Hepler Happy To Give Back
Raccoon Run owner to caddy for Gary Hallberg in US Senior Open
August 8, 2016 at 5:18 p.m.
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Hepler, a 1973 graduate of Warsaw Community High School who played one season at Ball State before transferring to Florida State, has travelled the world playing golf.
Along the way, he’s won a reality TV show – The Big Break in 2006 at Trump National in Los Angeles – become a course owner, and been hired to coach the Grace College men’s team.
Naturally, he’s made a lot of friends.
One of them is Gary Hallberg, for whom Hepler will caddy this week at the U.S. Senior Open.
The 72-hole Champions Tour tournament begins Thursday and is being played at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.
“This is my way of staying connected to the big time,” Hepler said of his role as a caddy, something he’s done for Hallberg about 20 times.
“Plus, on the senior tour, I’m around friends that I’ve had for a long time ... guys that I played with on the PGA Tour. I can’t wait to see who we’re paired up with.
“I was just looking at the names in the Senior British Open, and there were five or six guys that have played in my charity classic at one time, so that’s neat to see some of those guys still playing.”
Hepler met Hallberg in the mid-1970s, while Hepler was playing for Florida State and Hallberg was playing for Wake Forest.
Hepler and Hallberg were playing at the Western Amateur, and their paths crossed during a rain delay.
“We met in 1975, we were both playing in the Western Am,” said Hepler, telling the story as if it happened yesterday. “He was an All-American at Wake Forest. Matter of fact, he was the very first four-time, first-team All-American.
“We were in a rain delay at the Western Am, and we were in the same area on the golf course. So we go to this house to wait out the rain delay, and there’s a pool table downstairs, and we’re shooting pool. We’ve been friends ever since.”
Among the nearly two dozen times Hepler has caddied for Hallberg, a highlight for Hepler came at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.
Hallberg was playing in a group with Tom Watson, a golfer that Hepler has looked up to for a long time. Hepler called it a “bucket list” experience.
“This is my second U.S. Senior Open with him, and I’ve done two Senior British Opens,” said Hepler. “I’ve also done two or three Senior PGA Opens with him.
“In the Senior PGA at Benton Harbor one time, we were a shot out of the lead through six holes of the final round, playing in a twosome with Tom Watson. For me, that was kind of a bucket list experience because I had never been paired with Tom Watson (as a player). He’s one of my idols in golf, and that was just a great experience.”
Hallberg has played in nine Champions Tour events this year, earning $163,910.
Though Hepler said he still enjoys playing, he admits he’s now in the mode of giving back to the game.
On the day of this interview, he was up early and at Raccoon Run watering, mowing, fixing bunkers, and thinking of way to better serve his course members.
He’s in his fifth season as coach of the Grace College men’s team.
And this week, he’ll walk Scioto Country Club with his friend of 40 years.
“For me now, it’s all about passing on and giving back to the game, growing the game,” said Hepler. “I’ve been so blessed by this game, this career that I’ve had, I need to give back.
“I have a lot of opportunity to do that ... with any of my members that walk through the door, my college players, my youth camp, my grandkids, and working the bag for Gary. Golf has been so good to me, and it would be ridiculous for me to not give back.”
Hepler, a 1973 graduate of Warsaw Community High School who played one season at Ball State before transferring to Florida State, has travelled the world playing golf.
Along the way, he’s won a reality TV show – The Big Break in 2006 at Trump National in Los Angeles – become a course owner, and been hired to coach the Grace College men’s team.
Naturally, he’s made a lot of friends.
One of them is Gary Hallberg, for whom Hepler will caddy this week at the U.S. Senior Open.
The 72-hole Champions Tour tournament begins Thursday and is being played at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.
“This is my way of staying connected to the big time,” Hepler said of his role as a caddy, something he’s done for Hallberg about 20 times.
“Plus, on the senior tour, I’m around friends that I’ve had for a long time ... guys that I played with on the PGA Tour. I can’t wait to see who we’re paired up with.
“I was just looking at the names in the Senior British Open, and there were five or six guys that have played in my charity classic at one time, so that’s neat to see some of those guys still playing.”
Hepler met Hallberg in the mid-1970s, while Hepler was playing for Florida State and Hallberg was playing for Wake Forest.
Hepler and Hallberg were playing at the Western Amateur, and their paths crossed during a rain delay.
“We met in 1975, we were both playing in the Western Am,” said Hepler, telling the story as if it happened yesterday. “He was an All-American at Wake Forest. Matter of fact, he was the very first four-time, first-team All-American.
“We were in a rain delay at the Western Am, and we were in the same area on the golf course. So we go to this house to wait out the rain delay, and there’s a pool table downstairs, and we’re shooting pool. We’ve been friends ever since.”
Among the nearly two dozen times Hepler has caddied for Hallberg, a highlight for Hepler came at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.
Hallberg was playing in a group with Tom Watson, a golfer that Hepler has looked up to for a long time. Hepler called it a “bucket list” experience.
“This is my second U.S. Senior Open with him, and I’ve done two Senior British Opens,” said Hepler. “I’ve also done two or three Senior PGA Opens with him.
“In the Senior PGA at Benton Harbor one time, we were a shot out of the lead through six holes of the final round, playing in a twosome with Tom Watson. For me, that was kind of a bucket list experience because I had never been paired with Tom Watson (as a player). He’s one of my idols in golf, and that was just a great experience.”
Hallberg has played in nine Champions Tour events this year, earning $163,910.
Though Hepler said he still enjoys playing, he admits he’s now in the mode of giving back to the game.
On the day of this interview, he was up early and at Raccoon Run watering, mowing, fixing bunkers, and thinking of way to better serve his course members.
He’s in his fifth season as coach of the Grace College men’s team.
And this week, he’ll walk Scioto Country Club with his friend of 40 years.
“For me now, it’s all about passing on and giving back to the game, growing the game,” said Hepler. “I’ve been so blessed by this game, this career that I’ve had, I need to give back.
“I have a lot of opportunity to do that ... with any of my members that walk through the door, my college players, my youth camp, my grandkids, and working the bag for Gary. Golf has been so good to me, and it would be ridiculous for me to not give back.”
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