from junior clinic to U.S. Open
 

I got one of the best phone calls I could imagine, last night...

My first golf job was at Newnan Country Club in Newnan, GA. I was the Assistant Golf Pro, and I was in charge of the junior program. This was from 1993 to 1996. One of the phenoms in the class was a tiny little girl with a beautiful motion. She was certainly a natural.

Many of the ideas that would take the kids a week to get, she could get in minutes. She had the mind and the confidence of a 20 year old, seemingly trapped in a 9 year old body. We all knew that she was capable of doing great things.

She called me last night with a noticeable excitement. She started with some small talk, but then asked, "Guess what?" I asked what was up. She said, "Nothing much. I just made it into the U.S. Open!"

I was so excited for her, I couldn't stand it. She was so happy to be able to call me, and I was certainly happy to hear the news.

She wants me to make the trip to Minnesota this week, so I can refresh her memory on the technique for putting lightning fast greens. I've got to juggle a bunch of lessons and get a last minute ticket. But, it will all be worth it.

It's a teacher's dream to have some influence in a child’s life and have them accomplish great things. I guess you can tell that I'm very proud of her.

Congrats!
 

Congrats Ted to the student and the teacher! :salut:

UPP in sunny Ohio

If you make it, I might see you there!

The Name On the Bag
 

Wonderful news, Ted. Please . . .

Tell us her name!

Then, fill us in on the details twixt then and now. How old is she? Is she still an amateur? If so, is she on a college team? Does she have professional ambitions? What is her timetable? If she has turned pro, is she playing on any of the tours?

Tell us more, Ted. We want to root for her!

:salut:

Ted,

Congrats pro! Prodigious people look for prodigious people. It looks like the Lord found her one.

Trolio

be there Wednesday
 

I'm flying out early morning Wednesday then returning early morning Thursday. I'm spending all day with her tomorrow. Her practice round is early tomorrow, then she's practicing the rest of the day.

I had to move a bunch of lessons on Wednesday. I found out too late to plan for more days.

Jean Reynolds
 

She's been playing on the Futures Tour. She went to UGA. Here's her bio on that site:

http://www.duramedfuturestour.com/Pl...noldsJean.html

She had many amateur accomplishments before turning pro. We try to play together as often as we can.

Players List???
 

Don't see a "Jean Reynolds" on the official Women's US Open player list or Thursday/Friday tee times??? Are you sure she is playing in the US Open or is Jean on the list of alternates???

DG


http://www.2008uswomensopen.com/players-exempt.php

http://www.2008uswomensopen.com/TeeTimes.php

first alternate
 

She was first alternate out of Chicago(?). But, her dad told me that she tees off at 2:00 on Thursday.

I think she made it because whoever won last week was already exempt. She was playing and practicing there today and will be tomorrow, when I'm there.

Prodigious???
 

Is that a bad word??? :scratch: :wink:

I have lost 11 pounds, so I think I'm less prodigious than I've been in a long time.

updated time
 

When we finished practicing today, they told her that her time was now 2:30 on Thursday.

I walked 11 holes with her, today. And, we spent a couple of hours on the range and two or more hours on the putting green. It was a great time, and the course is beautiful. It's interesting that Jean can only use driver 4 times. The fairways are rock hard and the rough is deep. So, it makes no sense to use driver on most of the holes. She's going to use many 3 & 5 woods.

When I get back to the Motherland (Georgia), I'll post some of the pictures that I took.

good start
 

After one round, I recognized a few of the names tied with Jean...

Karrie Webb
Annika Sorenstam
Grace Park
Meg Mallon
Sherri Steinhauer

She ground it out and birdied the last two to finish at +2. I'm proud of her for fighting through the nerves since it's her first U.S. Open, and first LPGA event.

Here are a few of the pics...

#1. Why put your forearm there??

#2. Jean, her brothers, and one old guy.

#3. Look out ball!

Ted,

Hope Jean makes it to the weekend!!! That would be awesome...

DG

thanks
 

Thanks DG,

I would be thrilled. And, I know she would, too.

Something really funny happened while I was watching her practice round. There were plenty of people watching that day. There was a group of three men watching Jean hit into #9. One said, "hey, look at that little girl." She proceeds to smash a 7 wood into the green from about 185 to an uphill green, and one of the other guys said, "holy $*#+ !!! Did you see that?"

I just laughed and kept walking. :)

Love that 1st picture, setting up with the right forearm on plane. Hope she does well---nice company she is keeping on the leaderboard.

There are several amateurs who have had good starts....I hope Jean and her fellow amateurs do well today and play the weekend...that would be great for women's golf. It was interesting to watch though the media attention given to a young "superstar" who can't break 80....when the real story is how well the amateurs like Jean did competing in a Major event.:)

hg,

I don't believe Jean is an amateur if she's competing on the futures tour.
However it's still awesome to be in the position she is coming straight from the "minor league" tour into her first LPGA event.

Ted awesome work. I love seeing the right forearm on plane. You're a great teacher and you'll have many more of these stories to tell as more and more of your student's start breaking through in the world of tournament golf.

Sorting Through the Instructor's Textbook.

B-Ray

Rip Van Winkle
 

hg . . .

:sleepy:

hg . . .

:sleepy:

HG!

:-s

Jean's a pro. For more information and a link to her bio, see Post #7 in this thread.

:read:

#-o

-------------------------

:laughing9

Mea Culpa
 

Mistake duly noted...apologies to all for mislabelling Jean as an "amateur" ...no offense was intended. :)

just got off the phone
 

I just talked to Jean. She was disappointed in the score today. She hit the ball fairly well and failed to score. The two doubles killed her. I asked her what she learned from today, and she said that putting is next on the agenda for overhaul. She had some birdie opportunities but made nothing today.

She said one of the real disappointments was hitting a perfect wood to a long par 3 and finding a sprinkler head. It bounced a mile in the air and lead to a bogey. She said she was encouraged by her ball striking but failed to rebound from bogeys with birdies.

I told her I was VERY PROUD of her and not to worry. This was the first of many U.S. Opens for her.

In the Books
 

A valiant effort:

Jean Reynolds 75-82=157 / +11 / MC

Congratulations, Jean. To have qualified for our national championship is an honor earned by few. We salute you and applaud your resolutions for the future.

:salut: