The smell of freshly cut grass, teeing off, raking a bunker, sinking a lengthy putt, and hearing the ball drop into the cup.
Those are typical experiences a seasoned golfer might take for granted, but not Steve Blake.
The 56-year-old Calgary PGA of Canada professional is embracing living with Stage 4 lung cancer and is basking in earning a sponsor exemption to play in this summer’s Rogers Charity Classic, where he’ll soak in those everyday golf moments.
“It leaves you speechless,” Blake described learning about his exemption entry to the annual Champions Tour event at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club. “I’m just very excited, and it gives me something to look forward to, something to practice for.”
The tournament hands out five exemptions each year to fill the 78-man field.
“Giving one of Calgary’s top senior golfers, who needs the support of our entire community right now, this opportunity to play in front of his friends and family is not only extremely rewarding, but supports this mission,” Sean Van Kesteren, Rogers Charity Classic executive director, stated.
It was last September when Blake’s life changed forever. He was dealing with a nagging cough, and it kept getting worse, even though he wasn’t a smoker and was in great shape.
The golfer says he made a deal with his wife, Kelly, that he would go to the hospital if his cough didn’t subside.
RELATED: Rogers partners with PGA TOUR, tees off charity classic with $1M donation
“About 16 hours later, sitting in emergency, going through a bunch of tests, and they came back with the diagnosis. It’s a life-changer, not only for you, but your family, your community,” he shared through tears, recalling the fateful day.
He’s spent the last eight months completing chemotherapy treatments while trying to find a way to live his new normal.
“It really comes down to a choice and a belief,” Blake said. “Or at least, live as long as you can with it. Once you get over the devastation of it, you get involved in the process of treatment, your doctor’s appointments, your medications — all of that stuff.
“Then you have time to step back and focus on, ‘How do I get back to normal?”
That’s why receiving a sponsor exemption to the Rogers Charity Classic means so much to him: he played his home tournament in 2018, scoring rounds of 70-77-71. And he was healthy.
“I have something like this tournament coming up to look forward to, and the more alive I feel,” he said of the full circle opportunity.
And Blake hopes his journey, on the greens and in life, will help others.
“You may be handed a death sentence, but that doesn’t mean life is over, and you’ve still got a lot to give,” he offered. “Get out there and give something.”
The 2024 Rogers Charity Classic runs Aug. 12-18 at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club.