Chris Piano-His Game is Golf Sandra McKinney

CHRIS PIANO

His Game is Golf

“Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with, something that can’t be learned…something that’s got to be remembered.” ~ From the movie, The Legend of Bagger Vance

By Sandra McKinney

It is always intriguing that a person can find a sport at a young age that they truly love and that they can later make a career of. That is the case for Chris Piano. Though he had a few detours along the way, Chris is now in his element as the Golf Pro and Pro Shop manager at the Gallup Fox Run Golf Course.

Born in Gallup in 1980, Chris is a hometown boy. Chris started playing golf at the very young age of five years old. Starting around

Chris Piano, Golf Pro and Manager at the Pro Shop.

4th or 5th grade, Chris went to play golf every Wednesday with his grandpa and many of his grandpa’s friends. This cemented his love for the game.

Chris’ mother is originally from Chico, California where his parents met during college. “During summers, we would return to Chico and I would play golf there. I started out on the kid’s 9-hole, Par 3 course, but I wanted to play the ‘big course’ with my older brother, cousins and the grown-ups,” Chris states eagerly. “My dad’s cousin was the Golf Pro at Bidwell Park, which allowed me to play a lot of golf,” Chris states. It was common for Chris to be bugging his dad to take him to play golf.

“When I was in 8th grade, I tried out for Varsity Golf at Gallup High School. I was really excited that I made the team and I was the youngest team-member playing with the juniors and seniors on the 20-man high school team,” Chris states proudly. He beams when he says, “From my sophomore to my senior year in high school, I was the Number One player. I just really loved the game of golf!” Chris decided it would be a good idea to continue playing golf in college and did receive an offer for a full-ride scholarship in Chico, California. “It sounded like a great plan,” Chris says. “But I ended up opting for New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. I started out as an engineering major as I wanted to design golf courses. The bad part of that plan was that I was always indoors studying and not outside playing golf!”

Chris switched his major to Pro Golf Management (PGM). “That was more exciting, and I was on the path I wanted,” states Chris. “I got to do an internship at Carson City, Nevada and also at Lajitas, Texas. Lajitas was an interesting project; Steve Smith bought the remote Big Bend town of Lajitas in 2000, dreaming of building a lush, five-star retreat that would attract the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Cruise. Instead, he paid dearly to learn an age-old lesson: The desert always wins. ‘It was a long eight months there, as I had to drive about 120 miles to find civilization,” Chris shakes his head sadly.

From there, Chris spent some time in Alabama working the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. This was an exceptional experience. Dr. David Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, took a page from the movie Field of Dreams: Bronner decided to “build it and they will come” — not to a baseball diamond in a cornfield, but to a dazzling collection of public golf courses in the state of Alabama. “It was supreme golfing in beautiful, lush, green country. The courses were surrounded by pine trees; but the down side of all that greenery was the humidity! I am a Gallup boy from the high desert and I could not handle the humidity,” Chris states.

“One great thing about being in Lajitas, Texas was the opportunity to meet Gene Burdine, a golf course developer in many states. But, very sadly, the night I met Mr. Burdine, he suffered a heart attack and died,” Chris says. “I was to later interview with Gene Burdine’s daughter for a position in Ruidoso at the Kokopelli Golf Club. I truly

Chris Piano instructing a student at the Putting Green

believe that when I mentioned I had met her father the day he died, it was the key to being hired. A blessing, but a sad note,” says Chris.

It was a great seven years that Chris spent in the quaint village of Ruidoso in the Sierra Blanca Mountains of New Mexico. He learned more about golf and course management and had opportunities to fly in a private jet to the Florida Keys for PGA shows, and to meet many top-notch professional golfers.

But Gallup beckoned Chris back home in 2009 to help with the family business. His return to Gallup also changed his life tremendously, as he met and married Miss Sarah Luginbuhl. The family business closed at the end of 2017, and that turn of events provided an opportunity for Chris to return to the business of golf. In early 2018, Chris was hired as the Pro Shop Manager and Golf Pro for the Fox Run Golf Course in Gallup.

“I am really excited about the changes being made on the Gallup course. We are going to have a very playable course later this year,” Chris states. “I know there are a lot of people who are anxious and ready (champing at the bit!) for us to open the course right now and start play. But with the amount of money the City has put into this project, it is important that we get it right,” Chris states emphatically. “I want the seasoned players to have a great course and I want to grow interest in the game for new players – especially the youth,” he states. “I have started stocking the Pro Shop with clothing and supplies. I am looking forward to teaching golf and watching the Gallup game grow,” Chris states excitedly. “I love the game of golf and remember how much fun I had learning and playing when I was a kid. I want to instill that love for the game in the youth of Gallup.”

“They are not only improving the lay of the course, the conditions of the greens, but we will be adding new tee markers with great New Mexico flair of sandstone and wrought-iron,” Chris states. “We have a new POS system geared to the game of golf. You will be able to check in on-line, pay in advance, purchase gift certificates, along with other bells and whistles. It will all be safe and fast. We will be able to run specials, such as an e-mail blast to all members that, for example: we will have a reduced fee for a certain time-frame.” All interested players can sign up with their name, email, and birthdate.

“We don’t have an exact date for opening as yet, but we are already planning an opening day with an 8:00am shotgun start, a free cookout, and a ‘play-while-touringthe-greens day. We can promise that day is coming soon,” Chris says with a smile. “The putting green is currently open and the driving range will be open the beginning of July,” Chris adds

Chris is giving his commitment to: - Grow the game of golf for Gallup - Generate League play for men and women golfers

- Provide lessons to teach anyone interested in learning the game - Share major rule changes coming in 2019 which will simplify the rules and that will affect our course - Solve problems and make the game fun - Make plans for future growth of the course: Possible restaurant serving beer and wine - Make the Golf Course a destination in Gallup

As a closing statement, Chris offers, “You should only go away from a game of golf mad because you played bad, not because of issues or treatment at the course!”

Men, you can look sharp on the greens with a colorful shirt from the Pro Shop

Need a new club? The Pro Shop has you covered.