TERRE HAUTE — It was back in 2007 when area golf fans were happy to learn that Chad Collins from nearby Cloverdale had earned his PGA Tour card for 2008.
Qualifying for that coveted card is definitely no small feat in itself. Collins secured that distinction by concluding the 2007 Nationwide Tour as one of its top 25 money winners. At that time, as it is for most professional golfers, there would be good news as well as bad, in the future.
Collins went on to win $339,959 in prize money. That landed him 174th among money winners. Add some endorsement checks to that and you have a nice income for a young man, however, it would take another $512,790 to tie Martin Laird for 125th in order to retain playing privileges for 2009.
In reviewing Chad’s statistics, I recalled that “figures don’t lie,” but sometimes it would seem that something is haywire. For example, Collins averaged 277.5 yards for tee shots whereas Greg Kraft’s figure was 273.6. Kraft won $1,204,559 to place 90th on the money list, but Chad’s driving distance ranked him 184th among tour regulars.
Everyone knows that the pros “drive for show and putt for dough” right? Well, Collins average of 28.4 putts per round placed him 11th on the PGA Tour. A player by the name of Vijay Singh averaged 28.7 and he took home more than six and one-half million greenbacks.
Chad also placed 31st in sand saves getting up and down 55.3 percent of the time.
From the stats you might conclude that the word “synergism” is flawed even though Mr. Webster of dictionary fame advises that synergism occurs when the total effect is more than the sum of individual effects. With Collins’ numbers it would appear that he should have more prize money than the amount credited to him, but this is where the plot thickens.
Even though the PGA Tour has in the past declared itself an “all exempt tour”, in actuality it has been anything but “all exempt.” Chad got to compete in 24 tournaments in which he made 12 cuts. There are more than 30 tourneys played on tour. Top 125 finishers are “in” for the upcoming season. Other categories include some medical exemptions, those who qualify with lifetime earnings on tour, winners of “Majors,” sponsor’s exemptions and of course the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour.
By the time Nationwide qualifiers get to play, it may be that two or three tournaments have been completed. Then there is the matter of reshuffling. That’s when players are moved up and down on the qualifying list depending on how they have fared in their opportunities to tee it up.
At any rate, that “Synergy” thing we mentioned did work out. Chad’s overall rating for a number of statistics combined, put him at 159 out of 200 players. His driving distance placed him 174th among his fellow competitors. Although Chad’s putts per round figure was outstanding, he ranked 183rd on greens in regulation which means he missed a few more greens than others which led to shorter and fewer putts per round.
All in all, Collins has proven that he has the necessary skills to not only play the PGA Tour, but also to be successful, but there is that fine line between succeeding and missing. Several of the players who finished behind Collins have been winners on the PGA Tour in the past.
With many buckets of gold out there for the winners, strong players like Collins need to go for it. The quest is not easy, but huge rewards are waiting. One hundred four players earned more than one million dollars on the PGA Tour in 2008.
With hard work and some luck, Collins might well see his name someday rising to the top of the PGA money list. Here’s wishing him plenty of luck, which is always an important ingredient in this wild and crazy game called golf.
Bob Clements was a marvelous athlete at Wiley High School and at Indiana State. In addition, he was an outstanding football coach at South Vigo High School. The Bob Clements Memorial Golf Classic honors his memory with proceeds from the event going to the Bob Clements Scholarship Fund as well as providing grants for classroom teachers.
The second annual event is slated for June 17 at Idle Creek with a lunch provided at 11 a.m.. and a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.
Entry fee is $75 per player and hole sponsorships may be purchased for $100. A raffle will also be conducted. Awards for low gross and low net winners will be presented at the tourney’s conclusion.
Bob Olah was captain and No. 1 man on South Vigo’s golf team back in 1972 and 1973. At six feet in height and 155 pounds, Olah could hit the ball a proverbial mile. I recall when he hit a drive and a nine iron to the back of No. 8 at Rea Park. He also won a driving contest at Hulman Links when he blasted a drive 339 yards down number one fairway.
Bob wasn’t just a hitter. He posted a pair of 72’s in leading the team to a win in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference Tourney his senior year. The squad followed up with a regional championship and a trip to the IHSAA state finals where they finished 11th. His teammates were Stephen Cass, Terry Metheny, Fred Bonewell and John Moulton.
