Tewell Giving Back to Golf

Doug Tewell
Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

June 11, 2012

By Bruce Campbell, Enid News and Eagle

This article originally appeared on EnidNews.com.

ENID, Okla. — Doug Tewell went from Lakeside Golf Course in Stillwater to a successful career at both Oklahoma State and the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour.

He hopes his story can be an inspiration to those who were attending his TewellTime clinic at Meadowlake on Monday.

Meadowlake is one of 11 stops on his tour intended to reach kids “who can’t afford to go to expensive golf camps.’’

“I want to dispel the notion you have to be wealthy to play golf,’’ Tewell said. “Trust me, if Cody (Meadowlake pro Lack) sees a kid who is really good that needs help with equipment, we’ll get him a set of golf clubs.’’

Each player attending the clinic received a T-shirt. The player can bring the T-shirt to Meadowlake and be able to hit a free bucket of balls every day the rest of the summer.

Tewell also donated clubs for players who don’t have equipment they can use.

Tewell has been approached by other players who are interested in starting similar programs in their states. A stop in Kingfisher Monday morning attracted 42 players. A stop in Bartlesville attracted 90.

It brought back memories of when he was 12 in Stillwater, playing to win a BVD, T-shirt and picking up pop bottles and filling up the golf ball washers.

“If I thought then I was going to be a 12-time winner on the PGA and Champions Tour, I would have, thought, ‘oh man, this is the greatest thing ever’ ... that’s why I try to look at every kid. I want them out playing and make it affordable.’’

Tewell has earned $7,739,406 since joining the PGA Tour in 1975. He has four wins on the PGA Tour and eight on the Champions, including two majors — 2000 PGA Senior Championship and the 2001 Countrywide Tradition.

“If I could bottle that up and figure it out (why he was successful), it would be a wonderful thing,’’ Tewell said.

Fellow players often told him he was one of the smartest players they played with.

“When I look at things, I don’t see the same things other people see,’’ Tewell said. “I never worry about where I don’t want to be. I see where I want to be right now.’’

He attributes that in part to Labron Harris, his coach at OSU.

“He wanted you to be mentally in it as well as physically,’’ Tewell said. “He wasn’t the best motivator from a psychological standpoint, but he could teach you. He said ‘This is the way to do it, and if you do it this way, you will do well.’’

Tewell’s teammates included future Tour players Mark Hayes and Danny Edwards as well as Mike Holder, who would become a highly successful golf and athletic director.

He didn’t see Holder as a future A.D. when he was playing with him.

“He wasn’t a people person,’’ Tewell said. “He was a walk the line straight kind of guy. I love what he’s done for OSU. His people skills are rough, but he’s done a great job at OSU.’’

Tewell, 62, has played in only two Champions events. He has enjoyed semi-retirement in Edmond, where he is near his grandchildren.

TewellTime isn’t his only new challenge. He is working as Enid native Aly Seng’s “mental coach’’ at University of Central Oklahoma. Seng and UCO men’s coach Pat Bates assisted with the clinic.

Seng has the “talent’’ to some day play on the LPGA Tour, Tewell said, “if we can get her mind on it. She has the game. She is just learning to cope. She is not a cocky person, but she’s very confident. She’s going to test the girls on the UCO team.’’

Tewell also worked on television in-between stints on the regular and Champions Tour. That gave him a different perspective of the game.

“When I did television, I found out it wasn’t as hard to win as I thought,’’ he said. “I learned a little bit.’’

The event was sponsored by Northcutt Toyota, Baker Harris Hopkins Insurance, Bank of Kremlin, Pope Distributing, Culligan of Enid, Security National Bank, P&K Equipment and Central Natonal Bank.

“I always believed God put me on Earth to do some good things,’’ Tewell said. “It’s fun trying to find some new kids. I know it costs some money. I’m grateful for all the sponsors.’’

He had the thrill of playing with legends such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Johnny Miller among others.

He won tournaments at such legendary courses as Rivera and Hilton Head. Player told him “if you can win at Hilton Head, you can win anywhere.’’

“Those were the guys I had idolize all of my life and now I was playing with them,’’ Tewell said. “You just want to pinch yourself sometime. I found out they were all nice guys. I never try to put myself above them. I just tried to play on the same level.’’

He grew close to Palmer. He remembers it was emotional being on the driving range with him one evening.

“I was thinking to myself, boy I wish my dad was alive to see this,’’ Tewell said. “Palmer was the Pied Piper of golf. He was the real working man’s friend.’’

The two once were playing together in a tournament at Napa, Calif. Palmer, in the late stages of his career, told Tewell he was sorry he was playing so badly and he should quit.

Tewell was six-under at the time on the 17th hole.

“I told him I hoped he could play forever and I would play with him any time,’’ Tewell said. “He really teared up. I got a little emotional. I’ve had a lot of great times with him.’’

Palmer often called Tewell “Money Bags’’ on the Champions Tour.

“Why are you calling me ‘Money Bags’ I asked him,’’ Tewell said. “He said because you stole my caddy. You can pay her more money.’’

The event was sponsored by Northcutt Toyota, Baker Harris Hopkins Insurance, Bank of Kremlin, Pope Distributing, Culligan of Enid, Security National Bank, P&K Equipment and Central Natonal Bank.

No one was having a better time than Tewell.

“I don’t have a yacht or a private jet, but I’m real happy,’’ he said. “I always believed God put me on Earth to do some good things. It’s fun trying to find some new kids. I know it costs some money. I’m grateful for all the sponsors.’’