TOUR Insider: BBQ Stew turns passion into fundraiser

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Stewart Cink and his wife Lisa at the recent 'Swine and Dandy" charity cookoff

It's OK to call him "Barbecue Stew."

Stewart Cink, graduate of Georgia Tech, winner six TOUR events, including the 2009 British Open, and member of 11 international teams, has a new passion. It doesn't involve grooves or grips. It doesn't involve pistons and engines.

It's smoked meat.

It all started several years ago when Chad Parker, the PGA professional at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club, and Cink were making weekend plans for their families. Parker spoke two words to Cink that would forever change his life: pork butt. After a "say, what?" moment, Cink became a willing participant. Now he's a BBQ junkie.

"It's been like therapy to me," Cink said. "This has been a rough year for me on the golf course, so when I'd get home after missing a cut, I couldn't wait to get on the smoker."

He had more opportunities to enjoy the smoker than he would have liked in 2011. Cink missed the cut eight times in 22 starts, had only one top-10 and finished 98th in the FedExCup standings. He missed the cut at the PGA at the Atlanta Athletic Club, despite a first-round 69, and missed the cut in the first two playoff events. He didn't come close to qualifying for the TOUR Championship by Coca-cola and was not a factor when it came time to select the team for the Presidents Cup.

Cink likes most everything about smoking meat. As a guy who appreciates the fine details, he enjoys getting his smoker set at the optimum temperature so the meat turns out just right. He's cooked a bit of everything -- pork butt, brisket, chicken and ribs -- but especially enjoys preparing ribs, which he considers the most challenging. Cink does everything except make his own sauce.

Cink recently turned his love for barbecue into a fundraiser. The Women's Club of Sugarloaf Country Club Charities was looking for a way to raise money for some good causes and someone suggested a barbecue competition. Before long Stewart and Lisa Cink, who live in the subdivision, were right in the middle of things.

The event was dubbed the "Swine and Dandy Charity Cookoff" and was hosted at a park not far from the Cinks' home in Duluth. It turned out to be a great learning experience for Cink, who didn't compete in the cooking competition, but served as a host for the event.

"I had a blast," he said. "It was a lot of work and I learned things that I never dreamed of."

Cink borrowed from his years of experience as a competitor and guest in charity events and from his days as a pro-am participant on the TOUR to sharpen his skills as the barbecue host. He helped acquire title sponsors to underwrite the event. He made sure there was water and electricity available to all vendors, competitors and concessionaires, even though the five-acre park didn't have such utilities. He even wrote a rule book for the competitors to follow.

He wasn't able to trade in on his good name as a professional golfer, though. Most of the competitors had no idea who he was, other than a guy on the other end of the phone who had all the details and information. Such is the disconnect between the PGA TOUR and the BBQ Tour.

"They didn't know who I was," Cink said. "That was refreshing."

He also got a chance to work hand-in-hand with his wife. They were able to draw upon their own different skill sets, knew when to walk away from each other when the moment got tense and wound up having a great time. They even got sons Connor and Reagan involved.

In the end, Cink wound up with 30 teams in the competition, exceeding his original goal of by five. The cookoff enjoyed ideal weather, with sunny skies, moderate temperatures and not even a threat of rain. The crowds came out, too, and filled the park. "The Rolling Grill" from Atlanta won the grand championship and took home the $7,500 first prize, which will buy a lot of wood.

The Cinks, wearing official "Swine and Dandy" T-shirts, were both physically exhausted by the end of the day. They had been up and on duty for nearly three days, working almost non-stop to fix problems and ensure the event would run smoothy.

The hard labor may have been just what Cink needed. He left Atlanta a couple days later for the Far East, where he tied for 13th at the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia. Looks like there was nothing his golf game needed other than a big pile of pulled pork before he hopped on that long international flight.

The only thing missing? How about an invitation the next time he puts a few ribs in the smoker? The TOUR Insider would gladly work that into his schedule .

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.