Trips to top courses keep Gladstan pro on the ball

Zobell says he also enjoys teaching the game to his 4 sons

Published: Thursday, Aug. 10 2006 12:00 a.m. MDT

Tracy Zobell

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Tracy Zobell

Gladstan Golf Course

High school: Payson High

Years professional: Seven

First pro job: Assistant at Gladstan

Lessons: $40

Low round: 62 at Gladstan and Homestead Resort; low competitive round is 64 at Logan Country Club

Favorite courses: Pebble Beach at Monterey, Calif.; TPC at Sawgrass at Ponte Vedra, Fla.; Ballybunion Golf Links in Ireland

Other members of dream foursome: Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan. "I'd love to see what makes those guys tick."

Memorable golf moments: Going on a golf trip each fall with his golfing buddies to play the most exclusive and prestigious courses in the world and the United States. "It's always a new spot and always a new place. I like playing the courses where they've played a major before. I like playing where the big tournaments are held and where the top players play."

Teaching the game to his four sons, ages 10, 8, 4 and 2. "I get a lot of enjoyment out of watching them play."

Advice for playing Gladstan: Because of the mountain terrain and slope toward the valley, keep the ball below the cup. "You can be 10 feet from the cup, but if you're on the wrong side of the hole, you will have no chance."

Play strategically and don't always hit a driver off the tee. "It's definitely a course where you need to know where to hit the ball and know where you can't hit it."

Swing tips: The fundamentals, like good grip and set up, are essential to a good swing. But good tempo might be more important. "Every good golfer has good tempo. And when I say tempo I don't mean swing easy. I mean finding a tempo that fits you individually. Nick Price and Ernie Els have different tempos, but both have the right tempo for their swing."

Thoughts on the state of golf: Golf in Utah, which is less than $40 per round at almost every course, is the best golf value in the United States. However, developers who include a golf course as part of their housing project have saturated the local market. "I think we're five to 10 years of population growth away from catching up to the golf availability that we have now."

The advances in equipment, with clubs hitting the ball farther and the ball carrying farther, have been good for the average player — but it's time for technology to level off. "We can't go backwards, because that would be like moving a basketball rim up to 11 feet. But we need to draw the line somewhere."

He's amazed at the skill of the younger players in the game. "Young players now are so good. It takes an incredible score now just to finish in the top 10."

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