I Call Him "Mr. President": Stories of Golf, Fishing, and Life with My Friend George H. W. Bush

Description

A presidential tale of friendship, travel, and the great outdoors! In I Call Him "Mr. President", Ken Raynor-head professional at Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine, for thirty-eight years-tells the story of how President George H. W. Bush befriended him during Bush's annual summer sabbatical to seaside Kennebunkport, Maine. Raynor's personal relationship with Bush led him to experience everything from fishing trips to the wilds of Newfoundland to countless outings on the golf course, including Bush's last as commander in chief. Along the way, Raynor assisted Bush, a WWII veteran, in welcoming world leaders, former presidents, celebrities, and PGA Tour stars to the quaint Cape Arundel Golf Club and saw the excitement in their eyes during the outings. But he most cherishes his time after the rounds, in the Bush family home on nearby Walker's Point or in a tiny fishing boat, when the president would put his feet up, stare out at the Atlantic, and recount the days' events. In this book, Raynor reflects on the life lessons he gained from a friendship born outdoors that has continued to develop over decades, during golf outings that have ranged from Maine to Augusta National to the White House putting green, international fishing trips, retreats at Camp David, flying in Marine One, and many other unforgettable experiences. Raynor has likely played more rounds with a POTUS than any PGA professional in history.

Ken Raynor is the head golf professional at Cape Arundel Golf Course and Coral Creek Club. He was inducted into the Maine Golf Hall of Fame in 2005 and was New England PGA Professional of the Year in 2003. Raynor resides with his wife Anne in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Placida, Florida, and fishes both locations with enthusiasm. Michael Patrick Shiels is the author of several books, including Golf's Short Game for Dummies and Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects. Shiels, a contributor to Forbes.com, is also a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and was an advance volunteer for George H. W. Bush's two presidential campaigns. He serves on the committee for the George H. W. Bush Celebrity Golf fundraiser in Kennebunkport. Shiels resides in Michigan, where he hosts an award-winning syndicated morning radio program

"For me and my family Ken has been an inspiration. Though Ken is a serious golfer he can play fast, and he is just plain a lot of fun to be around out on the links. Pro- mine! Friend, fisherman, great guy." -President George H.W. Bush "President Bush would not be what some might expect of someone who is so much in the public eye and has served as the commander-in-chief. He's a very thoughtful, caring, and considerate person." -Jack Nicklaus, twenty-time Major Championship winner "I see so many similar characteristics between President Bush and Ken Raynor. They are two very understated gentlemen who are outdoorsmen and family people with unlimited integrity who have a presence about them that represents the finest things in life." -Jim Nantz, CBS Sports "President Bush is like what everybody wishes their father or grandfather was like, or their best friend. It has been a thrill for me to get to spend time with him on and off the golf course. The rest of the day is fun, too." -Davis Love III, PGA Tour player, Major Championship winner, and Ryder Cup captain "In this affecting, plainspoken memoir, Ken Raynor and Michael Patrick Shiels give us a warm, engaging portrait of the longtime friendship between Raynor and a pal who happened to be the 41st president of the United States--George Herbert Walker Bush. Through stories from the golf course and on the water as they fished and talked together, Raynor shows us the gracious human side of the former president, a man whose company was unfailingly wonderful and whose decency is much missed in the public arena today. In these pages you will feel as if you were lucky enough to be wrapped in the enveloping embrace of the Bush family's affection-and you'll see why Bush loves Ken. By the end of the book, you will, too." -Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author and presidential historian "Raynor along with Shiels peels back the curtain to reveal a fascinating perspective and intimate look into our 41st President George H.W. Bush...one that has never been seen or heard of before." -Tom Ward, Sports Page Weekly "His book becomes instantly invaluable, a gift bestowed with his mastery and comprehension on the subject. It is a book written for the theater student, the aspiring theater manager, the future producer, or even a new producer just beginning. Of course, it is also a book for the theater lover who simply enjoys reading about insider secrets of stage productions." Dylan Ward, The US Review of Books "For me and my family Ken has been an inspiration. Though Ken is a serious golfer he can play fast, and he is just plain a lot of fun to be around out on the links. Pro- mine! Friend, fisherman, great guy." -President George H.W. Bush "President Bush would not be what some might expect of someone who is so much in the public eye and has served as the commander-in-chief. He's a very thoughtful, caring, and considerate person." -Jack Nicklaus, twenty-time Major Championship winner "I see so many similar characteristics between President Bush and Ken Raynor. They are two very understated gentlemen who are outdoorsmen and family people with unlimited integrity who have a presence about them that represents the finest things in life." -Jim Nantz, CBS Sports "President Bush is like what everybody wishes their father or grandfather was like, or their best friend. It has been a thrill for me to get to spend time with him on and off the golf course. The rest of the day is fun, too." -Davis Love III, PGA Tour player, Major Championship winner, and Ryder Cup captain "In this affecting, plainspoken memoir, Ken Raynor and Michael Patrick Shiels give us a warm, engaging portrait of the longtime friendship between Raynor and a pal who happened to be the 41st president of the United States--George Herbert Walker Bush. Through stories from the golf course and on the water as they fished and talked together, Raynor shows us the gracious human side of the former president, a man whose company was unfailingly wonderful and whose decency is much missed in the public arena today. In these pages you will feel as if you were lucky enough to be wrapped in the enveloping embrace of the Bush family's affection-and you'll see why Bush loves Ken. By the end of the book, you will, too." -Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author and presidential historian "Raynor along with Shiels peels back the curtain to reveal a fascinating perspective and intimate look into our 41st President George H.W. Bush...one that has never been seen or heard of before." -Tom Ward, Sports Page Weekly