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Pro Players You Have Met


JohnBarry

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Thought I would start this off. Name any golf pros you have met, relate the story, tell us about the person behind the person~!

John Barry

Bring the Funk, Back to Golf

The Golfer's Trip

 

 

 

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I have met Greg Norman, Phil Mickelsen, Stuart Appleby, and played golf with Aaron Baddeley. I don't have time to relate all the stories now, bit I will..

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2 Iron - :srixon-small: ZU65 17° | AeroTech SteelFiber 110icw S

Irons -  :srixon-small: ZX7 MKII  4-Pw | TTDGTI S400, std length  1° flat
Wedges - :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Tour Rack 50° 54° 58° | TTDGTI S400, std length 1° flat

Putter -  L.A.B. Golf Link.1 | LA Golf P135 shaft | Garsen Quad Tour grip
 

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I have met Greg Norman, Phil Mickelsen, Stuart Appleby, and played golf with Aaron Baddeley. I don't have time to relate all the stories now, bit I will..

 

Dang thats an amazing list. I haven't met any but I have been an arms length from Phil at the AT&T 3 years ago. The closest I have been to meeting or playing with a Pro was actually playing a practice round with a kid from the Canadian tour who no longer plays.

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I have met Greg Norman, Phil Mickelsen, Stuart Appleby, and played golf with Aaron Baddeley. I don't have time to relate all the stories now, bit I will..

 

 

I agree, great list, and can't wait for the full story!

John Barry

Bring the Funk, Back to Golf

The Golfer's Trip

 

 

 

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Back in the day when I actually could play the game, I spent a couple years toiling around the Canadian Tour and had the opportunity to meet Steve Stricker and Mike Weir. Of course, this is before they went on to greater things and I went on to selling insurance :lol:

Even back then those guys were on a different level.

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Back in the day when I actually could play the game, I spent a couple years toiling around the Canadian Tour and had the opportunity to meet Steve Stricker and Mike Weir. Of course, this is before they went on to greater things and I went on to selling insurance :lol:

Even back then those guys were on a different level.

 

 

Very nice, hope it worked out for you all!!

John Barry

Bring the Funk, Back to Golf

The Golfer's Trip

 

 

 

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Very nice, hope it worked out for you all!!

It worked out great! I got a daughter and wife out of the deal :lol:

I got my ass kicked all over the course and realized I just wasn't that good. My pride hurt for about three seconds and then moved into the club pro gig for ten years...realized I wasn't going to make enough moolah to survive and then went into my current profession. Still love playing golf (probably even more now) and life is good.

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I play Golf regularly with a pro that was on the PGA and Champions. And he just happened to play for the yankees and was MVP of the 1962 World Series... No big deal.

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It worked out great! I got a daughter and wife out of the deal :lol:

I got my ass kicked all over the course and realized I just wasn't that good. My pride hurt for about three seconds and then moved into the club pro gig for ten years...realized I wasn't going to make enough moolah to survive and then went into my current profession. Still love playing golf (probably even more now) and life is good.

 

 

Then everyone won for sure. Grats on the family, and I am sure a big grats on enjoying the game more now!

John Barry

Bring the Funk, Back to Golf

The Golfer's Trip

 

 

 

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Only "Pro" I have ever met was Doctor J, when he was in town and playing at a club I like to play. I finished before him, so I waited a bit, I didn't want to approach him on the course. He parked his cart and walked into the Pro Shop. I waited till he spoke with the staff for a minute and then walked up and introduced myself.

 

He said, "John Barry, are you the same John Barry that played." he laughed, so did I, he must have known I have heard that before. He was nice, polite, listened to me, and then introduced me to his foursome, some friends of his. I shook his HUGE hand and asked him how he played. He took a ball from his pocket, launched it about 20 feet into a trash can, swished it, and said "I wish I played half as good as that shot."

 

I didn't ask for an autograph, not a fan of it, gave him a business card and told him if he's in town anytime and needs a 4th, I would love to play!

John Barry

Bring the Funk, Back to Golf

The Golfer's Trip

 

 

 

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These stories can get a little long, so here we go. My first "Tour Pro experience" came about 5 years ago. I had a chance to travel to Las Vegas and play golf with Badds. We played at Bali Hai, right on the strip. He was so unassuming and totally genuine. That kid has one amazing short game. He can chip and putt it like no one I have ever seen. I will be a Badds fan for life. I will try to get to some of the others later.

