Jerilyn Britz - Part 2 (The 1979 Women's U.S. Open)

Music playing  00:00

Mike Gonzalez  00:15

Let's just talk a little bit about about your career and get into some of these big events. You were in course joining the LPGA Tour in 1974. You were lucky enough to have two professional wins both on the LPGA Tour and what's nice is one of them was a major winning, as Bruce said, the 1979 Women's U.S. Open. But before we get there you were probably five years on tour before you're able to break through with that first win but you had some close calls and one of the ones I noticed is talking about Patty Berg in the 1978 Patty Berg Classic you did pretty well in that tournament leading going into the final hole but didn't quite close the deal.

Britz, