Thomas has High energy, said Heaney, who worked with Thomas for 24 years. The guy burned through a lot of Diet Coke. It kept him going.
Some of Heaney s favorite memories about Thomas dedication are from watching him work the State Amateur when it was held at Pebble Beach. The weather sometimes turned nasty in June.
And Bob s out there running around with his camera. It was like a bad scene from Caddyshack, Heaney said. Bob s going crazy, trying to stand still in the wind to get a shot. It was classic Bob.
Through the years, FORE Magazine has been dedicated to covering the top level amateur events in the state, and Thomas attended nearly all of them in his 25 years. It was easy when there wasn t an Internet and people dutifully waited for the magazine to come out. In recent years, fans and families of players have wanted instantaneous results, and the SCGA was one of the first organizations in the United States to offer live scoring.
Thomas remembers first going live at the 1996 U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge, won by Tiger Woods. There were more than 50 Californians in the field, and Thomas went to elaborate lengths to update each player s card, hole by hole, on the Web.
Two of the longest days of my life, Thomas said.
Of course, this was the same guy who years ago brought, every day from home, the first computer into the SCGA s Studio City offices.
It was supposed to be portable, Thomas said, but it weighed 25 pounds.
Thomas has seen an amazing array of talented players and quirky characters compete in SCGA events. Some of his favorites: Craig Steinberg, Scott McGihon, Pat Duncan, Mark Johnson, Ed Cuff, Jason Gore, Kemp Richardson and Todd Demsey.
There also was the guy who drank beer during events and teed his ball up on a beer can.
Hard to believe, but I watched him do it, Thomas said.
Not surprisingly, Woods stands out, too.
In 1994, Woods was a national star, and he jointly entered for the only time the SCGA Amateur and State Amateur. Tiger was well beyond us at that point, but he took the time to play, Thomas said. I never asked him, but I think it was his way of saying thanks for us being there when he was a kid. That is the most special memory for me.
Woods fired a 62 in one round of the SCGA Amateur at Hacienda Country Club and won handily. In the State Am, he reached the semifinals, but was upset by Cuff, the San Diegan who went on to win.
Thomas has seen the ups and the downs of the golf industry. He believes it takes too long to play a round, that courses have been made too long, too difficult and unwalkable. The prevalence of golf carts is a blessing and a curse, he said.
His gravest concern? Water will be the biggest single issue over the next 20 years, Thomas said.
Thomas will keep his hand in some golf marketing, and he ll now have more time to enjoy his other interests – classical music, church activities and public transportation.
Maybe he ll get more time to enjoy himself on the golf course, made freer with no camera over his shoulder. He can pick some sunny days to play.
Golfers are unique, Thomas said. The overwhelming majority of them are solid, wonderful people. That s been the greatest thing working for the SCGA, the people I ve met.
Author Resource:
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