Tripp Kuehne was positioning his cellphone camera when one of his fingers got stuck in the lens. That could happen to anyone – but recently I was asked if it should be replaced for golf lovers, and it was fun.
“I worked out where my hands are, it’s just damning the camera,” Kuehne said.
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“So you made me nervous about this question.”
To be sure, the question was touch. Will one-time pros regain amateur status allowing them to play at amateur events, a move many players have made at the amateur level? Or should the pros be prevented? Or perhaps there is some middle ground? As one of the country’s best amateur players — he won the 2007 Mid-Amateur and was runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1994 U.S. Amateur — Kuehne is more familiar with the subject than most.
Does it answer? Appearing on the latest episode of GOLF’s “Subpar” podcast, he began by referring to minor league baseball.
“My heart tells me, listen, if you just made it to triple A in baseball, you’re never going to be a major leaguer,” Kuehne said. “So you’re not a pro, you know. You’ve never played in the major leagues, you can go back.”
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But what about those who played in the big leagues, here, the PGA Tour?
Kuehne also said he could see that, so far.
“I think what probably needs to be done is that the work starts or the equipment in the secret fund,” he said. “I don’t know. I think toeing the line on the PGA Tour is probably a little tougher. Maybe two years, three years max. I don’t know.”
Still, Kuehne also said he remembered what it was like playing as a former pro in an amateur event.
“The hardest guy in the world to beat for me was the one who played for 10 years on the road, he made his living – not on the road, but on the satellite tour,” he said. “Man, the guys just didn’t make a mistake and they were really, really hard to beat.”
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“Yes, I know I can’t give you an answer, but I think the answer lies somewhere in the number of stars, does it start at 50, does it start at 75, I think 100 is probably too much. I mean, I don’t know.
“It’s a tough deal because I mean these kids are so young. I don’t think they’re going to have the longevity on the PGA Tour that you used to have. I think there’s some going on around the roads.”
Editor’s note: To listen to the entire episode featuring Subpar Kuehne, click here here the book immediately below or
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