Opinion & Analysis

An inside look at playing in a PGA Tour Pro-Am

Published

11 years ago

Dec 5, 2015

You’re standing on the first tee, addressing the ball. Suddenly, your breathing grows considerably more noticeable and the ball becomes tiny — not unlike a cartoon character watching the earth disappear as he’s hurling into space. Welcome to your first PGA Tour Pro-Am; your central nervous system will be taking over from here.

Good luck.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly how I felt as I participated in the Heritage Bag Pro-Am ahead of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.). Fortunately, that feeling would subside… though it took me a couple holes.

How did I find myself in such a terrifying, yet enviable position?

Flashback three days. Our plane touched down at soggy Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. Mother Nature cancelled Sunday’s round at Jack Nicklaus’ Grand Bear Golf Course, so we loaded into a van and headed down the coast to the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi.

As a guest of Visit Mississippi — the state’s tourism department — I sat back and watched the miles of beach pass by. Not even the gray skies could dampen my mood and anticipation for the three days of golf that remained.

Following 18 holes Monday on the Davis Love III-designed Shell Landing Golf Club (Gautier) and another round Tuesday at The Oaks (Pass Christian), we headed north toward Jackson for the Pro-Am draft party.

This gala comes complete with culinary delights and an open bar. But wait, there’s more. As a participant in the Pro-Am, we’re invited into a special room to go “shopping.” The Nexbelt — a belt with no holes offered in black, brown or white — was only the tip of the endowed iceberg. Titleist offered up several packages — from outfits and shoes to drivers and wedges — most coming with dozens of Pro V1s. I chose a couple Vokey wedges.

On to the draft.

Of the 44 teams, half would play in the morning session, while the other half were scheduled for afternoon. The pros were already given their tee times, so a random draw determined from which wave you’d select. Our number came up with only three pros remaining in the morning — we quickly chose Bryce Molder.

Bryce Molder on the tee. Photo(s) courtesy of Visit Mississippi.

A 6:44 a.m. tee time meant a very early wake-up call, so the gala, for us, was finished.

The rising sun reveled a crowded driving range — professionals to one side, amateurs on the other. While I could have watched the pros for hours, I took an opportunity to hit a couple balls of my own. Early results that followed would have suggested a need for even more warm-up shots, but I believe it was the aforementioned nerves — not ability and tightness — that were to blame.

Pre-round introductions and commemorative photos out of the way, today’s game was a shamble. We’d take the best drive and then play our own ball through the remainder of the hole. Par was our “friend,” meaning if you can’t make par, put the ball in your pocket. No sense in carding a snowman.

From the first tee shot to the final putt, Molder and his caddie, “Big E” (Eric Bajas), were incredibly friendly, offered yardages and read breaks in the greens. All of that — and one of my playing partner’s big drives — helped us to a four-hour round and “leader in the clubhouse” status. Canadian Graham DeLaet’s team eventually overtook us.

Photo(s) courtesy of Visit Mississippi.

Like every stop on the PGA Tour, the biggest winner is charity. Sounds cliche, but it’s true. Proceeds from the Sanderson Farms Championship go to Friends of Children’s Hospital, benefitting children at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, as well as other Mississippi charities. The total amount raised by the tournament for Mississippi charities will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and golf course rater. In addition to writing for national and regional golf publications, he has covered topics ranging from health and fitness to travel. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, he is married with three kids.

14 Comments

JT

Jan 14, 2016 at 10:40 pm

Hey Rob, saw you are a course rater.. If you’re a member if a private course, how often can the course be rated, and what are the circumstances for it to be rated again if it’s only been a few years?

Reply Report comment
- Rob Thomas
  
  Oct 25, 2016 at 3:48 pm
  
  Hey JT – Sorry … Didn’t realize there were questions and comments (wish I hadn’t read some of the comments).
  A course can be rated over and over – no timeframe. Each new rating erases the last.
  As for why we’d rate it again … Often renovations change a course for better or worse. A course will often reach out following some work they feel has enhanced the playing conditions or overall experience.
  Hope this answers your question.
  Rob
  
  Reply Report comment
Bob

Dec 14, 2015 at 8:55 am

Yes I would like to know what’s it’s like to play a pro-am, maybe someone will write an article that actually gives some insight one day. zzzzz PR

Reply Report comment
viking62

Dec 9, 2015 at 1:10 pm

I’ve never played in a pro am – don’t have that kind of money or connections, but I recently got to play with an ex pro in a men’s night event. The pro was Ashley Chinner, who had a 13th finish at the 1998 Canadian Open – I think he a bunch of top 10s on the web.com tour as well.

I really wanted to play well to see how my game stacked up. Now Mr. Chinner is no longer a pro – but if not for some shaky putting a 70 would have been a 65, he can still play. Well my nerves were even worse than when I play amateur tournaments. I was horrible. I was a 1 handicap at the time and my first tee shot went about 150 yards in the left rough and never got more than 6 feet off the ground.

The best part for me, the ex-pro loves to teach, he gave me a tip to help me stop hitting hooks . Shot my career round the next day.

Reply Report comment
kc

Dec 9, 2015 at 12:47 pm

After many rounds inside the ropes. Pros are people also they have good days & bad days and not only because what occurs on the course. All recognize the pro-am as a great way to practice, support worthy causes & the tour. They don’t expect amateurs to play great or well and hold little/no expectations. Everyone is nervous playing with them and in front f the crowds.
Article is very accurate about Bryce & Big E, his caddie. Have enjoyed every round with them both are great.

Reply Report comment
OB Left and Right

Dec 9, 2015 at 12:37 pm

Would have loved a little bit more info. Yeah, I get it. It is an ad, but give a little better play by play. Maybe answer questions like: What was it like hitting in front of a crowd? Did you get some yellow striped range balls or did you was it like the Pro’s range of name brand balls? Did you have a dedicated practice area for the AM’s or could you roll a few with the big guys? How much clubhouse access did you receive? I mean, could you stroll into the players areas or was there a place for the AMs to change shoes and the like?

While I know the answers could be different from tourney to tourney, it would be nice to get a real picture of what goes on. Maybe this is all something you could add to a forum submission…

Reply Report comment
- MK
  
  Dec 9, 2015 at 4:06 pm
  
  I’ve only played in one pro am at Bay Hill last year, but to answer your questions the Ams played different tees than the pros, probably closer to 6,500 yards. We played our own balls each hole and took the best net score for the group, with a max of par. We had full inside the ropes access on the course – driving range, putting green, short game area etc, so we could putt next to the pros, roll the prototype putters in bags around the green, etc (though most of the equipment is gone by the Wed pro-am). Some poor soul even asked for my autograph on the way from the putting green to the range (he must not have watched me warm up), and I have a huge regret in not signing. Inside the clubhouse was different – we had a pro-am lunch area that was separate from the pros, and a separate locker room. Overall it was a truly incredible experience, probably the best golf experience I’ve ever had, so if you ever get a chance jump at it.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Rob Thomas
  
  Oct 25, 2016 at 3:54 pm
  
  OB L&R,
  I often have trouble hitting in front of strangers – first tee or playing through. Imagine that multiplied by 10. That was the first few holes, but settled down after that and hardly noticed the spectators. That said, there really aren’t too many at the pro-am. Nothing like the tournament, of course.
  The balls at the range weren’t tour balls, but were very nice. Certainly a lot better than you’d see at a standard range.
  The range was split – pros to one side and amateurs to the other – but the putting green was mingled.
  We had access to the clubhouse, but not the locker rooms. Some pros sat and had lunch with their team.
  Sorry it took so long to reply. I didn’t know there were questions and comments.
  Cheers!
  Rob
  
  Reply Report comment
TheCityGame

Dec 7, 2015 at 1:35 pm

Come on man, this is a golf site. How about some hole-by-hole.

Did you play the same tees? If so, did you ever NOT use the pro’s drive?

Did you ever stick one inside the pro from the same distance?

Were you impressed with his play, or surprised at some of the putts he missed?

Did your group ever make putts from outside him, or was he just dominant? Did you just use his score every hole?

What stood out about playing with him?

Reply Report comment
- alexdub
  
  Dec 7, 2015 at 3:00 pm
  
  +1
  
  While this may be a puff piece for Visit Mississippi, some particulars of the behind-the-ropes experience would have been nice.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Rob Thomas
  
  Oct 25, 2016 at 4:02 pm
  
  TheCityGame,
  Sorry for the 10-month delay. Didn’t see the questions/comments.
  We played forward tees. I’d they were equivalent to middle tees on a 5-tee course. We were under 6,500 yards.
  In our case, the shorter tees and a long hitter in our group meant we only took Molder’s tee shot on two holes – par 3s.
  I think we finished at 14-under. A couple were Molder’s birdies (a tap-in on a long par 3 comes to mind), but most were our birdies or pars that played to birdies because of handicap.
  We each had a few excellent approaches, but Molder was clearly the pro in our group. His swing was smooth and his misses were better than most of our “pured” shots. It’s really a shock to see how much better a PGA Tour pro is than the best player you’ve played with. A scratch player can’t compete.
  Hope this shines a little more light.
  Cheers!
  Rob
  
  Reply Report comment
Martin

Dec 6, 2015 at 6:04 pm

Would be fun.

Reply Report comment
Rwj

Dec 5, 2015 at 2:56 pm

Sounds great to me. Nice to hear the player and caddie are good people

Reply Report comment
- Jay
  
  Dec 7, 2015 at 8:24 am
  
  Most of them are great – played with Cink last year at the Humana and could not have asked for a better “host” for the day
  
  Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

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