‘Cheers to 50 years:’ This 87-year-old Georgia man’s played at every RBC Heritage

He did it.

Barely.

Dr. Nelson Carswell Jr. of Dublin, Ga., played in his 50th pro-am at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

He is the only person to play in them all.

He was honored at the pairing party along with Earl “Happy” Mitchell of Hilton Head Island, a retired Sea Pines hospitality worker who also has been a part of the PGA Tour events here.

Carswell teed off on the first tee Wednesday, and hit a ceremonial putt on the 18th green.

But a bad knee that has kept him off the golf course for several months meant he spent the rest of the day riding in a golf cart with his son as “Team Carswell” played the Harbour Town Golf Links with professional Si Woo Kim of South Korea.

Though family members seemed to think this would be it for their beloved leader they call “Golfdaddy,” he had a different idea.

“I know I’ll be back next year,” Carswell said. “If there is a next year.”

Since last year’s event, Carswell has retired from his 55-year practice as a small-town pediatrician.

“I retired at 87,” he said. “I guess I’ll learn how to do something other than doctoring.”

His family and friends came in force to cheer on the beloved hero they call “Golfdaddy.”

They made special koozies for the tournament’s 50th anniversary featuring “The Legend “and the Harbour Town Lighthouse.

His wife, Betty Ann, said last year it meant the world to him to be here for the 50th playing of the Heritage.

In a recent year out on the course, he gave me a hint as to why.

“I know that heaven is so much more beautiful than we can imagine,” he said as he walked along the 10th fairway. “But to me, this is as close as it gets.”

This story was originally published April 13, 2018 at 12:20 PM with the headline "‘Cheers to 50 years:’ This 87-year-old Georgia man’s played at every RBC Heritage."