Dave Schultz lines up his putt during the 2011 Bobcat North Dakota Open golf tournament at the Fargo Country Club. Schultz is looking at making a comeback in tour golf. Forum file photo
FARGO — There are a lot of things going on in the golf life of Maple River head professional Dave Schultz, including trying to recreate a popular hole-in-one television show from long ago. He’s also going to give prime time golf another shot.
The 36-year-old Schultz said Tuesday, July 16, he’s ready to make a comeback at pro golf starting this fall with two tournaments and qualifying school on the Korn Ferry Tour, which formerly was the Web.com. It’s next-in-line to the PGA Tour.
It’s all about having no regrets in the name of Schultz and his wife, Kelsey, losing their fathers in the last year.
“We’ve both been re-wired and perspective is a powerful thing,” Dave said. “We decided we get one trip here, do what you love and make it work. Do what you love and go after it.”
WDAY logo
Ed Schultz passed away unexpectedly just over a year ago at age 64. Dan Pergande, Kelsey’s father, died last January at 61.
Dave Schultz will resign as the general manager at Maple River, but will stay on as the head professional. He will continue to provide golf lessons, golf camps, will work with marketing and promotions and offer Trackman golf technology during events.
The latter, a device that measures the details of the swing, is what got Schultz thinking he can still play the game at a high level.
“It’s been an eye opener,” Dave said. “Age is a number but speed is speed. I still have my speed and I probably won’t say that 10 to 15 years from now. Time is unrelenting but right now I have the speed and I don’t want any regrets. I don’t want to look back when we were young, even though we think we’re getting old quick. I still have my speed so let’s tee it up and let’s go.”
Schultz plans on playing the Waterloo Open this weekend in Waterloo, Iowa, and the Bobcat North Dakota Open Aug. 23-25 at the Fargo Country Club. The Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament is in December.
“I’ve had a lot of supporters and people will say it’s so great you’re going to keep chasing that dream,” Dave said. “My response to that is I’m actually living it now. It’s not results based, I don’t have to get on the PGA Tour, but more about just having the opportunity to do what I love is a dream in itself. If we can fund ourselves which we can do, then we can give it a shot.”
Schultz has seen the PGA Tour, finishing in a tie for 69th in the 2011 Puerto Rico Open. He missed the cut in the 2009 Byron Nelson Open, but did shoot a 5-under-par 67 in the second round.
His best year on the Korn Ferry Tour was 2009 when he finished 34th on the money list and for a time was in the top 25, which if he would have stayed there would have gotten him a PGA Tour card.
He’s in his fourth year at Maple River, a job he took with three goals in mind: Leave it better than he found it, have a positive influence on golfers and grow junior golf and set the next general manager up for success.
“We have record membership and the public knows about us now,” he said. “Everybody is replaceable and I know the next person will do a better job.”
Jim Johnson, the president of Maple River Golf Club, said in a letter to members that Schultz has led the club to three straight years of at least $1 million in revenue.
“It’s been great to see the club grow,” Schultz said.
This article was plublished by the InForum.
