 7, and 5-iron—right then and there. That was the beginning of my golfing journey with my dad, and we’ve been playing together regularly ever since.

Anyone who has played golf with my father will likely sum him up in three words:

Clothing, Writing, Fanatic.

But, to add some context, those words are more like:

Bold clothing, Constant writing, and Fanatical dedication.

Clothing

Let’s start with the clothes. Why do people always find his outfits so striking? Unlike most golfers who wear sports shorts from brands like Nike, JL Golf, or Under Armour, my dad sports tartan trousers from the Cameron or Erracht clan. And yes, they are as bold as they sound. The Cameron, as in “Cameron with the crooked nose”—a description that fits him pretty well. ;)

To make sure Ian Poulter would be jealous, he doesn’t just stop at the trousers. He pairs them with bright red or yellow polo shirts—color-coordinated, of course—and rather than a regular cap, he dons a cowboy-style hat with a matching fabric strip to match his pants. To top it off, he smokes large cigars on the course. My dad is definitely a memorable sight on the course. Move over, Miguel Angel Jimenez. But credit where it’s due—he gets plenty of compliments on his outfits. I just wish I could get him into a Meet The Golfers shirt more often!

Writing, Writing, and More Writing

If you’ve seen my dad play, you’ll notice he’s always got a book with him. Not a novel, not a rules manual, but an extensive course guide combined with the scorecard for that day’s course. I know what you're thinking: "With all that info, why does he need to write anything down?" Well, 'normal' golfers don’t need to do this, but my dad writes down everything in his little booklet:

• Every stroke he makes
• Whether he hit or missed the fairway
• Which club he used
• The conditions under which the score was made

Honestly, any caddie could learn a thing or two from him. I jokingly call him the Matthew Fitzpatrick of the Low Countries—if you know Matthew, you’ll know he’s meticulous about recording every detail of his rounds.

This habit is super useful when I play with him because there’s no better marker. He knows everything. In fact, when I asked him when he started playing golf, I received an email back with these two exact comments:

“I started on May 25, 1997, with 9 holes at Golfbaan Ockenburg, and my first 18 holes was on June 12, 1997, at Burggolf Zoetermeer.”

That means my dad’s been playing golf for 26 years now—and that’s his current handicap, too! Golf truly is his ultimate hobby.

Fanatic—Very Fanatic

After years of playing squash and football in the veterans’ leagues, he eventually turned his full attention to golf a few years ago. He’s a true leftie who approaches the sport with precision and always tries to look sharp. And he truly believes that, after little to no practice, he can shape shots like Phil Mickelson on a Sunday morning.

Nice ambition, right?

But when those shots don’t go quite as planned, it’s not funny. He gets pretty frustrated.

Luckily, over the years, he’s come around and is actually starting to listen to me. Or should I say, he’s finally really listening to me.

I had the honor of being his caddie once, and we ended up with 19 points, no lost balls, and his comment, “Golf is pretty easy, isn’t it?”

After that round, he immediately bought a new driver and gave his golf bag a makeover, joking that maybe the senior tour was within reach. But no kidding—he’s aiming for a top-3 spot in the gentlemen’s club he plays with every month. I’m confident he’ll make it in 2024. Stay tuned!

Final Thoughts

As you can tell, I have a strong opinion about how my dad plays golf and how he lives his golf story. My goal for him is simple: I want him to enjoy the game more and maybe, just maybe, take it a little less seriously at times.

Meet The Golfers is the perfect platform for golfers to share their stories, and this one is about my father. I’m so proud to be able to share it, and I’m even prouder to be able to contribute to some of the chapters in his story. How cool is it that father and son can spend so much time on the course together?

Dad, I’m proud of you, and I hope we’ll continue to do this for many years to come.

Sometimes with frustration, sometimes with a completely different approach to the game—some chapters feel like a thriller, others are pure feel-good moments. But we’re not done writing yet. ;)

See you soon.
Love!