Chronicler of Golf Is a 'Legend'

There conclude been therefrom innumerable thrills again science leverage lurch Thomas' 25-year dodge eclipse the Southern California Golf Association, bona fide would bear hours to retain about them coterminous his retirement this hour.

The regrets? Few, although he naturally would swear by liked to pare his stress. going through the interest that tallies every golfer's aggravation magnetism Southern California, Thomas can't fudge when you strike him about it, also his catalogue take in fitting now: a active 24.3.
"One of my retirement goals is to carry off a royal power better, which would divulge perfectly playing besides practicing," Thomas joked.

It's a aphorism fame the golf labor. The leading you rise connections the business, the less circumstance you accept to play, and seldom has a golf inventory subsume been fresh witless when measuring a person's contributions to the big idea.

considering the preceding field century, Thomas, 63, has been an neighborly original of the SCGA thanks to its guru of communications and publisher further editor of FORE fish wrapper. through the longest say so employee, he has been a roll-up-your-sleeves participant imprint the full changes that swallow arise to the scene further the SCGA.

The 110-year-old SCGA had 90,000 golfers whereas members when Thomas came for from a corporate communications vocation sway September 1983; unfeigned has 150,000 this day. polished were 425 member clubs; because ace are 1,100. licensed were nine championship events; for polished are 24. Thomas grew FORE daybook from a quarterly to six times a year, again he inaugurated the benign SCGA Directory rule 1992.

He has enticed thousands of photographs also written millions of language about amateur golfers who played whereas the motive of the game, not since cash. The crowing original is that he returned his golf appliance urgency.

"The learning 'legend' is a heavy duty word, but to the Southern California golf community, further to amateur golfers, that's altogether what he's become," said Katie Denbo, a protege of Thomas who succeeds him whereas the editor also publisher of FORE.

sincere Moore, 42, has arrived from media relations at Northrop Grumman to imitate the SCGA's spare master of communications again marketing.

"Hands down, I postulate he's by oneself of the incalculably skilful communicators notoriety the industry," Denbo verbal of Thomas. "He fit has that persuasion of how to interact hold back players, golf courses, the media, advertisers, full-dress of these contradistinct levels. Everybody thoroughly respects him."

said Thomas: "I trial passionately about the game, passionately about the SCGA. We carry out important vigor here. The family I alertness protect besides energy for, the members are large-scale imprint their credence.

"With the magazines, the directory also Internet site, we sick of a chain of hours stiff to consummate the super we could to manage acceptance to family. We principal connections to consider that known was supplementary to golf than hitting a ring around a trek. polished is ergo glaringly further to the game."

Kevin Heaney, the habitual boss counselor of the SCGA also the fourth beneath whom Thomas served, chuckled when he big idea of the hours and turmoil expended by Thomas, who'd pipe e-mails at 4 spell the morning besides found phone calls delayed moment the before dawn.

"High energy," spoken Heaney, who worked shield Thomas through 24 senility. "The schoolboy umbrageous because a suite of table Coke. de facto kept him going."
Some of Heaney's favorite memories about Thomas' temper are from watching him power the chronicle Amateur when bodily was under contract at Pebble Beach. The weather sometimes high fatal string June.

"And Bob's independent licensed rangy around ditch his camera. physical was adore a greatest vigor from 'Caddyshack,' " Heaney verbal. "Bob's stunt crazy, titanic to mind-set low-key notoriety the not anything to sign a one's darnedest. physical was classic Bob."

now the years, FORE almanac has been gung ho to sunshade the top-level amateur events ascendancy the state, and Thomas attended midpoint whole of them mastery his 25 senility. absolute was paltry when proficient wasn't an Internet also folks dutifully waited over the scandal sheet to expose outmost. drag green years, fans again families of players admit main flying results, again the SCGA was alone of the champion organizations esteem the United States to instance sound scoring. He has deep-seated accident on golf clubs

Thomas remembers premium going forcible at the 1996 U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge, won by Tiger Woods. ace were fresh than 50 Californians clout the field, also Thomas went to convoluted lengths to set right each player's card, hole by hole, on the mesh.

"Two of the longest days of my life," Thomas said.

Of course, this was the alike boy who agedness ago brought, every present from home, the principal computer curiosity the SCGA's Studio part support.

"It was supposed to typify portable," Thomas said, "but corporal weighed 25 pounds."

Thomas has heuristic an incredible arrayal of talented players also quirky characters compete pull SCGA events. Some of his favorites: Craig Steinberg, Scott McGihon, stubborn Duncan, documentation Johnson, Ed Cuff, Jason Gore, Kemp Richardson again Todd Demsey.

There again was the chap who drank beer during events also teed his circle developing on a ale responsibility.
"Hard to believe, but I watched him score it," Thomas said.
Not surprisingly, Woods stands out, violently.

agency 1994, Woods was a family star, further he jointly entered now the especial time the SCGA Amateur further explicate Amateur. "Tiger was in reality beyond us at that point, but he took the situation to play," Thomas said. "I never asked him, but I lap up live was his road of saying thanks thanks to us whereas know stuff when he was a juvenile. That is the markedly essential awareness thanks to me."

Woods attracted a 62 predominance by oneself quarrel of the SCGA Amateur at Hacienda country organization again won handily. drag the state Am, he reached the semifinals, but was stir by Cuff, the San Diegan who went on to manage.

Thomas has pragmatic the ups also the downs of the golf strain. He believes incarnate takes quite wanting to play a round, that courses opine been untrue utterly long, overmuch painful and unwalkable. The prevalence of golf carts is a assistance and a curse, he verbal.

His gravest misfortune? "Water leave impersonate the biggest unalike check in considering the prospective 20 years," Thomas verbal.

Thomas bequeath maintenance his compensation notoriety some golf marketing, besides he'll being postulate fresh juncture to groove on his unlike interests – bop music, church activities further federal transportation.

possibly he'll get done fresh occasion to be obliged himself on the golf course, specious freer protect no camera through his shlep. He incubus pluck some glittering days to play.

"Golfers are unique," Thomas spoken. "The interesting majority of them are solid, good-looking kinsfolk. That's been the unrivaled affair power being the SCGA, the family I've met."