.. PICKING PARTNERS By Tom Olkowski, Ph.D. GOLFViews Contributing Writer There is an old writer's adage, which I am about to coin, that behind every story, there's a story. So, to put this one into perspective, please allow me a brief introduction. To begin, I am an avid golfer not unlike yourself. In terms of age, I qualify for the senior tour. In spirit, I'm convinced I can consistently shoot in the 70's, while in reality I celebrate whenever I break 90 (which also makes me, like most golfers, somewhat of a dreamer). At my work, I am a clinical psychologist, a writer of sorts, and a member of the planning committee for the Colorado Psychological Association Shrink ën Links Golf Tournament. At times these various identities overlap or, in my case, get slightly confused. Last April I published an article in GOLFViews inspired by a news story about a foursome that had donated $650,000 to charity for the privilege of playing a single round of golf with Tiger Woods. In that article I fantasized about various golfers I would like to play with if I ever had the opportunity. My selections, among active PGA players, included Peter Jacobsen, Fuzzy Zoeller, and Colorado's own Craig Stadler, with David Feherty doing the commentary. I chose Nancy Lopez, Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam from the LPGA. (How I could have overlooked Jill McGill and Judy Rankin I'll never know.) Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez and Raymond Floyd, with Gary McCord in the booth, were my picks from the senior tour, and Bill Murray, Willie Nelson, and Smokey Robinson from among non-professional golfing celebrities. My choices, as you may have already surmised, were based not so much on a player's golfing prowess, but reflected personalities I thought might be interesting and fun to spend time with. That's when the tournament coordinator part of me kicked in. I wrote to each of the players I had mentioned and asked them to autograph and return two copies of my article - one for my personal archives and one for framing as an award for our tournament. I also shrewdly intimated that if any of them ever passed through Denver, I would love to actually play a round of golf with them (but I must have done it too shrewdly since none of them alluded to that part of my letter). After mailing off my requests, I immediately started checking my mailbox every day like a 10-year-old who had just sent away fifteen Cheerios box tops for a secret decoder ring. Nancy Lopez was the first to respond with one autographed article for the tournament and another personally inscribed to yours truly, which naturally caused my old romantic's heart to flutter. Lee Trevino and Smokey Robinson both sent signed articles, including one with an inscription requesting God's blessing on me -most likely, I suspect, because Smokey may have seen me play somewhere. Craig Stadler graciously signed four copies, and Laura Davies not only returned signed articles but included an autographed photo. As grateful as I am, I must note that if the nun who taught me penmanship in elementary school ever saw Craig's or Laura's signatures, she'd be rolling in her grave. Peter Jacobsen forwarded two autographed articles, one with an inscription declaring that I was "O.K. in his book, too." which I thought was pretty astute for a non-psychologist. Willie Nelson, whose signature almost makes Craig Stadler's look legible, donated an autographed photo and Fuzzy saw that and raised him one. Raymond Floyd, always one of my favorites, sent a personally inscribed photo along with an autographed cap. And Gary McCord, the merry prankster of television, movies, literature and the senior tour, not to mention one of the few announcers in the history of televised golf to be banned from The Master's at Augusta National, contributed an autographed, though somewhat worn, golf glove and a photo whose inscription neatly ties together all aspects of those overlapping identities I described in my introduction - "Tom, Enjoy your insanity with a good game of golf!" Now the only thing I can't figure out is why he didn't call me to play when he was in town for The International at Castle Pines. I guess it must have slipped his mind. Tom Olkowski, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Denver who would like to invite you to play in this year's Shrinks 'n Links tournament at The Ranch Country Club on July 22nd. Call (303) 794-7761 for information.