Hold My Green Jacket While I Hit This Five Iron

Here’s the dilemma; you are twenty something years old, you’ve won the U.S. Public Links Tournament and now the U.S. Amateur title, the historic Walker Cup looms just ahead, you’re not broke, but you are a long way from rich. You’re feeling pretty good about your game especially now that the likes of Phil Mickelson says that you are good enough to turn professional. On the horizon appears to be big money endorsements, and the kind of prize money that you only dreamed of. So, what’s the problem?

The Masters and the U.S. Open, that’s what.

The winner of the U.S. Public Links and the U.S. Amateur earns an invitation to the Masters and the U.S. Open, but not if he turns professional.

Now, you might be thinking that with all your talent you’ll have a dozen chances to play in the Masters and the U.S. Open… but what if you’re wrong? What if you turn down the opportunity to play in the two biggest golf tournaments in the world, and then, for whatever reason, the Masters and the U.S. Open never come calling again?

That’s the dilemma facing Colt Knost, a student of T2G’s own Randy Smith.

In his dreams Colt can see himself driving down Magnolia Lane, staying in the Crow's Nest, strolling alongside the azaleas, walking across Hogan Bridge and trying to keep his ball out of Rae's Creek. He can imagine hobnobbing with Tiger and the boys at the Champion’s dinner, but he knows if he turns pro there is a chance that he’ll be sitting in his living room in 2008 watching it on television, just like you and me.

What would you do?

The last person to decline an invitation to the Masters was 1992 U.S. Amateur runner-up Tom Scherrer, and it took him until 2001 to earn a second invitation. He had nine years to think about that decision, most of them on the Nationwide Tour, but at least he finally made it.

Perhaps Colt Knost is better than Tom Scherrer; only time will tell. I remember the big smiles of amateurs Matt Kuchar and Ricky Barnes at the Masters and see the difficult times that both players have endured after turning pro. Matt Kuchar’s world ranking is 150 and Ricky Barnes, an amateur superstar, has yet to make it to the PGA Tour and who knows if he will ever return to the Masters.

If Colt doesn’t already know it, the difference between good and great is razor thin. Bull Durham’s “Crash” Davis said the difference between a 250 hitter and a 300 hitter is one hit a week; a seeing-eye single, a Texas Leaguer. Golf is the same; a couple of putts around, a lucky kick off a tree, a fifty-footer now and then, and you’ll keep your card, otherwise pack up your car for the Nationwide Tour, or any one of a dozen other regional tours.

Colt Knost is already in the middle of a great golf adventure. His resume reads like the All-American that he is, and let’s face it, he’s already accomplished more in golf that most of us can even imagine. Friend, and Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci, bluntly told Knost he would be crazy to pass on a whirl around Amen Corner, but it’s not his decision, or Randy Smith’s, or your, or mine, it’s Colt’s.

"I think about it every day," Knost said. "It's hard not to think about it, because everybody I see comes up and asks. It's about 50-50, people saying I should turn pro or stay an amateur. ... It's obviously a good problem to have." Colt says that he’ll make his decision by the end of September; until then he’s busy with the Walker Cup.

For what it’s worth, Colt seems like a nice young man and we wish him all the best with his difficult decision. Personally, I think I would live in my car, if need be, so I could play in the Masters and the U.S. Open.

What do you think Tom Scherrer would do if he had it to do over again? What would Randy do? What would you do?