I Call Him "Mr. President": Stories of Golf, Fishing, and Life with My Friend George H. W. Bush

A Presidential Tale of Friendship, Travel, and the Great Outdoors—​Newly Updated!
In I Call Him “Mr. President”, Ken Raynor—head professional at Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, Maine, for thirty-eight years—tells the story of how President George H. W. Bush befriended him during Bush’s annual summer sabbatical to seaside Kennebunkport. Raynor’s personal relationship with Bush led him to experience everything from fishing trips to the wilds of Newfoundland to countless outings on the golf course, including Bush’s last as commander in chief.

Along the way, Raynor assisted Bush, a WWII veteran, in welcoming world leaders, former presidents, celebrities, and PGA Tour stars to the quaint Cape Arundel Golf Club and saw the excitement in their eyes during the outings. But he most cherishes his time after the rounds, in the Bush family home on nearby Walker’s Point or in a tiny fishing boat, when the president would put his feet up, stare out at the Atlantic, and recount the day’s events.

In this book, Raynor reflects on the life lessons he gained from a friendship born outdoors that has continued to develop over decades, during golf outings that have ranged from Maine to Augusta National to the White House putting green, international fishing trips, retreats at Camp David, flying in Marine One, and many other unforgettable experiences.

Raynor has likely played more rounds with a POTUS than any PGA professional in history.

Ken Raynor is the head golf professional at Cape Arundel Golf Course and Coral Creek Club. He was inducted into the Maine Golf Hall of Fame in 2005 and was New England PGA Professional of the Year in 2003. Raynor resides with his wife Anne in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Placida, Florida, and fishes both locations with enthusiasm.

Michael Patrick Shiels is the author of several books, including Golf’s Short Game for Dummies and Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects. Shiels, a contributor to Forbes.com, is also a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and was an advance volunteer for George H. W. Bush’s two presidential campaigns. He serves on the committee for the George H. W. Bush Celebrity Golf fundraiser in Kennebunkport. Shiels resides in Michigan, where he hosts an award-winning syndicated morning radio program.