A Family Tradition Takes Flight Once More

By Jay Radzavicz

Alex “Dusty” MacTavish had three passions in his life: family, flying and golf.

He died in March 2000 at the age of 87, but his influence continues for those lucky enough to have known him, myself included. You see, Dusty was my grandfather. He was also a hero and mentor to me. Just this past year, more than two decades after his passing, it was my grandfather who inspired me to purchase a professional drone and earn my FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot License.

Dusty earned his nickname after learning to fly in the 1940s, applying his skill and courage as a crop duster at farms from Florida to New York. Later in life, he shared his stories about quickly dipping under high branches and sharply climbing over tall silos. He fed off the thrill of speed and had a deep appreciation for the science and technology associated with flight. But most of all, he was captivated by the view from above. He spent hours in the air soaking up the beauty of our world from the cockpit.

In the early 1960s, Dusty regularly flew over a patch of farmland in Upstate New York, where the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains rise from the Hudson Valley. Plans were in motion to build a golf course on this parcel of property in Hopewell Junction, and having seen the landscape from above he wanted to be a part of the project. He was hired to oversee the construction of the course with his boots in the dirt and his vision from above, and three years later Beekman Golf Course opened.

My grandfather had poured so much of himself into the endeavor that he wanted to continue with the venture. So, he was soon tasked with running the pro shop, cleaning the golf carts, giving lessons and mowing greens.

Dusty and my grandmother, Theresa, spent their winters in Florida and eventually retired in Palm Beach Country, Fla. My grandfather rebuilt a Piper Cub and bought a share of a Czechoslovakian Zlin stunt plane. He would take me flying up and down the coastline and over Lake Okeechobee, letting me hold the joystick in my hands and feel the rudder pedals move on my feet. He would bank and roll and, occasionally, demonstrate how a stalled airplane reacted as my stomach dropped 10 times as far as the highest roller coaster I had ever ridden.

Grandpop was a trailblazer in the field of aerial topographic mapping. He would continue to fly specially equipped aircraft into his mid-70s, photographing the terrain below. He introduced me to a handheld GPS device in the late 1980s before most of us had even made a cellular phone call. He found a way to mix his love of flying with this new technology to help make the world a safer, more efficient and, generally, better place.

Now, after a 20-year career as a producer with the Golf Channel, I hope to merge my passion for aviation, golf and sports into my next career. I’ve researched the history of drones and familiarized myself with the physics and mechanics of their marvels. In early January, I watched countless video blogs, read a long list of articles and took an FAA Part 107 instructional course. I studied really hard to pass the Federal Exam to earn my license.

Since purchasing my drone, I’ve practiced for hours upon hours, challenging myself in wooded areas to slalom through and around trees. At abandoned parks, I fly through swing sets and around jungle gyms. And at empty football fields, I fly mock receiver routes above the yard lines. Yes, to be sure, I’m enthused about the countless applications coming to our culture full of drones.

Together with Dave Allen at Golf Content Solutions, we are finding creative ways to use this technology. With our vast experience producing golf instruction for Golf Channel and other outlets, we see a huge benefit in using a drone as a vital coaching tool. We are now able to explore the golf swing from new vantage points, and take advantage of the state-of-the-art cameras aboard the drones that can capture highly detailed images in super-slow motion. In addition, the drone allows us to capture each hole in a way that few can see them from the ground. These course flyovers provide great additional content for golf course websites (which Golf Content Solutions can design for you) and also help golfers prepare to play each hole in a comprehensive way.

My grandfather would have loved to get his hands on one of these drones. And in a way, he has. The FAA issues a serial number for every drone registered in the United States. Drone owners are also asked to name their aircraft. My drone is “DustyMacTavish.”

I hope he’s smiling down from above. It’s a great view from up there.

(NOTE: For more information about Golf Content Solutions’ drone services check out the video below and email Dave Allen at dave@golfcontentsolutions.com or Jay Radzavicz at jay@golfcontentsolutions.com.)