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My Shot

My life as a logo on the Senior tour requires that I do only one thing: dress for the part

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Posted: Tuesday September 21, 1999 12:32 PM

By Jim Ferree

Ferree fits the Senior tour's logo to a tee. Bottom photo by Jim Gund

When I turned 50 in June 1981 and joined the fledgling Senior tour, there were only a few tournaments a year and we were trying to establish ourselves. To add some nostalgia and emphasize the contrast with the PGA Tour, Gay Brewer, Billy Casper, Bob Toski and I started wearing knickers.

As our tour grew and became successful, commissioner Deane Beman thought we needed our own logo. He wanted something similar to the regular Tour logo, but something that was also noticeably different. Voilà! The knickers. For some reason I was chosen as the model -- I guess because Deane thought I looked good in plus fours. Now I'm the only guy still wearing them out here, partly because I'm comfortable in them and partly because I feel an obligation to the logo.

I was the guy who many years ago suggested to Payne Stewart that he could distinguish himself on Tour by wearing knickers. He took my advice and has since won three majors. He would be a champion no matter how he dresses, but you have to admit his clothing is distinctive.

The only other person I know of who has been the model for a pro sports logo is Jerry West, whose image dribbling a basketball, in silhouette, became synonymous with the National Basketball Association. There's no comparison, though, between him and me. I'm just a decent golf pro while he is one of the alltime greats. I was simply in the right place at the right time.

There is one terrific advantage to being in my position as the living logo of the Senior tour. Even though I've gotten older and my game is deteriorating, I'm still at the top of the leader board every weekend.

Jim Ferree, 68, has won 21 times as a Super Senior.

Issue date: September 27, 1999

 

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