Call it cliche, but Goodes is truly living the dream
By Craig Dolch, PGATOUR.COM Contributor
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Having made a living in the plastics recycling business, Mike Goodes knows how to convert scrap material into something different and more useful.
Kind of what he's done in his second career as a professional golfer.
Not many golf fans know who Mike Goodes is, but he ended Friday's first round of the Allianz Championship on the leader board; he's tied for fourth, three shots behind co-leaders Jerry Pate and Bernhard Langer, after firing a five-under 67 at Broken Sound Club.
Goodes' story is one that can only happen on the Champions Tour. In what other sport can a person wait until after he's 50 to turn professional and then make a high six-figure living playing golf?
"There are times, when I'm playing well, that I feel like Cinderella," Goodes said. "Not so much when I'm not playing well."
Goodes (pronounced GOOD-is) was a solid amateur in North Carolina, twice winning the State Amateur in a 17-year span (1989, 2006), but he didn't even play collegiate golf. So how could he expect to now be spending his days competing against -- and sometimes beating -- Hall of Famers such as Nick Price, Tom Watson and Hale Irwin?
Next to some of the Who's Who of the sport, Goodes remains a Who's That?
Goodes started last season with no official status on the Champions Tour, having to Monday qualify his way into most tournaments, no easy feat. But when he finished runner-up to Fred Funk in the season's final major, the JELD-WEN Tradition, he had the largest paycheck of his career ($231,000) and a spot as an all-exempt player for this year after finishing 29th on the money list.
It was one of those fairy-tale stories that pop up occasionally on this tour, alongside other obscure names such as Walter Hall, Larry Laoretti, Robert Landers and Pete Oakley.
But make no mistake, he's not just happy to be here.
"This isn't a vacation for me out here," Goodes said. "I'm dedicated because I want to stay out here."
Yet Goodes has been a Regular Joe long enough to appreciate what's happened to him the last 12 months. He'd rather be hitting a punch 8-iron than punching a clock.
"This is not work," he says. "I've worked my whole life and, believe me, this is not work."
Goodes is as straight with his answers as he is with his driver (he ranked second in total driving last year, behind Jay Haas). In addition to his second-place showing to Funk, Goodes added three other top-10s to earn more than $675,000.
That can buy a lot of aluminum cans.
Despite being a lifelong amateur, Goodes never felt like his game was in the scrap heap. He insists his confidence wasn't tested when he found himself playing in the same group as Watson and Funk last year at the Tradition.
"I never felt intimidated out here, but I feel more comfortable now," he said. "I always felt comfortable on the golf course. Where I didn't feel comfortable was in the locker room."
Goodes admits, however, he's a little unsure what to do on Mondays these days. After two years of those white-knuckle qualifiers, he no longer has to face this grind.
"Man, I don't miss that," he said. "But I still think of my buddies who are out there all the time."
Goodes' round Friday was filled with lots of circles and squares. Starting with his ninth hole, he went eight consecutive holes without making a par (five birdies, three bogeys).
"I didn't know if I could make a par," he said, shaking his head. "Through 10 holes, I played as good as I could play. I made a couple of bad bogeys on my back nine, but I can't complain after making eight birdies. I would have taken five-under at the start of the round."
One of his playing partners Friday, Russ Cochran (who also had a 67), said he never had heard of Goodes or met him until the first tee. Eight birdies is a nice way to introduce yourself to a fellow pro.
"He played great," Cochran said. "He hit a lot of lasers out there. He was leading the way for the rest of us."
When his round was completed, Goodes blended back into the gallery as easily as if he was a marshal. He's fine with that.
"They shouldn't know who I am," Goodes said. "I haven't done that much in golf for anybody to know me. I remember one pro-am last year, when a volunteer asked me if I was one of the amateurs. But that's fine. Hopefully, I can stay out here long enough for people to know me."
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