Driver - Ping G430 Max 9° | Ventus Blue TR 
Hybrid - :srixon-small: ZX 16° & 18° | GD Tour IZ S

2 Iron - :srixon-small: ZU65 17° | AeroTech SteelFiber 110icw S

Irons -  :srixon-small: ZX7 MKII  4-Pw | TTDGTI S400, std length  1° flat
Wedges - :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Tour Rack 50° 54° 58° | TTDGTI S400, std length 1° flat

Putter -  L.A.B. Golf Link.1 | LA Golf P135 shaft | Garsen Quad Tour grip
 

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Shaq and Brian Shaw (@UCSB though)

Shaq is scary big.

 

My buddy met Natalie Gulbis in the local shop here. Lucky dog.

 

If we're going to expand this to basketball players I could go on for a while. Lots of really solid guys, few, if any, bad stories.

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These stories can get a little long, so here we go. My first "Tour Pro experience" came about 5 years ago. I had a chance to travel to Las Vegas and play golf with Badds. We played at Bali Hai, right on the strip. He was so unassuming and totally genuine. That kid has one amazing short game. He can chip and putt it like no one I have ever seen. I will be a Badds fan for life. I will try to get to some of the others later.

 

So many guys on tour I can't remember them all but who is Badds?

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Maltby KE4 Tour 19* w/ AXE Xcaliber Tour Hybrid TS

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Scratch 8620 DS TNC grind 53* & DS EGG grind 58* w/ Dynamic Gold S300

Ping Redwood D66 w/ KBS Tour Black Nickel

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Correct. He could be one of the nicest dudes on tour.

Driver - Ping G430 Max 9° | Ventus Blue TR 
Hybrid - :srixon-small: ZX 16° & 18° | GD Tour IZ S

2 Iron - :srixon-small: ZU65 17° | AeroTech SteelFiber 110icw S

Irons -  :srixon-small: ZX7 MKII  4-Pw | TTDGTI S400, std length  1° flat
Wedges - :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Tour Rack 50° 54° 58° | TTDGTI S400, std length 1° flat

Putter -  L.A.B. Golf Link.1 | LA Golf P135 shaft | Garsen Quad Tour grip
 

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All of these are actual real conversations, or more....except Phil Mc, he was one of those "run-in" situations:

 

PGA TOUR

Phil Mickelson - met him during a tournament when we had an "accidental" covnersation

Justin Leonard - met him when I was taking lessons from his instructor, Randy Smith

Hunter Mahon - met him when I was working at a club in Dallas and he was a kid; he'd often come and play with some of the members (this was when he was around 12 and would come over and play with some of the other kids)

 

LPGA TOUR

LPGA'er Taylor Leon - knew her when she was a kid and I was working at her family's club in Dallas

LPGA'er Kelli Kuehne - met her when I was working at a club in Dallas; she'd come out to practice some

Original LPGA'er Marilynn Smith - met her when I was working at club in Frisco; she introduces herself as "Marilynn Smith, one of the founders of the LPGA" LOL

Dottie Pepper - met her at the same club, it hosted the LPGA skins game

 

SR TOUR

Fred Couples - met him when I was working at a club in Dallas; actually helped him tweek his club

Andy Bean - met him when I was caddying at the Sr Tour event at my club and he was in my group

Bob Charles - met him when I was working golf retail and he came to our shop for an event day

Jim Dent - met him when I was in NC and served as caddy-master for the Vantage Championship

Raymond Floyd - met him when I was working retail; our store was just down from Wake Forest and I got to know Ray Jr; met dad through jr

Hale Irwin - met him when I was caddying at Sr Tour event at my home club, and I was caddy for his brother Phil

Tom Kite - met him at same Sr Tour event; was in the club sitting around waiting for Hale...just happened to be sitting there with Kite and a few others (I don't even remember who)

Mike McCullough - played in a pro-am with him

Bruce Summerhays - met him actually on my home course; I was playing alone and he and his son paired up with me to play the last 3 holes; he was getting an early look at our course before the Sr Tour event moved here

Leonard Thompson - met him when I volunteered for walking scorer at the event at my course

Walter Hall - same as above, but I had already met him when I worked retail and my shop did his club work

Fuzzy Zoeller - met him when he was in a group I was caddying for in Sr Tour event

 

 

LEGENDS

Dave Marr - met him when he was doing a function for a medical conference I was a guest at

Tom Watson - met him at my home club/course (that he designed)

Jack Nicklaus - ok...this was only when getting his autograph

 

NATIONWIDE TOUR

Nick Malinoski - knew him from the club I worked at in Dallas, he and family were members

Ron Whittaker - knew him from the retail shop I managed; it was down from Wake..knew him there, then ran into him when I worked in Dallas; we'd play some golf every now and then

 

 

 

OTHERS

Bob Ford - head pro at Oakmont; met him when caddying for Sr Tour event and he was in my group

Casey Martin - met him when I was the "naked model/guest student" in a Jim Hardy teaching session - Casey was one of the attendees

Rick Masingale (sp?) - hit balls next to him and chatted some when I worked at club in Dallas

Brad Elder - met him when I was in Dallas and taking lessons from Randy Smith; I was playing with some of Smith's hot-shot college guys and Elder joined us for a few holes.