It seems that Olah hasn’t forgotten how to strike the little white sphere. On his yearly trek from Galt, Cailf. he recently pulled out his wedge on No. 5 at Hulman Links and deposited his 134-yard shot into the cup for a deuce. His witnesses were Gene Tanner, Jeff Fields and Mark Miklozek.
When asked what he shot, the reply was “I’ll be playing Hulman Links for the fourth time tomorrow.”
Aces have been plentiful at River Bend at The Landing. That’s the former Elks Fort Harrison Country Club. Don Albert reports that it has taken 60 years to record his first hole in one. He recently grabbed his trusty Ping wedge and performed his perfect shot on No. 8. Looking on were Ron Poore Sr. and Harvey Cabak.
Also draining their tee shots on the 95-yard par three were Shawn Sheffield and Will Pollock. Sheffield used his sand wedge for his ace, which was witnessed by Tim Snedeger and Bob Woods. Will Pollock, a member of North’s golf team, popped his 56-degree wedge into the cup and became one of the younger set to make an ace this season. His brother, Sam, witnessed the feat.
• Tip of the week — If you are “topping” your drives, place a tee about two inches past the ball you want to hit, and then try to make contact with the tee in front as you make your swing.
Also, have someone hold your head steady while you take a practice swing. Stand far enough from the path of the clubhead so you don’t get hit. Your head won’t remain perfectly still, but excess motion will ruin your shots.
Keep your head down and your shoestrings tied. We’ll be back.
Bob Arnett can be reached by e-mail at subob@aol.com or by mail at the Tribune-Star, P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute, IN 47808.
Rub of the Green
Rub of the Green: Quest is not easy, but Valley product Chad Collins should go for PGA’s pot of gold
- Rub of the Green
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Young players should match course to skills
One of the biggest mistakes a beginning golfer can make is to keep playing a golf course that is far too difficult for the ability demonstrated by that player.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: On the lanes or links, Davis is competitive
Darrell Davis carries a 240 bowling average which obviously puts him in some strong company on the alleys, but he feels that golf is a much more difficult sport than keggling.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Loquacious golfers can provide priceless quotes
Golfers always seem to have a great deal to say, but determining who said what and who said it first can be a problem.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Rick Fernandes can look back on a great golf career
What does an outstanding golfer have left when an accident has robbed him of the consummate skills he once possessed? The answer most assuredly would be one word, “Memories.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Feherty’s humor good for golf
David Feherty is an extremely funny man. If you have read his book written a few years ago, you might have guessed what to expect from him. The book, entitled “Somewhere in Ireland a Village is Missing an Idiot,” set the stage for his far out brand of humor, most of which is directed at himself.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: It's all in your head
A pair of divot diggers had been discussing their favorite sport when one could be heard saying, “You know, I think this game is 90 percent mental.” After a short pause his friend replied, “Well, I think you’re about 10 percent short in your estimation.”
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Golf: ‘The Game You Love to Hate’
Golf has been called “The Game You Love to Hate.” In addition, love-hate relationships have been around since the beginning of time.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf is only sport that offers both hilarity, pathos
It’s been stated more than once that “golf is a microcosm for life itself.”
This writer would heartily agree. No sport or game can offer combinations of happiness and sadness, hilarity and pathos as evidenced by an activity called “cow pasture pool” by some of its practitioners. -
RUB OF THE GREEN: Even golfers say there is drug problem on Tour
Are professional golfers using performance-enhancing drugs? This writer wouldn’t have the foggiest, but if you asked Gary Player, one of the game’s greatest, the answer would be a resounding, “Yes.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Not all golfers display their trophies
Back in the “old days,” let’s say the 1940s, most of the time when you won something in a golf tournament your prize came in the form of a trophy. That was it, just a dust catcher. Later, merchandise prizes were added.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf full of colorful characters
Every sport has its own cast of characters and golf is definitely no exception. Whether it is diving head first into a greenside bunker or tying an unreliable putter to a car’s bumper and dragging it down the road, golfers can do some strange things.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Winter made golf impossible this year
Old Man Winter along with Mother Nature must have something against area golfers. They have joined forces to sabotage a sport called winter golf, an activity many Wabash Valley players have enjoyed in years gone by.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf instruction a strenuous art
Few who have ever tried their hands at playing the game of golf would describe the sport as “easy”. In fact, just the opposite would be the case.
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BOB ARNETT: No matter what your level, watch out for pressure
What is the affliction that can affect most any golfer from those who can’t break an egg to skilled golfers who can break 70?
