Scott Dow

The Flem Cup: a Story of Friendship, Love and Redemption Scott Dow

Publisher Marketing: The prototypical stylish English gentleman, Ian Jennings was the most extraordinary man I ever knew. Handsome, smart and athletic, it was his ability to be endlessly entertaining that drew me and so many others to his side. Able to effortlessly deliver jokes and stories with style and flair, he cast a wide net of friendship and whether by luck or design, I counted myself lucky to be his close friend. The Flem Cup is the remarkable story of an intensely competitive trans-Atlantic golf match spanning 5 years between amateur teams from the US and England that evolved from our friendship and shared love of golf. Spurred along by a whimsical website created to cover the event and other happenings, real and imagined, the inaugural year of 2001 proved to be everything we'd hoped for and more as pressure-packed golf matches collided head-on with hilarious off the course antics to create a week none of us would ever forget. Within months, however, Ian would be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and, at age 45, be given 1-5 years to live. Despite the dismal prognosis, life, his good health and the Cup went on for 3 more years, each one memorable for intense competition and riotous laughs. As our 5th year approached, though, the cancer attacked with a vengeance, leading to perhaps the most incredible year of all. Through it all, God's providential hand was at work, setting the stage for an amazing journey of friendship and love that would ultimately fill us with hope and lead us to redemption.