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Even when he was a three-time All-Suburban Lakes League golfer at Eastwood, Chris Gardner never really pictured himself bumping elbows with the likes of Tiger Woods or Ernie Els on the PGA Tour.
“Going on tour has never been my dream,” said Gardner, a 2002 Eastwood grad. “I never considered playing golf for a living. Fortunately, I never had to make that decision as I've never been talented enough to play Tour golf. Only a small percentage of Tour players are able to make a comfortable living each year. I have friends who are much better than me and are struggling on mini-tours.
“I am much more comfortable working on my game while also helping to improve everyone else's.”
Gardner, 28, is the son of Eastwood boys golf coach Mike Gardner, who is approaching his 40th year leading the Eagles' golf program. Chris has been the first assistant golf professional at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club in Annapolis, Md., since the spring of 2008.
“My father was a golf instructor as well as a golf coach,” Gardner said, “so I knew it was in my blood.”
Golf has been a big part of Gardner's life ever since he started hitting the links with his father as a young boy. As a junior he led Eastwood to the 2000 state tournament as the Eagles' No. 2 man behind Ross Lingenfelder.
Gardner went to Clemson University (not to play golf) and earned a degree in professional golf management (PGM). He had several internships during college – at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pa., in 2003; at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill., in 2004; with the Michigan Section of the PGA of America in East Lansing in 2005; and at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, Calif., in 2006.
“I was a touring intern with the Michigan PGA Association, running courses for the state of Michigan,” Gardner said. “Then at Pebble Beach I was in a rotational internship that included working the practice facility and the golf shop, and I was the first-tee starter. I was there for three months in the summer.”
Working at Pebble Beach had its perks. Gardner said he saw a handful of celebrity golfers, including Bill Clinton, Reggie Jackson and Mario Lemieux.
“Clinton was pretty good,” Gardner said. “He can swing it. Reggie Jackson hits it OK. He's aged a bit but he's still very imposing. Lemieux was extremely friendly. Hockey players make great golfers because they have a very abbreviated backswing. Slap shots equate to a nice, powerful backswing.”
Gardner, a 3 handicap, called Pebble Beach “golf heaven.”
“Anyone would be thrilled to play Pebble Beach,” he said. “It's every golfer's dream to make it out to the West Coast, especially Pebble Beach. To work there was fantastic, and to play the course was a dream.”
Gardner's freshman roommate at Clemson, Mike Burke, later became the head pro at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Course and he also serves as an assistant coach for the Naval Academy golf team.
“Mike informed the Clemson alumni that there was going to be a spot available for an assistant's job (in Annapolis),” Gardner said. “It looked pretty good. I interviewed with Patrick Owen and was fortunate to hop on board that spring.”
Owen is the Naval Academy's head golf coach and director of golf at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club.
“It's a heck of an atmosphere out here,” Gardner said. “Working in Annapolis is a great environment with the Academy so close by. The downtown atmosphere is very colonial, or old-school. It took me a while to get used to that. It's basically a big little town, or a little big town depending on how you look at it. It's 45 minutes to Washington, D.C., and a half hour to Baltimore, so there is always something to do.”
Gardner gives golf instruction to U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club members, Navy midshipmen and the general public. He said he averages 200-250 golf lessons a year.
"I have a great staff that understands the demands of the industry,” Gardner said. “We've been together for four years now. It is a pretty laid back atmosphere. We have roughly 250 civilian members as well as another 300 active duty and retired military members. Having a steady mix of four-star admirals, active duty personnel, midshipmen and civilians always keeps me on my toes.
“I was apprehensive here at first, since I hadn't done much instruction in the past. This season I am giving between 15-20 lessons per week and I feel extremely comfortable on the lesson tee. I teach an even mix of senior men, juniors and women.”
Gardner added that he's not sure how many more years he will be in Annapolis. He said he's looking into the possibility of becoming a head professional or a director of instruction.
“I'm still young,” he said, “so I am just trying to enjoy life as best I can.”
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