Distance off the tee is not an issue for Damon Green.
“I can hit it pretty far,” Green said. “Not necessarily straight. They may need hard hats on the first tee.”
Green, 50, whose full-time job is working as a caddie on the PGA Tour for Iowa native Zach Johnson, has received a sponsor’s exemption to play in this week’s Principal Charity Classic at Glen Oaks in West Des Moines.
“I’m excited, and nervous, and all that good stuff,” Green said.
Green will be making his Champions Tour debut, but he’s no novice. He has won 71 professional mini-tour events, played in 56 Nationwide Tour events with three top-10 finishes and also played in a pair of PGA Tour events. Green twice reached the final stage of qualifying for the PGA Tour, missing his card by a single shot one year. He also made it to the final stage of qualifying for the Champions Tour last fall, tying for 17th.
“I have a daytime job, so there wasn’t that much heat on me,” Green said.
Johnson played a role in getting Green into this week’s event.
“To say I had a lot to do with it would be completely inaccurate,” Johnson said.
Johnson represented Transamerica, one of his sponsors, in a charity event earlier this year. The Principal Group also had a team participating and Johnson struck up a conversation with, among others, Tim Minard. Johnson mentioned that Green was trying to get in some Champions Tour events through Monday qualifying. Minard, who sits on the Principal Charity Classic board, asked Johnson for Green’s email address.
“Two weeks later he’s in the tournament,” Johnson said.
Because of his full-time gig on Johnson’s bag, Green doesn’t have a lot of time to practice.
“He’s a very freaky talent,” Johnson said. “Very naturally gifted with a golf club in his hands. He’s like, 'See the ball, hit the ball.’ And he’s become a great putter. He’s a competitor. That’s why he’s good on my bag. He loves to get out there and grind.”
Green said his ability to shoot low numbers with little or no practice drives Johnson crazy.
“I may not play three weeks and then I’ll go out and shoot 66, and he’ll say, 'How do you do that?’ ” Green said. “I just know how to play golf, I guess. I’m not playing tour courses.”
Green, who has been on Johnson’s bag for eight years, said his job as a caddie has made him a better player.
“I’m better now from a course management standpoint,” Green said. “And I don’t get that upset after a bad shot. I see a lot of bad shots. I always thought you had to hit the ball perfect to be on the PGA Tour. But it’s only the guys who are on TV that week who are hitting it perfect.”
Green, who grew up playing Bermuda-grass greens, arrived in Des Moines Saturday to adjust to the bent-grass greens at Glen Oaks. That will be one of several adjustments. He’ll have to give up the shorts he caddies in and play in long pants. And he’ll have access to the locker room and clubhouse. Caddies don’t have that perk.
“I may go down and hang with the caddies anyway,” Green said. “I hear they get treated pretty well here.”
Green said he’ll have some jitters before his drive off No. 1 in Friday’s opening round. He’s consulted with Dr. Morris Pickens, Johnson’s sports psychologist, for advice.
“Dr. Mo said the object of the first tee is to get it in the air and moving forward,” Green said.
No Zach: Zach Johnson won’t caddie for Damon Green this week, though the reversal of roles would have some advantages.
“I’d let him read my putts,” Green said. “He’d be an asset, not a liability, there.”
Doug Long, who has played golf with Green for the better part of 20 years in the Orlando, Fla., area, will caddie for Green.
“He’s really a good player,” Green said. “He knows my swing better than anybody.”
Green, 50, whose full-time job is working as a caddie on the PGA Tour for Iowa native Zach Johnson, has received a sponsor’s exemption to play in this week’s Principal Charity Classic at Glen Oaks in West Des Moines.
“I’m excited, and nervous, and all that good stuff,” Green said.
Green will be making his Champions Tour debut, but he’s no novice. He has won 71 professional mini-tour events, played in 56 Nationwide Tour events with three top-10 finishes and also played in a pair of PGA Tour events. Green twice reached the final stage of qualifying for the PGA Tour, missing his card by a single shot one year. He also made it to the final stage of qualifying for the Champions Tour last fall, tying for 17th.
“I have a daytime job, so there wasn’t that much heat on me,” Green said.
Johnson played a role in getting Green into this week’s event.
“To say I had a lot to do with it would be completely inaccurate,” Johnson said.
Johnson represented Transamerica, one of his sponsors, in a charity event earlier this year. The Principal Group also had a team participating and Johnson struck up a conversation with, among others, Tim Minard. Johnson mentioned that Green was trying to get in some Champions Tour events through Monday qualifying. Minard, who sits on the Principal Charity Classic board, asked Johnson for Green’s email address.
“Two weeks later he’s in the tournament,” Johnson said.
Because of his full-time gig on Johnson’s bag, Green doesn’t have a lot of time to practice.
“He’s a very freaky talent,” Johnson said. “Very naturally gifted with a golf club in his hands. He’s like, 'See the ball, hit the ball.’ And he’s become a great putter. He’s a competitor. That’s why he’s good on my bag. He loves to get out there and grind.”
Green said his ability to shoot low numbers with little or no practice drives Johnson crazy.
“I may not play three weeks and then I’ll go out and shoot 66, and he’ll say, 'How do you do that?’ ” Green said. “I just know how to play golf, I guess. I’m not playing tour courses.”
Green, who has been on Johnson’s bag for eight years, said his job as a caddie has made him a better player.
“I’m better now from a course management standpoint,” Green said. “And I don’t get that upset after a bad shot. I see a lot of bad shots. I always thought you had to hit the ball perfect to be on the PGA Tour. But it’s only the guys who are on TV that week who are hitting it perfect.”
Green, who grew up playing Bermuda-grass greens, arrived in Des Moines Saturday to adjust to the bent-grass greens at Glen Oaks. That will be one of several adjustments. He’ll have to give up the shorts he caddies in and play in long pants. And he’ll have access to the locker room and clubhouse. Caddies don’t have that perk.
“I may go down and hang with the caddies anyway,” Green said. “I hear they get treated pretty well here.”
Green said he’ll have some jitters before his drive off No. 1 in Friday’s opening round. He’s consulted with Dr. Morris Pickens, Johnson’s sports psychologist, for advice.
“Dr. Mo said the object of the first tee is to get it in the air and moving forward,” Green said.
No Zach: Zach Johnson won’t caddie for Damon Green this week, though the reversal of roles would have some advantages.
“I’d let him read my putts,” Green said. “He’d be an asset, not a liability, there.”
Doug Long, who has played golf with Green for the better part of 20 years in the Orlando, Fla., area, will caddie for Green.
“He’s really a good player,” Green said. “He knows my swing better than anybody.”