Dream Lives On

Astute Oakmont Club Pro Has No Regrets

May 14, 2007

By Ken Klavon , USGA

Oakmont, Pa. - If he has any regrets, he's hiding them like an erudite poker player, doing an admirable job of bluffing.

Bob Ford , 53 years young and svelte, wistfully looks back on his career of head club professional at Oakmont Country Club and glistens.

Bob Ford, known in many golf circles, has been an institution at Oakmont Country Club since the 1970s. (John Mummert/USGA)

"My goal when I came here was to play on the PGA Tour," said Ford, while surveying the fourth hole from a cart on a recent balmy spring day. "I tried four times. Luckily I missed qualifying."

Some might believe this is a story about a dream derailed. Not so. Ford feels like he's been blessed with the kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Among club pros, Ford has ascended to legendary status.

When the term 'top club pros' gets bandied about, only a handful - Tom Nieporte, Jim McLean, Darrell Kestner - can be mentioned in the same breath. Except McLean and Kestner are more known for their instructional prowess, although Kestner still can compete with the best of them - he qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open.

What's more, none of them can say they split their duties between two of America 's premier clubs like Ford can. From April 15 through Oct. 15 Ford is 100 percent focused on Oakmont. The other six months are spent as the head pro at the tony Seminole Golf Club in North Palm Beach , Fla. , where he just completed his seventh year.

About anybody who is anybody in golf knows him, backed up recently when Tiger Woods showed up on a Sunday at Oakmont and played a round with Ford. And Ford can definitely play, evidenced by 10 appearances in the PGA Championship and three showings in the U.S. Open.

He only made the cut twice in the PGA (1990 at Shoal Creek Country Club and '93 at Inverness ) and twice in the U.S. Open, those being the '83 Open at Oakmont and Oakland Hills Country Club in '96. Furthermore, his laid-back, unassuming demeanor - with a delivery as sugary as Bing Crosby - suggests that he could be friends with a rattlesnake.

Filled with unyielding aspirations coming out of the University of Tampa in 1975, Ford knew he wanted to spend his life in golf. But he wanted the life of a tour pro. Four years on the Tampa golf squad, coupled with a B.S. in physical education, convinced him that he should follow his passion.

Somehow, though, seeds of fate intervened. In 1973 former Oakmont club professional and 1947 U.S. Open champion Lew Worsham contacted the Pittsburgh-born Ford, then 19, to work for him during the U.S. Open. A wide-eyed Ford toiled in the pro shop, watching in awe as the top players made their cameos.

"I remember standing in the pro shop watching [Jack] Nicklaus and [Arnold] Palmer come to the counter," said Ford. " Gary Player came in and had me work on a club. I sort of pretended to know what I was doing."

He is somewhat embarrassed about one incident, that having to do with Johnny Miller 's electrifying 63 to win on the final day.

"Talking to Lew, my boss, I was like, 'Are you kidding me?' When Miller's red numbers went up, I remember saying to Lew, ' Mr. Worsham , I believe they've run out of black numbers because there's no chance anyone would be posting so many birdies and such," he said laughing.

Bob Ford, analyzing the first green recently, tries to play Oakmont a couple times a week. (John Mummert/USGA)

Ford made such an impression on Worsham that he added him to his staff as an assistant from '75 until Nov. 1, 1979 . That's when Worsham retired and a 25-year-old Ford became the head pro at one of America 's best clubs.

The job was a godsend because Oakmont allowed Ford to still play competitively. Twice he Monday qualified for PGA Tour events, but admitted he was "terribly unsuccessful" otherwise. In the meantime, the powers that be at Oakmont continued to offer their blessing, which gave Ford the chance to network on behalf of the club. "I've played a lot," said Ford. "But each time I've felt fortunate to have a day job."

John Garbo , 88 and still roving as a ranger at Oakmont, is convinced that Ford had what it took to play on the tour. Garbo, who caddied for Arnold Palmer in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont, lugged Ford's bag in his three Opens.

"An excellent player," he said of Ford. "The only thing he lacks is distance. But he's a great striker of the ball. A helluva player."

An unquestionable highlight occurred in '83 when Ford qualified for the U.S. Open. Ironically enough, he pulled double duty that week. Before U.S. Open merchandise turned into a multi-million dollar venture, Ford was responsible for overseeing that arm of the championship. So after he got finished playing his round, he immediately headed to the tent to manage. Somehow he made the cut, crediting Nicklaus and Palmer for easing his nerves during a practice round. They, in fact, made him more confident when the championship began.

He cruised to a tie for 26th, shooting 12-over-par 296.

"It was fun. It was incredibly fun," said Ford, who has filed an entry for the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he was given an exemption out of local qualifying by virtue of being the head pro at the host club. His 36-hole sectional qualifier in June 4 in Columbus , Ohio . "It was ridiculous. To play in an Open on your home course, there's nothing like it.

"I really knew at that time - I was 29 - this is probably the highlight of my career. And it was."

As enjoyable as that Open was, heartbreak latched on like a rabid dog in '94 when the Open returned to Oakmont. In his sectional, Ford won a playoff to become the first alternate. David Eger , the USGA's Senior Director of Rules and Competitions at the time, called Ford to tell him to be ready. He was next on the list if a player withdrew. Rocco Mediate had indicated he was leaning toward pulling out due to injury. On Thursday morning, with Ford on the range, Mediate decided to give it one last shot. He ultimately decided to play.

"Probably my biggest disappointment in the game," said Ford. "Oh, the roller-coaster ride."

These days Ford remains busier than an ant farm. Besides doling out lessons, he believes the course and members come first as he regulates daily play. He also oversees the golf shop and runs various tournaments. He still gets on Oakmont's challenging layout once or twice a week; his best round being a 65.

So what's there to complain about? Regrets are for the man who lives by the rearview mirror. Not Ford. His daughter, 16-year-old Kelly, and sons, Jay (14) and Chandler (12), and wife Nancy, keep him sprite. He looks forward to going home to them. All in all, it's been a good life.

"Number one, I was fortunate to get such a high-profile job at such a young age," said Ford staring across Oakmont's picturesque layout. "I was fortunate enough to have been a good enough player to allow me to meet all the people I've met. Oakmont gave me credibility."

Ken Klavon is the USGA's Web Editor. E-Mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.