out here and enjoy golf.’ And that kind of
hit me, because you’re so serious about
football and trying to coach football, and
we’re taking that same approach to the
golf course. After that, I’ve tried to enjoy
it. Now I’m competitive. If I go out there
and play, I want to do well, but it’s not life
and death to me, I’ll say that.
NW: I’m gonna put you on the spot. Critique
your golf game for me.
FB: I don’t hit it very far anymore, so that’s
the first thing. I make sure I get about as
far up on the tee box as I can get. When we
make a bet on the first tee, I need to move
up as far as I can, get as close to the hole
as I can, because I’m not going to hit it a
great deal. I do think that I’ve always been a
decent putter, and I think that’s the biggest
strength I’ve got. The thing that’s so simple,
chipping, I didn’t used to be very good at, but
as I’ve gotten older I’ve really worked hard
on chipping and shots in close because that’s
where I need to save strokes. I feel like I’m a
decent 100 yards and in player now. That’s
where I do most of my practicing anymore. I
don’t spend much time on the driving range.
I spend it on about 100 yards and in.
NW: Has golf been a good way of getting
away from the pressures of coaching?
FB: Absolutely. Usually the golf course is
really pretty. I enjoy that part of it. I enjoy
the competition. I enjoy getting a good
foursome and the companionship and the
time with your friends there. I enjoy that
part of it. And then if I can win the final bet,
I really enjoy the day. What’s not to like
here? It’s a pretty place and competition
and good friends, so there’s not much not
to like. Just don’t put too much stress on
yourself and come out like I was early and
throwing clubs. I enjoy it anymore. I haven’t
thrown a club in forever.
NW: When did you start playing, and how
lessons down there. I’ve gone to a couple
of golf schools and really tried to become
a better player. Right now, I think I know
how a swing should look and what my path
of my swing should be but knowing that and
getting that done is two different things.
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.
FB: I did it the wrong way, I can tell you. I
NW: I know your son, Shane, plays a lot. Did
did you learn?
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beamer spends much of his practice time
working on his short game. “I feel like I’m a
decent 100 yards and in player now,” he said.
never played until my senior year in college.
I just picked it up and went out there and
started playing. As a result, as I got more
into it, I had formed a lot of bad habits
and now you’ve got to go back and break
them and get things correct. I played a little
baseball, and that really didn’t help me a
lot as far as being a golfer, but I had some of
those things you do in baseball and habits I
had to break a little bit. So then after that,
we bought our house down on the lake at
Reynolds Plantation, and I had some golf
vsga.org
you teach him everything he knows?
FB: Not really. I’ve tried to teach him a little
bit over the years. He’s one of those who
listens to most everybody except me. He
can knock it a long ways. He’s gifted in that.
He can really bomb the ball. Now he doesn’t
always know which way it’s going, but he
hits it a long ways. I always tell him, where I
hit it I don’t hit it long enough to get in trouble. Where he hits it, he’s in trouble if it’s off
course. That’s the advantage I have on him.
I don’t hit it long enough to get in trouble.
NW: Do you remember your lowest score?
FB: Not really. I’ve hit in the 70s a few times,
but not very many. Back when I was playing
a lot, I was in the low 80s. Probably right
now, I’m probably about a 16, 17, 18 handicap. That’s probably about where I am now.
NW: You started playing in college. Where
did you play at Virginia Tech?
FB: The course here on campus was the
one I ended up playing more than anything.
Back home [in Fancy Gap, Va.], we had a golf
course near there that I played, Blue Ridge
it’s called now. I played some in Floyd.
They’ve got a nice course over there. And
The Virginian and The Olde Farm down
in Bristol, both of those have given me an
honorary membership, and I represent
them so I go down there and play. And then
Ballyhack, I enjoy going down there and
playing too.
J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 16 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
29