more photosPro golfer Peter Jacobsen, left, of Bonita Springs, Fla., talks about the final shot of the day Tuesday with amateur golfer Chip Holden, of Marin County, Calif., as they walk off the 18th green during the Jeld-Wen Tradition’s Pro-Am Championship at Crosswater Club in Sunriver.
Andy Tullis / The Bulletin
Learning from the pros
At The Tradition’s Pro-Am Championship, pro golfers set a good example for their amateur teammates
By Sheila G. Miller / The Bulletin
Published: August 19. 2009 4:00AM PSTTom Watson doesn’t have to be nice. He’s famous enough, especially after his second-place finish at the 2009 British Open a month ago, that he could have ignored the amateurs in his foursome at Tuesday’s Pro-Am Championship, and they’d have been excited just to be on the same golf course. Instead, Watson helped the players with every putt, chatted with them through 18 holes at Crosswater Club in Sunriver, and seemed to have a genuine good time.
“He’s the hardest-working pro I’ve ever seen,” said John Distefano, 50, who came from St. Louis for the event. “He looked us in the eyes, and he remembered all our names.”
The event Tuesday paired each of 45 professional golfers playing in the Jeld-Wen Tradition this weekend with groups of four amateurs.
For those amateurs lucky enough to play a round with a big-name player, the experience was unforgettable.
Chip Holden, 52, from Marin County, Calif., played in the Pro-Am with Peter Jacobsen. On the 18th green, Jacobsen gave pointers to Holden and other players on their putting. For that reason, Holden said he wasn’t nervous.
“With Peter, you don’t have to be. He’s so effervescent,” he said.
“One thing, too, is that he’s free with advice. He’s kind enough that he doesn’t do it right away, but he can tell when it’s a good time to interact. I feel like I just got a lesson.”
That was a common sentiment for players coming off the 18th hole at the end of the tournament.
Rod Wendt, 55, of Klamath Falls, played his round with Ben Crenshaw, who joined the PGA Tour in 1973 and had 19 victories over the years before joining the Champions Tour in 2002.
“Ben makes it really easy. You’re only nervous because of the pressure you put on yourself,” Wendt said. “He helps you line up your putts and gave you tips and pointers if you asked.”
While many of the amateurs were eager to learn from the pros walking the course with them, others made a concerted effort to avoid bothering them for advice.
“If we asked, he would have given us advice, but most of our swings need so much help that it’s not going to happen on the course,” said Andy Moore, 41, from Eugene, after playing a round with Craig Stadler.
Stadler, a well-known face on the Champions Tour, was friendly with Moore’s foursome, chatting with the group about his family and golf throughout the day.
“He plays with pretty poor amateur golfers on a weekly basis at pro-ams,” Moore said, laughing. “On the Champions Tour, these guys understand the value of the pro-am. They know a lot of us are sponsors, and they’re pretty mature about it.”
While some of the professionals treated Tuesday’s slow, error-filled pro-am as a time to check out the course and get some practice in before Thursday’s first round, it seemed most were glad to spend time helping out players who aspire to be even remotely as good as they are.
“We’re playing with a legend, and he is interested. He’s giving us a read on every putt,” said Mark Ganz, 48, of Portland, after playing with Watson. “He was firm in his instruction. ... But it felt like he was really playing with us. It was like a walking coaching session.”
Sheila G.
Miller
can be reached at 541-617-7831 or at smiller@bendbulletin.com.
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