MARCH/APRIL 2007
Pro-ams are memories in the making

A lot of people remember how Tiger Woods’ week began when he debuted as a pro at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open – remember his “Hello world” comment? – and how his week ended, with a final-round ace on the 14th hole at Brown Deer Park which thrilled the huge gallery surrounding him.

But aside from those well-documented moments, Woods provided additional thrills during the tournament’s annual Wednesday pro-am, which fell the day after he turned professional.

Obviously, not every amateur who participates in a pro-am on the PGA Tour gets paired with a player of Woods’ stature. Even as a skinny 20-year-old, Woods attracted large galleries during the pro-am and over four tournament rounds. (He eventually tied for 60th and cashed his first check as a pro, for $2,544.) But regardless of the player with whom they are paired, participating amateurs have a unique opportunity to play alongside a top-notch pro and learn a little about the game from an inside-the-ropes perspective.

In short, what PGA Tour pro-ams offer is access – to PGA Tour players and a Tour-caliber golf course.

The next chance Wisconsin players have to play with a PGA Tour member comes the week of July 16-22, when the 40th U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee will be played at Brown Deer Park GC.

The Wednesday pro-am has become a way of life on the PGA Tour, although the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee also offers a smaller Monday pro-am. The Wednesday event – with 208 total amateurs in morning and afternoon shifts – has been extremely popular with Wisconsin golf fans, and it often sells out. The event actually begins the night before with a Tuesday evening pairings dinner in which teams of amateurs draft their pros. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin players such as Steve Stricker, Jerry Kelly and Skip Kendall are extremely popular, at least in non-Tiger years.

“Very much so,” said tournament director Dan Croak. “(State pros are) the very early picks when they play.”

Last year, Andy North served as master of ceremonies for the selection party – players Scott McCarron and Jim Gallagher Jr. have done the same in past years – and several groups of amateurs sought his opinion on the pros who would be the most enjoyable partners.

“You see them deliberating within their group who they’re going to pick,” Croak said. “So it’s a fun way to start off the day.”

Woods’ pro-am participation in 1996 was unique in several ways. Since he turned pro just the day before, Woods was actually classified as an amateur for the pro-am (its one of the few times a PGA Tour pro-am has featured two pros). The group’s other pro was Duffy Waldorf, who at the time was sponsored by Miller Brewing Co., so the group was filled out with Miller executives including Virgis Colbert.

Colbert has since retired but still sits on Miller’s Board of Directors and serves as a senior adviser to the company, which, by the way, has long supported the U.S. Bank Championship. He has participated in other PGA Tour pro-ams over the years, but the day he spent with Woods in 1996 clearly stands out. And he retains some great memories.

Since Woods was in a transitional period, and because he was also running late when he arrived at Brown Deer Park, Colbert remembers watching him hurriedly stuff golf balls, gloves and other items into his first Nike staff bag from the small bag he used in winning his third U.S. Amateur Championship the week before.

“I remember telling my wife, ‘This is the beginning of something great for golf. We are watching a historic moment,’” Colbert said recently.

A few holes later, Waldorf came face-to-face with the future of golf. After being out-driven by Woods by 40 yards, the happy-go-lucky Waldorf leaned over to Colbert and said: “You see what I have to look forward to.”

Colbert recalls that Woods didn’t offer tips on the golf swing as some PGA Tour players do during pro-ams, but he helped the amateurs read putts, and he spent time chatting up his partners. In fact, Colbert recalled one conversation on the course centered on Colbert’s job with Miller Brewing and the possible acquisition by the young phenom of some of the company’s product. Instead, Colbert got Tiger’s dad, Earl Woods, involved.

“I told (Tiger) I couldn’t do that because you have to be 21 to drink in Wisconsin,” Colbert recalled with a laugh. “But I did send some Miller Genuine Draft up to (then-swing coach) Butch Harmon’s suite and to Earl Woods’ suite at the Hyatt.”

After the pro-am, Woods signed some items for Colbert. Colbert said the two have also chatted a few times in the years since at the Masters and elsewhere. Woods has always been friendly in those subsequent meetings, but Colbert admits he isn’t sure if Woods remembers him in connection to his first PGA Tour pro-am. Either way, Colbert still has some items autographed by Woods hanging in his study, he’s got some great memories, and he’s experienced the satisfaction watching Woods develop into a great player after being in on the ground floor of his professional career.

The same can also be said for thousands of amateur players across America who have participated in pro-ams and, like Colbert, watched their pro go on to great things.

Chasing great memories is what PGA Tour pro-ams are all about, and in most cases it’s the amateur doing the pursuing. But not always. In 2006, Croak said, Pewaukee native and PGA Tour member Mark Wilson made a special request of his own in the days leading up to the U.S. Bank Championship Wednesday pro-am.

“He called me up and said, ‘I’ve never played in a pro-am with my father. Can I buy a spot?’ I thought that was a cool thing,” said Croak.

Then a sponsor of Wilson’s, Thrivent Financial, purchased the other spots in the group and some company executives teed it up with Mark and Les Wilson, “and they had a great time,” Croak said.

For more information about the 40th U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee including the Monday (July 16) and Wednesday (July 18) pro-ams, go to www.usbankchampionship.com or call (414) 431-GOLF.