Age: 50

CV: Former employee of San Luis Obispo Country Club (1975-80) and eight-time PGA Tour winner, Roberts, with Tom Lehman, represents the last of the one-time club professionals at the game's highest level. He will assist Lehman at the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

What do I miss about running the shop? Absolutely nothing. Maybe that's what spurred me on all these years.

Jim Swagerty, the pro at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, Calif., retired at 50 and moved to San Luis Obispo, where I hung out. He spent hours watching me hit balls on the range at San Luis Obispo Country Club and took me on as a project. He passed away at 80 in January.

I hear guys say, "I've never had a golf lesson in my life, I'm self-taught." Well, I don't care who you are--you've had a lesson from somebody.

As an assistant in the early to mid-'70s I made $350 before taxes every two weeks. I played in the Southern California Section to supplement my income. I wasn't a Class A, but there was a Players Division, which was open to anybody who had a full-time job at a golf course. I won several of those for $300 and a dozen balls, but back then you could almost live on $800 a month.

When you're an assistant pro you basically handle the junior clinics and the people who can't play at all. Knowing what I do now, I wish I could go back and give refunds to the people I gave lessons to for the first two years.

I made it through qualifying school on my third try, went through all three stages, in 1980. I was 25, and had to go back three more times. That's the fifth major--I love watching that thing.

Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Jack and Arnold--I've met just about every significant player. The only two I didn't meet were Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones.

A close friend of mine was a member of Shady Oaks in Fort Worth and knew Ben. I had lunch with him there in the mid-'90s. He could still--just, the way he looked at you--he was still very intimidating. We talked a little bit about the game.

JP Greenwood

Now I have to pick my spots a little more carefully. I stopped going to Torrey Pines. I mean, 7,500 yards at sea level--that ain't happening.

I've gotten hit a couple times in pro-ams. I had a guy shank a wood and catch me right in the ankle. It was on the eighth hole in a pro-am in Milwaukee in the late '80s. The ankle swelled up like a balloon. I made it three holes and had to go in. He was so embarrassed; I felt terrible for him. I've shanked a few myself.

When I first started out here I refused to pay more than $30 for a room. I figured it was a rip-off.

We had to shag our own range balls when I started. At Westchester Country Club, you went out on the first fairway of the other course, dumped your balls out and sent your caddie out and hit balls to him. This was back in 1981 but they were still doing it through '82 or '83.

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