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Chasing a dream on the Futures Tour
YORK, Pa. -- Just two weeks ago in Syracuse, N.Y., Joanna Whitley earned her first paycheck on the SBC Futures Tour. She was so proud that she had it mounted. Whitley didn't actually frame the bank note, but it does sit in clear view for the whole world to see on the dashboard of the red Volvo she has been riding in all summer. The check was for only $247, but it was symbolic. It proved that Whitley belonged. It proved that she was a professional golfer. Because to be a pro, you do have to get paid, even if the monies won don't come close to covering weekly expenses. Actually, the check, which she plans one day to deposit, didn't even cover the $350 weekly entry fee.
Unlike women's basketball or soccer, in which you need to be drafted by a league, anyone with a set of clubs, some athletic ability, deep-pocketed sponsors, and a craving to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can join the Futures Tour and call herself a pro. Last weekend I caddied at the York Newspaper Co. Classic for Stephanie Keever, who just turned pro after graduating from Stanford. The experience gave me a chance to totally immerse myself in this version of golf's minor leagues. After arriving at Briarwood Country Club, it didn't take long to realize that players on the LPGA are spoiled. There were no ropes, no grandstands and not many fans in sight. The driving range had more grass on it than it did balls without cuts. The course's outstanding features are some telephone wires and railroad tracks that run through it. In fact, the layout is so spread out that it could double as an emergency landing strip. And the clubhouse looks like an old storage shed. But that didn't matter to these players. As they bellied up to the bar to eat their "F.L." (free lunch, a commodity on the Futures Tour), this was their home for the week. Even though the amenities, the purses (which average about $60,000) and the talent are far from that of the LPGA, Whitley found herself in awe. "I came out this year and played my first Futures event and said, Oh, my God, this is the big time," said Whitley. "And it's not even, but for me it's huge. On every shot I was freaking out." One could easily classify Whitley's pursuit of this particular career as a whim. Six years ago, while attending Dartmouth, Whitley decided she wanted to participate in a sport. At 5-foot-10, she naturally first approached the school's basketball coach. When she found out that the roster was full, her thoughts turned to the links. "I called the golf coach and asked what I needed to do to make the golf team," Whitley said. "She asked, 'Can you break a 100?' I thought I could do that." Whitley would walk on, but didn't get to travel with the team that first season. By her senior year, her desire and hard work helped her to the No. 2 slot on the Ivy League squad and earned the respect of her fellow teammates, who voted her team captain. After graduating with a degree in art history, Whitley originally had aspirations of a career in law. She worked for a short time as a paralegal in Manhattan and then as a sports reporter for a newspaper in Connecticut. But golf was still tugging at her heart. In October 1999, she was accepted to the University of Arizona Law School, so she quit her job and returned home to Scottsdale. But this, in fact, was part of the master plan. "I moved home, but didn't tell my parents I was thinking of becoming a professional golfer," Whitley said. "I held down a couple of jobs, but spent most of my time working on my game." When she eventually informed her folks, Ralph and Ann, they thought she was joking. But once they realized their daughter was serious, they were so enthusiastic that they decided to back her financially. "I'm very fortunate that my parents can help me out," said Whitley, who says she averages about $300 in expenses a week, in addition to entry fees. "They never questioned what I wanted to do, and actually this is like my dad's dream come true. His little daughter is a pro golfer." Thanks to the help of an instructor and becoming comfortable in her new environment, Whitley has seen her scores drop and her dreams expand. And even though the LPGA may seem on the wother side of the world right now, she can picture herself one day winning an LPGA event. "I never seriously thought about playing professional golf. This is a tough thing to own," Whitley said. "This is a tough dream to admit to yourself and to others. People look at you like you're nuts, because you sort of are. This is a tough thing to get done and some people never make it." Last week, Whitley reached yet another milestone. On Friday, she broke 70 for the first time in her career. She would celebrate the 3-under 69 in typical Futures Tour fashion -- with a burger and a peanut butter sundae at Friendly's. Whitley would also make another cut, but then reality -- a final-round 81 -- slapped her hard in the face. She finished 69th -- dead last -- and out of the money. But that didn't dampen her spirits, because at least she still has her dream. Thankfully, that's free. Tom Hanson, a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section, is a longtime caddie on the LPGA Tour. Click here to send him a question or comment.
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