Mark Reardon

The Metropolitan September/Octobeer

Crazy about golf - for better

Guest Column

Mark Reardon

(Editor’s note: Mark Reardon is the host of “The Mark Reardon Show” on KMOX NewsRadio 1120 from 2 -5 p.m.weekdays ... and a self-professed golf nut.)

I’m getting better!!! I made the mistake of uttering those words about my golf game to a lot of people this past summer. You see, I’ve really only been back in the game for about 3 1/2 years. I didn’t grow up playing golf. I remember my Dad had an old set up clubs and would occasionally play in a work “outing.” When I was younger I never knew what that meant. So, as I allegedly transformed into an adult during the 1980’s, I was a HUGE fan of the game on television. I just didn’t play. During a radio stint in Milwaukee about 20 years ago, my friend Bob, who I bonded with over Springsteen music and concerts, asked if I was a golfer. I told him I had never even picked up a club - never! Bob was a pretty generous guy and upon hearing that, he surprised me with golf lessons. I jumped in head first. I took a few lessons, started hitting balls at the range and before you knew it I was obsessed. In Milwaukee County, there was a vast array of pretty decent courses and as a county resident you could enjoy steep discounts. Truth be told, as a radio guy you also get invited to play a lot of free golf. It was amazing. The PGA Tournament came to Whistling Straits in 2004 and the majesty and beauty of that property north of Milwaukee gave me more inspiration to obsess over golf. But here’s the problem - I was all arms. I never really understood the mechanics of the golf swing. I lost a lot of balls, swore a lot of words and never broke 100. I was not getting better. When I moved back to St. Louis in 2006, I was still playing. But I also was becoming a relatively serious cyclist. Yes - one of those annoying, spandex-wearing bikers who hog the road. The weekend rides were 3-4 hours at a time. There’s no way you can be on the bike and play golf at the same time … at least, not without getting a divorce. After a 60-mile ride one Saturday in April of 2017, I asked one of my cycling friends if he was going to ride the next day. He replied “Nope, I’m playing golf.” My response was, “I want to play golf!” I have not been back on a serious bike ride since. Oh, I’ve jumped on my mountain bike a few times for a spin around the neighborhood with my daughter. But outside of that, since that April day 3 1/2 years ago, I have not put my butt on a bicycle seat. To explain, I’m either an “all-in” or “all-out” guy. There is no inbetween. I’ve spent hundreds (ok, thousands) of dollars on awesome new clubs and equipment and hit thousands of balls at the range. I’ve studied the game with videos and books, taken lessons from great local instructors like Adam Betz and Craig Story. And I’ve even called my friend Bob and cussed him out for being the instigator of this addic tion. At the same time, I’ve tried to pay my love of the game forward. With the help of his mother, I bought my little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MO a set of starter clubs. He’s loving it so far. As unsettling and discouraging as 2020 has been - for the entire planet - it has been encouraging for my golf game. For the first time, I feel like I understand what a real swing feels like. I’ve finally started hitting down on the ball and for the first time, I’m compressing the golf ball. My scoring has gone from 100-plus to shooting two rounds this summer under 85. Yeah, and about that … As soon as I had a great round at Tapawingo in September - carding an 83 - it all went downhill. You could have played with me the very next week and for a good portion of the round, you might have thought I was a beginner. That’s golf, it’s humbling. As soon as you convince your self you’re making progress, you shoot a 94 and run out of balls. When that happened, I quickly declared an emergency. I took more lessons, hit more balls at the range and played more rounds where it appeared things were back on track. Now I’m worried. It’s the end of the season, and while I’ll still visit the range and occasion ally play a winter round when temperatures allow, things will be on hold until the spring. In these anxious times, Golf has been that one place I can go and not think about pandemics, politics, and the other stresses of life. For those who don’t play the game, it doesn’t make sense. Why in the world would anyone put themselves through the torture of this frustrat ing, difficult game? Why would you want to go out, drop a bunch of

