HALE IRWIN: THE GOLF MAN By Christine Imbs “Hey, golf man!” Hearing someone yell that to Hale Irwin in St. Louis isn’t surprising. Hearing it from a local while standing on a sidewalk in Morocco is another story. But in typical Irwin fashion, he doesn’t let it go to his head; recognition may be nice, but fame is fleeting. “There’s always a faster gun in the West,” he says. Maybe. But if you look at his record you’ll see this gunslinger wields a mean iron. He holds the Senior PGA Tour record for victories (31), including at least four titles per season for four consecutive years. He also has three U.S. Open victories among 20 wins on the PGA Tour, and has won the U.S. Senior Open twice. With a record like this, it’s not surprising that Irwin is in the World Golf Hall of Fame. What is surprising is that he’s never had a formal lesson. Introduced to the game by his father at the tender age of four, he was a natural. “My father was just an average golfer. I sort of learned to play on my own,” he says. “I had a knack for it. Either that or I was too hardheaded to know better.” Then again, if he was that hardheaded, he would’ve stuck to football. While attending the University of Colorado, he was an unusual two-sport participant: golf was his secondary game, while football was his main focus. As a defensive back, he was a two-time All-Big Eight selection. But in the 1960s, the inside of the helmet was covered with a foam rubber padding that he says turned hard as a rock when the weather turned cold. “I was knocked unconscious a couple of times. I still have scar tissue on my right ear from taking an especially hard hit,” he recalls. Football may have gotten him through college, but his preoccupation with golf gave him a career. In his senior year, he won the NCAA championship, and as his game developed, football became a memory. He turned professional in 1968, and earned the respect of his peers by winning tournaments at some of America’s most challenging courses. Now, 36 years later, Irwin and golf have become synonymous. But not without a few bumps in the road. “There are times when I absolutely hate golf. But I’m back the next day licking my chops ready to go again,” he says. “Why? Because I love the excitement, I love the competition and I love meeting those challenges.” For most golfers, playing against the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player would be the ultimate challenge. But the challenge Irwin enjoys most isn’t the players or even the course. It’s himself. “I’ve described golf as the loneliest sport there is,” he explains. “No one swings that club for you. When you’re on the last hole, as nervous as a cat, with no idea what to do, no one can get inside and tell you. No matter who I play, me, myself and I are the greatest obstacles in front of me.” Irwin says he learns something every time he plays with champion-caliber golfers. “Many players knock on the door of a major championship and watch it open. But they can’t get their feet across the threshold,” he explains. “They peek inside and it’s kind of dark and uncomfortable in there. A champion himself, Irwin is very clear about the key to his success. “I have a continuing desire to excel and get better. You know they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but this old dog likes to try,” he says with a laugh. Irwin plans to participate in the 2004 U.S. Senior Open when it’s held here in July. Having won the Boone Valley Classic in 1997 and 1999, and the 2000 U.S. Senior Open, he will probably figure prominently in this year’s competition. But Irwin says he’s had so many good things happen in his career, if he wins nothing else he’ll be satisfied. “I enjoy designing golf courses,” he says. “I have a design business. My kids are involved in it, too.” Talking POINTS BORN: 1945 in Joplin, Mo. RESIDENCE: Primarily Paradise Valley, Arizona, but also St. Louis FAVORITE U.S. GOLF COURSE: Cypress Point. The scenery is terrific and the golf fun. FAVORITE ST. LOUIS GOLF COURSES: Bellerive, Old Warson and Boone Valley BIGGEST THRILL IN GOLF: My first real win as a professional and my three U.S. Opens. FAVORITE GOLF MOMENT: Winning the father/son tournament in Orlando last Dec. FAVORITE NON-GOLF ACTIVITIES: Fishing, hunting, golf design & time with my family. FAVORITE ATHLETE: Byron “Whizzer” White. He was a fabulous football player at the University of Colorado and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. FAVORITE MOVIE: “Cold Mountain” LAST BOOK READ: The DaVinci Code FAVORITE TELEVISION PROGRAM: Nothing. Television’s overrated. BEST THING ABOUT ST. LOUIS: Being at home. Christine Imbs is a freelance writer based in St. Louis.

May 2004 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sean Sovacool tries mastering the Senior Open. special regional airport section. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.technologygateway.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Joshua Scheck glimpses inside the storm. George Tompras and Renee Bogdanos of Kreis’ Restaurant. In the Spotlight, HALE IRWIN.