Former Junior Golf Association of Arizona Players
by Drew Watley & Erin Tone
When did you begin playing golf, and who was your initial teacher in the game?
I started playing golf in the summer of 1995, just before turning 12 years old. Initially my Dad was my teacher. He made me learn all the basics out on the range and on the chipping and putting greens before I was ever allowed to step onto the actual golf course. He’s a great athlete and a great coach (Olympic Archery Coach), so of course I had to believe in his methods!
When did you start playing in JGAA events...what years?
My first JGAA event was in the fall of 1995, just a few short months after picking up my first club and it happened on my home course, Western Skies. I was so nervous, didn’t have the best etiquette, being my first competitive outing, so the girls I played with were really annoyed with me by the end of 18. I shot 124, and was extremely proud that I made it through the round. In 1996, I played the same tournament and shot 84. It was no winning score, but to improve 40 strokes in just a year, to me, was a definite victory.
How did playing in JGAA events shape you as a player and as a person?
Playing in the JGAA was a tremendous jumping off point for everything in my golf career as well as my life in the business world. Playing and winning local tournaments gave me confidence and allowed me to compete and get my name out in the college recruitment circuit. What is most important, though, and you will hear this from a lot of athletes is that playing in a sport at a young and developing age, especially in an organized association like the JGAA, really builds important life skills. The ability to compete and perform in high-pressure situations can be directly linked to the business world.
Discuss your post-JGAA golf career...college and any pro experiences.
Post-JGAA, I was recruited to play college golf at ASU, which was a true honor. My years on the team saw three new coaches, and lasted through what could be considered a “rebuilding” stage. I played all four years on the competing team, and played NCAA’s each year, still with the undying hope of winning a national championship. I made Academic All-American all four years, and finished top 12 at NC’s my senior year.
What is your current position with Antigua and describe your overall function and role as a sales rep.
I’m the Accounts Manager (Sales Rep.) for the golf division in Arizona and New Mexico. As a company rep., it means that I only sell Antigua/Slazenger products, where most reps in the industry would carry and sell multiple lines from multiple companies. I travel the state to sell the clothing lines to head pros and buyers/merchandisers at golf course pro shops, retail areas, etc. It’s my job to make sure that every golf course in Arizona and New Mexico has Antigua products selling in their shop and/or worn by their staff, which is no small feat considering the 400 golf courses in Arizona alone.