The Metropolitan September/October 2020

Crazy about golf - for better and worse

the same time … at least, not without getting a divorce. After a 60-mile ride one Saturday in April of 2017, I asked one of my cycling friends if he was going to ride the next day. He replied “Nope, I’m playing golf.” My response was, “I want to play golf!” I have not been back on a serious bike ride since. Oh, I’ve jumped on my mountain bike a few times for a spin around the neighborhood with my daughter. But outside of that, since that April day 3 1/2 years ago, I have not put my butt on a bicycle seat. To explain, I’m either an “all-in” or “all-out” guy. There is no inbetween. I’ve spent hundreds (ok, thousands) of dollars on awesome new clubs and equipment and hit thousands of balls at the range. I’ve studied the game with videos and books, taken lessons from great local instructors like Adam Betz and Craig Story. And I’ve even called my friend Bob and cussed him out for being the instigator of this addic-

At the same time, I’ve tried to pay my love of the game forward. With the help of his mother, I bought my little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MO a set of starter clubs. He’s loving it so far. As unsettling and discouraging as 2020 has been - for the entire planet - it has been encouraging for my golf game. For the first time, I feel like I understand what a real swing feels like. I’ve finally started hitting down on the ball and for the first time, I’m compressing the golf ball. My scoring has gone from 100-plus to shooting two rounds this summer

As soon as I had a great round at Tapawingo in September - carding an 83 - it all went downhill. You could have played with me the very next week and for a good portion of the round, you might have thought I was a beginner. That’s golf, it’s humbling. As soon as you convince yourself you’re making progress, you shoot a 94 and run out of balls. When that happened, I quickly declared an emergency. I took more

hit more balls at the range and played more rounds where it appeared things were back on track. Now I’m worried. It’s the end of the season, and while I’ll still visit the range and occasionally play a winter round when temperatures allow, things will be on hold until the spring. In these anxious times, Golf has been that one place I can go and not think about pandemics, politics, and the other stresses of

For those who don’t play the game, it doesn’t make sense. Why in the world would anyone put themselves through the torture of this frustrating, difficult game? Why would you want to go out, drop a bunch of

A round of of golf I will never forget: “The Wizard” Ozzie Smith and”The Hacker” Mark Reardon at Bellerive Country Club.

F-bombs, yell at yourself and get all wound up in knots over a bad round of golf? Why? … Why? … Why? I think it’s because I’ve convinced myself that … I’m getting better!!!

The Metropolitan September/Octobeer Area players capture 2021 Four-Ball spots

As the season wound down, MAGA had the opportunity to generate a positive outlook going forward for several area amateurs. The association conducted the 2021 U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying on Sept. 28 at Crown Pointe Golf Club. Forty-six men and women competed for spots in their respective

Brooke Biermann and Julia Misemer. championships, which will be conducted next spring. Among the women’, Brooke Biermann and Julia Misemer survived a three-way playoff to earn the lone qualifying berth available. The tandem of Biermann/Misemer finished the day at 3-under par to tie the the teams of Ellen Port/Lara Tennant and Drew Nienhaus/Nicole Rallo. Biermann/Misemer then made par on the second playoff hole to capture the qualifying spot. The other pairs went on to play five playoff holes before deciding the alternate places, with Port/Tennant securing 1st Alternate. The 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be played at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, TX. On the men’s side, two spots were on the line, and the duo of Tony Gumper and Ryan Eckelkamp shot

Tony Gumper and Ryan Eckelkamp.

8-under 63 to earn medalist honors and a trip to Chambers Bay for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. One shot back, Michael Noe and Trent Alexander from Alabama finished 7 under to earn the second spot. A three-way tie at 6 under played off for the alternate places and the team of Blair Web-Mac Fiely (Indana) grabbed the 1st Alternate, while brothers Sam and Joe Migdal secured the 2nd Alternate designation.

Ahead of the curve

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