For over 60 years, golf has been a way of life for Brian Doyle. While in high school, he caddied and played at Shorehaven Country Club in Norwalk, Connecticut. He still plays frequently, often at the Del Webb Spruce Creek community club where he lives.

Her new book, “Summer Days / Hot Nights,” which comes out in July, is a memoir about her teenage years in the Norwalk area. The first line is: “When I was 19, I bought a gas station”. The adventures surrounding the B&T Texaco include the locals who worked and hung out there, as well as the characters who visited regularly.

“I believe no matter where you grew up the characters are pretty much the same. I hope the reader recognizes the types and says, “Hey, that sounds like one of the people I grew up with. Different name, but same personality type.

In addition to being a “car guy,” Brian was also a Shorehaven Country Club caddy throughout school. “Remember golf carts weren’t popular until the mid-1960s, so except to carry your own bag the only way to get around the course was to hire a caddy,” explains Doyle.

While he was the caddy of hundreds of regular golfers, he also carried bags for Ed Sullivan and Jerry Courville. Paying for the best shopping carts was around $ 3.50 a turn plus a tip. Strong caddies could carry two bags and if they framed two rounds per day they could earn $ 10 or more.

“Of course,” Doyle adds, “you also had ‘The Cheater.’ Caddies who neglected such activities could receive $ 10 a bag, especially if members were playing for real money.

While most golfers could bet a few dollars, some played for serious money. One of them was “Porky” Manero, whose family owned several restaurants.

“He was small and heavy and flamboyant,” Doyle recalls. “He had all kinds of tricks to disgust his opponent and put him out of the game.”

A big reveal in the book comes when Manero plays young Jerry Courville, a local amateur who won tournaments over the next three decades. Doyle was Courville’s youngest. Manero and Courville, playing for big bucks, are tied and under par at 15. Then the serious bets, high stakes and bragging rights really begin.

When asked why he wrote the book, Doyle replied, “It’s for everyone. We were one of the first generations to watch the same television, listen to the same music, see the same movies at the same time. My hope is that readers rediscover their teenage years and smile at the memories. “

Doyle is a storyteller, and while some stories might seem a bit stretched, they might also have played out the way he tells them.

One of the most famous residents of the Norwalk area was writer Jack Douglas. He wrote comedy books and was on Johnny Carson’s writing team. He also appeared on Carson’s show.

After a major snowstorm in the area, Doyle and a friend were plowing the alleys with a jeep. One of the clients was Douglas, who had a long, winding driveway with a small Japanese bridge in the middle.

“We agreed on $ 35 for the labor, although Douglas complained a bit,” Doyle recalls. “He handed us a check and hastily waved us away. We didn’t watch it until we got to the end of the driveway. He had written the check for $ 25. Obviously, we needed revenge.
Very slowly, with the lights off and the radio off, Doyle came back, dropped the plow, and created a six foot wall of snow near the end of the driveway. When Douglas left in the morning for an important meeting in New York City, he realized he had been stranded.

A few weeks later, Doyle and his friends discovered that Douglas’ new book, “Shut up and Eat Your Snowshoes” told the story in a chapter called “Jeep Jackals”.

“The night of Douglas’ appearance on Carson we met over a few beers at Fred’s. Johnny wasted no time asking questions about Jeep Jackals. We were completely in awe, slapping each other on the shoulders and back, clinking our beers and hopping; they were talking about us to millions of viewers on national television.

Other chapters in the book tell of how the boys at B&T Texaco built Norwalk’s fastest car to cover a quarter-mile in 12 seconds. A chapter on the colorful Doyle family details mid-century life in Norwalk, and there are plenty of covers on food, beer, friends, cigarettes, and girls. The narrative looks at mid-century American teens from a sardonic, ironic, yet sympathetic perspective.

Perhaps the most poignant chapter in the book concerns Doyle’s short career in the United States military. He volunteered for Vietnam and ended up in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where the recruits received their uniforms. “Everything is fine, except the woolen boots and socks – size 14,” Doyle says. “I was wearing size 10 boots and am allergic to wool.” When he tried to tell his E9 that there had been a mistake, he was strongly and closely informed that “the military doesn’t make mistakes.”

After several failed attempts, Doyle found himself at the base hospital with his feet so swollen and lacerated that even seasoned medics were in awe. “I could stare at my feet, glued to the ends of my legs like pieces of rare, rare hamburger meat. Wiggling my toes made them look like a living burger. It was strange.

“It was also interesting that my doctor, while treating me, was suddenly arrested and sentenced to the stockade for participating in an anti-Vietnam war demonstration.

After his recovery, he was hurriedly fired. “Some time later, I realized that the routine of dispatching and leaving the army had a purpose. If I had remained in Uncle Sam’s grip for just one more day, I would have been entitled to military benefits and a pension.

Doyle is pleased to note that part of his success as a representative of golf equipment lines like Spalding and Ram came from the early days of The Villages. Living at the time in St. Cloud, Florida, he enlisted the help of The Villages golf course. “Apparently I was one of the first reps to come to this ‘new development in the middle of nowhere’ at the time. I have been rewarded with large orders and have helped both golf shops and retail center outlets get established.

John W Prince is a writer and villager. For more information visit www.HallardPress.com. If you know someone who has a “good story and a good book”, contact them at [email protected].