Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, at age 47, made his professional debut on the Nationwide Tour today, and he quickly got a dose of reality. Playing competitive golf against the big boys is quite a bit different than playing Lawrence Taylor on Donald Trump's show. Rice shot a smooth 84 today, and stood at second to last place among 155 golfers, a mere 20 shots out of the lead. Overall, scores were low.
Now, I've seen a few professional athletes become professional golfers and have some success. Quarterback John Brodie comes to mind. Pitcher Rick Rhoden is another, but he has not had much luck on the Champions Tour after being a dominant player on the Celebrity Tour. The bottom line is the courses those celebrities are playing are nowhere near as difficult as what they play on any of the big tours. Rice's 84 today would have been equivalent to 94 at Augusta.
I am not sure why he thought he would have success and think he might even make the cut. His swing is ok, but not fundamentally sound, and he looks stiff in his putting and short game shots. My guess is that he might be a solid 3 handicap at best.
Playing competitive golf is a totally different experience compared to playing professional football. You have to control your emotions rather than feed off of them. But, it takes a lot more ability than shooting a few scores in the low 70's to be ready to play on any professional tour. Hopefully, Jerry will realize this and not take a spot from a more deserving player again.
Scott Cole
www.scottcolegolf.com
www.powergolftraining.net
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