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^^^^^^^^

Winner

Thread over now. WOW!

 

That's just because I worked in golf retail, at some of the right clubs, and had the Sr Tour come through my home course for a couple years -- lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, that's all.

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That's just because I worked in golf retail, at some of the right clubs, and had the Sr Tour come through my home course for a couple years -- lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, that's all.

Nice that you are so humble about it, but it is still an amazing list. Lucky or not, meeting all of these people is cool. I like that HM was a kid too. That had to be cool to see him on the tour.

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I have forgotten to add a few..

Casey Martin.. As the Coach of My Ducks, I see Mr. Martin about twice a month.

Jason Allred Won the US Junior in 1995 or 1996?? beat Trevor Immelman in the final. Played on the PGA tour a few years. I played a little with him when he was in High School. Unbelievable talent.

Boo Weekley. Met him at a Tour Event. Funny and down home. Just like on TV.

Luke Donald... Signed an autograph for me... Looked at me like I was gonna sell it NO WAY!!!

I have had a few dinners with the Nationwide tour players when they used to come to town. Some of them are on the Big Boy tour now.

Steve Wheatcroft

Ed Loar.. Still Trying.. Super nice guy. Wicked funny.

 

Not as good as NGage, but not too shabby. I've been lucky.

Driver - Ping G430 Max 9° | Ventus Blue TR 
Hybrid - :srixon-small: ZX 16° & 18° | GD Tour IZ S

2 Iron - :srixon-small: ZU65 17° | AeroTech SteelFiber 110icw S

Irons -  :srixon-small: ZX7 MKII  4-Pw | TTDGTI S400, std length  1° flat
Wedges - :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Tour Rack 50° 54° 58° | TTDGTI S400, std length 1° flat

Putter -  L.A.B. Golf Link.1 | LA Golf P135 shaft | Garsen Quad Tour grip
 

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I met Cristie Kerr once....rude....one of those i am so much better than you attitudes. Now we all know that golfers have to be donfident as the game is all about confidence. But she was way beyond confident if you catch my drift.

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Nice that you are so humble about it, but it is still an amazing list. Lucky or not, meeting all of these people is cool. I like that HM was a kid too. That had to be cool to see him on the tour.

 

Yeah...kinda neat to see them go from little kid to the big time. Taylor Leon is the one that stands out most that way. She was like 9, and I remember how excited she was to turn 10 -- hitting double digits, LOL. Even neater since I now have a 10 yr old of my own. I saw her almost daily -- her entire family was big time into golf. Her dad was a pretty good player (single digit hndcp), and she had two older brothers that were really into golf. The dad was definitely aggressive about them both learning and playing the game, It was obvious that he had plans for them beyond just casual golf. Both of the brothers went on to play major college golf(Ok St), just like Taylor. Funny thing is, back then she wasn't all that crazy about golf. Next thing I know....a few years down the road I see her playing on The Curtis Cup.

 

She was a sweet little super cute kid. Hope she's still a nice girl. I'll look forward to seeing her play.

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I met Cristie Kerr once....rude....one of those i am so much better than you attitudes. Now we all know that golfers have to be donfident as the game is all about confidence. But she was way beyond confident if you catch my drift.

CaddyJoe, do you work in the golf business in Vegas?? Just curious..

Driver - Ping G430 Max 9° | Ventus Blue TR 
Hybrid - :srixon-small: ZX 16° & 18° | GD Tour IZ S

2 Iron - :srixon-small: ZU65 17° | AeroTech SteelFiber 110icw S

Irons -  :srixon-small: ZX7 MKII  4-Pw | TTDGTI S400, std length  1° flat
Wedges - :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Tour Rack 50° 54° 58° | TTDGTI S400, std length 1° flat

Putter -  L.A.B. Golf Link.1 | LA Golf P135 shaft | Garsen Quad Tour grip
 

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