Trip Kuehne, after winning the U.S. Mid-Am in Bandon Dunes last week, 13 years after loosing to Tiger Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur final, shared the following comment regarding amateur golf in an interview with the USGA.

"Golf is a game, and you play games. My golf game was a heck of a lot better after I decided to do that, just play golf and play the game, and that's what I'm trying to do. It's been a great run. I'm thrilled. I want people to realize that you don't have to turn professional if you're an All-American. There are other things out there. You can get a good-paying job, you can enjoy the game of golf and play because you love the game of golf, and hopefully some people have done that, or will do that in the future. I know that the USGA is proud of it, and I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but I don't like the fact that almost 100 people in this event are reinstated amateurs. I would love to see more guys that are 35 years old that have always been amateurs who play because they truly love the game of golf. That's why I play the game, because I truly love the game of golf. I think it's watered down a bit with the prize money."


Trip Kuehne holding the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy after winning the 2007 U.S. Mid-Am at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Steven Gibbons/USGA)

Trip Kuehne, 35 from Irving, Texas, is the older brother of LPGA Tour player Kelli Kuehne and PGA Tour player Hank Kuehne - both USGA champions. Kelli Kuehne won the 1995 and 1996 U.S. Women's Amateur titles, and Hank Kuehne won the 1998 U.S. Amateur.

Sandy Tatum, another strong advocate for amateur golf and past USGA President, writes in his book, "A Love Affair with the Game", that "The word amateur derives from the Greek words meaning, as a verb, to love and, as a noun, lover. That word, therefore, puts amateur golfers in the right frame of reference, because they are the lovers of it whose love provides the heart, and indeed the soul, of the game of golf."

Both Sandy and Trip simply ask talented young golfers to consider an alternative to turning professional, one that preserves their love of the game, instead of taking them down a likely path of frustration, lack of income, and eventual failure. At the least, Sandy Tatum encourages these youngsters to take full advantage of the education available to them in college, instead of focusing solely on their golf game. He even tried to persuade Tiger to finish his education at Stanford before turning pro.

Many pros certainly "love the game", but once their livelihood begins to depend on it, their relationship with the game inevitably changes. Dan Millman even observes that, "those who do sports for the trophies or pursue a career mostly for the money are missing the point."

In an interview, this month with The Outdoor Journey, Millman goes on to say that, "It's all a path of personal growth. Sports are a form of voluntary adversity that develops strength and character. This is why I've never aimed at winning or success (since I can’t ultimately control such things). I am only for excellence -- doing the best I can in a given moment, and let the outcomes be what they will. No matter the outcomes of a race, if we learn something about ourselves, it is a victory."

I think Bobby Jones would be proud of Trip and his artful pursuit of excellence... Congratulations!

Labels: Amateur, Articles, Competition, Dan Millman, Sandy Tatum, Trip Keuhne