Off the Course
What is your favorite part about being a dad?
There are so many things it’s hard to pick out just one. When I get a hug from my kids Nathan, Ellie and hold Asher when I walk in the door is great. Also, I love taking them places with me…Especially the golf course! Nathan loves to play golf and started being able to play a full 9 holes at four years old!
What is your favorite place you have ever visited?
In August 2010 I was able to go to Ecuador with Fuel the Mission. We worked on the Nate Saint house which was really cool, because I read about Nate Saint when I was a kid. I also had the amazing experience of flying in a MAF plane and landing on a jungle airstrip! Nate Saint’s story really inspired me when I was growing up.
Do you have any hobbies?
I don’t know if it’s a hobby, but I love to play with my kids. I like to work out and hike. The mountains around Phoenix have some great trails with awesome views. Also, I like to play just about any sport from basketball to ping pong.
Do you have any particular story that stands out from your childhood?
Probably the time when I was about 10 years old and I drove a three-wheeler into a barn wall on our dairy. I wasn’t supposed to be driving it and I wasn’t aware that the brakes did not work. I was approaching the barn and tried to brake but instead panicked and hit the throttle. I still remember the loud crash and the sinking feeling that I had, just before I went through the tin wall of the barn. I did not get hurt, but I haven’t ridden a three-wheeler since.
What is your favorite golf course that you have played?
Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma, is my favorite. It’s a Pete Dye design and a really tough golf course. It was the first PGA Tour quality course that I ever played. Over the last few years I have played some other really memorable courses. The Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii, and El Tigre Golf Club in Puerto Villarta, Mexico, would be a close second and third.
When and where did you first meet your wife?
I met my wife, Jeree, right before my freshman year of college. She was going into her senior year of college at Southwestern Oklahoma State. We met at a bowling alley in Clinton, Oklahoma. It wasn’t love at first sight because I think she thought I looked like I was still in Jr. High. However, for some reason she liked me and we started dating toward the end of my freshman year. We married after my sophomore year of college.
What is in your golf bag (besides the clubs)?
Pro V-1x golf balls, an alignment rod, a rubber putting target, a Bushnell rangefinder, a metal practice ball tube that holds 23 balls, bananas and plenty of Lara Bars.
Do you have any good book recommendations?
Mover of Men and Mountains by R.G. Le Tourneau, Putting out of Your Mind by Dr. Bob Rotella and The Short Way to Lower Scoring by Paul Runyan.