Celebrity golfer puts on a show at Sandals Upton

TODD Keirstead can be best described as a Harlem Globetrotter with a big golf swing. Playing golf “all my life”, Toronto-native Todd drew gasps, “oohhs” and “ahhhs” from players and spectators alike with his showmanship at the 28th Baxter Media Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament at Sandals Upton Golf and Country Club in St Mary.

With plaudits ranging from celebrity golf entertainer, world-class golf instructor, brand ambassador and motivational speaker, Keirstead was in full Jamaican mode at the two-day tournament last week, one of three travel advisers events staged annually by the resort to promote the island as a golfing destination, while giving the resort chain’s sales reps personal experiences of its properties and the country’s varied attractions.

Todd’s trick shots include the cringe-worthy ‘human golf tee’, the participant lying supine with a golf pin in the pubic area, awaiting Todd’s tee shot, which most spectators miss on the first swing by looking away just before the crunching shot meets ball (no pun intended).

“My dad had me playing at a very early age,” said Keirstead, whose tricks also included elevated tee shots at six consecutive levels.

“I turned pro in 1996 after ice-hockey injuries,” said the Maple Leaf fan, who soon realised he had the hand-eye coordination to execute “crazy golf shots”, a passion he has turned into profession, “taking me around the world to Japan, South Korea, Germany, all through the Caribbean, the USA and the Arctic Circle twice”.

Explaining his Arctic Circle expeditions, Keirstead said he played for 24 hours straight, “my ego made me do it”, at the most northern golf course in the world, the Ulukhaktok Golf Club, “playing in sunshades at 2 a.m.”

Todd shared spotlight with Team 12’s Arnold Bridgemohan, Janet Long, Cargill Gordon and Colin Harris, who scored 126 to dethrone Team 10 defending champions, Wendy Hsu, Leo Tam, Tom Liu and Chris Gregoris. Team 10 scored 65 on Friday’s final day to Team 12’s 67 but were outplayed 59-63 on Thursday.

The Sandals Foundation earned US$600 and Can$120 from Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive competitions in which Sandals junior golfers were sponsored by players to make shots on their behalf.

Maureen Barnes-Smith, vice president, sales and marketing, Unique Vacations (Canada), said the annual tournament, alongside the upcoming United States and Latin American versions, continue to showcase Jamaica as a golfing destination to the world.

“The Canadian market is strong and Jamaica is always a top-seller,” she said, pointing to the recent Sandals Jamaica Love sales event, attended by 1,000 travel advisors crammed into the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Thursday, October 17.

“It was a demonstration of how powerful a brand Jamaica is,” said Barnes-Smith, noting that Prime Minister Andrew Holness and “all the key players” in the tourism industry were in attendance.