Often, in conversations about this game that we love, it is mentioned how golf “is a game for life.” Most times, you get a nod of the head. But sometimes there is curiosity, and you are asked what that means.

Should you struggle to explain, here is a suggestion. Say to them, “Let me tell you about Don Callahan,” then regale them with the story of a man, now 84, who has embodied all the fabrics of golf – integrity, dignity, honesty, professionalism – for parts of 80 decades and is still going strong.

The fact that Callahan, even as the head professional at storied golf clubs on both sides of America – The Country Club in Brookline (1963-99); Thunderbird (1978-03) in Palm Springs – remained so quiet and behind the scenes for so many years speaks volumes to his humility. The fact that his closest colleagues will not be so quiet when pronouncing Callahan’s virtues screams volumes for his character.

“One of the classiest guys I’ve ever met, a true professional and a great ambassador for the game,” said Jimmy Noris, the longtime head professional at Dedham Country & Polo Club. “He put so much into the game I don’t know that he can ever get back what he put into it.”

“He is,” said Butch Harmon, “the salt of the earth. The perfect gentleman.”

This brilliant circle of a life in golf started taking shape after Callahan, a humble Iowan, graduated from LSU, where he played golf, and served a few years in the Army Reserve. He had worked as an assistant in Michigan and at Echo Lake GC in Westfield, N.J., when Callahan was urged to visit Claude Harmon at Winged Foot.

Winged Foot was, well, it was Winged Foot. Claude Harmon was the pre-eminent club professional of his day. Callahan was a quiet 26-year-old with just a few years under his belt. What it appeared to be was a long shot of epic proportions.

What it turned out to be “was the first great break of my life and I have Claude Harmon to thank for it.”

Here’s the unyielding humility of Don Callahan: 58 years since making that ride from Westfield, N.J., to Mamaroneck, N.Y, he still gives thanks to Claude Harmon for giving him that chance at Winged Foot, for opening the door to join him winters at Thunderbird, for nurturing him so well that he got the head professional’s job at TCC, for teaching him the principles of a sound golf swing that he still teaches, for mentoring him on how to deal with members and market merchandise.

Heck, Don Callahan expresses thanks, too, to Claude for introducing him to his son, Claude Jr., better known as Butch. They worked a few years together as assistants at Winged Foot and Thunderbird and after years of incredible success in traveling the PGA Tour and teaching the top players, Butch Harmon settled in Las Vegas to run a successful teaching center, and in 2003 – you guessed it – he made Don Callahan one of his teachers.

Eighteen years later, Don Callahan, is still on Butch Harmon’s staff, still teaching principles of the swing that have stood the test of time, still thanking this great family of American golf teachers for always being there for him.

“I’ve been lucky. Fortunate, very fortunate,” said Callahan.

But it’s at this point in the story where Butch Harmon – who is 78 and knows a thing or two about old-school values like honor and commitment and friendship – puts up the stop sign. This Harmon-Callahan legacy might have started because Claude gave young Don a chance and he appreciates the gratitude, but loyalty is a two-way street and the Harmons didn’t have a monopoly on it.

“Our family has known Don forever. Loyalty, like manners, may be a lost art in today’s world, but not with Don Callahan. I hired his son (Shawn) to work for me at the school in Houston (in 1997), then brought him to Vegas with me when we moved here.

“When Don retired from Thunderbird (in 2003), I told him, ‘Come teach here as long as you want.’ He’s earned that right because he’s always been there for our family, and he’s always done things the right way.”

Having worked as Claude Harmon’s assistant from 1963-66 at Winged Foot and 1963-77 at Thunderbird, Callahan saw the “right way” up close and personal.

“The whole thing with Claude was, if you did good work for him, he wrote letters and would go to bat for you,” said Callahan. “His philosophy was, ‘The more I do for you, the more you’ll do good work for me.’ ”

Noris, who was 11 when he got hired as a caddie at TCC, three years into Callahan’s tenure there, discovered that Claude Harmon’s philosophies had been brought to Brookline. Every year, Noris’ work ethic was recognized by Callahan, who kept promoting the young man and eventually made him an assistant pro at TCC and at Thunderbird in the winters.

The “right way” extended to writing letters for head pro jobs on behalf of Noris (at Dedham Country & Polo) and Dave Marad (at Essex County Club) after the Milton native had stepped away from the PGA Tour. And it extended to practice opportunities at TCC and a mentorship to a budding star named Bruce Douglass and even to making phone calls to colleges for TCC caddies.

“Don never forgot anyone,” said Noris. “He consistently showed the power of a great human being.”

That power, now 84, is still on display. And that, good friends, is what we mean about golf being a game for life.