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RUB OF THE GREEN: THGA tournaments include variety, long history
In days gone by, the Terre Haute Golf Association has always offered more than just a 72-hole stroke play tournament.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: PGA playoff system still needs work
Is anyone fed up with the convoluted Fed Ex playoffs? The PGA has been tweaking its so-called Fed Ex playoff system for years, and they never seem to get it right.
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Rub of the Green: Golf can be roller coaster for young pros
Dustin Johnson may be best remembered for his appearances in the major tournaments in 2010, but not because he won. He didn’t win. But he came awfully close.
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Rub of the Green: One size does NOT fit all when it comes to golfing ability
Literally hundreds of books have been written on the subject of golf instruction, and we can be certain they all agree on one fundamental, always keep your head stationary throughout the swing.
Right? Nope, wrong as it could be! How’s that, you say? As examples both David Duval and Annika Sorenstam at one time were rated the world’s No. 1 professional golfers, respectively, and both swiveled their heads well before their clubheads reached the impact zone. In fact, Duval is one of a select few who has a 59 to his credit on the PGA Tour. -
Rub of the Green: Gerstmeyer Tech’s reknown Les Brown made his mark in plethora of sports
Les Brown never had a middle name, not even a middle initial. What he did have was an abundance of athletic ability that he utilized to earn letters in five different sports during his senior year at Gerstmeyer Technical High School.
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Rub of the Green: An inspiring walk of 1,000 miles
Watching the young man on the TV screen move from place to place was like watching the human body battle itself. It seemed as though his arms and legs each wanted to go in separate directions, as he flailed about with only a cane to steady himself.
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Rub of the Green: From fundraiser to reunited, game of golf wears many different ‘hats’
The game of golf can take on many different characteristics, depending on the objectives of those sponsoring the events. Golf may be played as a tribute or a memorial to the deceased. It may be a time of camaraderie that unites old friends.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Excursions are a tradition for many Terre Haute golfers
Many divot diggers enjoy excursions to play golf courses that offer new and different challenges. Terre Haute can certainly testify to the truth of that with some groups having hit the road for many decades.
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Rub of the Green: Was 1960 really the ‘Greatest Year in Golf’?
Listening to Willie Nelson warble the lyrics, “Ain’t it funny how time slips away?” reminds this writer that those words are incorrect on two counts. One, it is not funny to get old. The late Bob Bundy often stated, “Old age is not for sissies.” And two, time doesn’t just slip away, it tends to streak on at a full gallop. At least, that’s the felling you get when you qualify for the Methuselah Flight of your club championship.
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Rub of the Green: Basketball coaching legend Wooden could hold his own on golf course
The name John Wooden doesn’t just “ring a bell” with Indiana basketball aficionados; it resounds like a canon shot. No doubt about it, John Wooden is someone special, and that is a gross understatement.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Can Tiger Woods successfully make over his me-first image?
“Pain, despair and agony on me” are the words of a comical song made popular on an old TV program titled “Hee-Haw.” The refrain might have been heard again if you had occasion to drive by the Tiger Woods residence in the gated community of Isleworth, Fla., as the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday wound down, but this time no one was laughing.
- Rub of the Green: Course architect Pete Dye has had lasting impression on game It would seem that the more you learn about Pete Dye, the golf course architect, the more there is to admire about the man. It was decades ago when Dye determined that the insurance business was not for him, and he decided to begin designing golf courses. Even Pete, himself, in all likelihood, couldn’t have known the impact he was going to make on the golf world.
- RUB OF THE GREEN: French Lick course a treasure With pristine fairways, greens and bunkers providing a colorful patchwork, the course provides onlookers with the opportunity to witness some of the best experiences Mother Nature can provide.
- RUB OF THE GREEN: Strange stories connected to golf
- Rub of the Green: Holmes held ‘corner on the market’ of club championships When it comes to winning club championships it would appear that amiable Ron Holmes has held a “corner on the market” while winning a total of 28 of these titles throughout his 50 years as an amateur golfer.
- Rub of the Green: Woods vs. Yang at PGA proves anything can happen Tiger Woods wants to win major golf championships, and he wants to win them in the worst way. With 14 of them already in his resume, it looked obvious that the 2009 PGA Championship would be No. 15, especially since Tiger, No. 1 in the world, had never lost a major holding the lead going into the final round. But then, as most golfers know, cow pasture pool can be a crazy, weird and wild game.
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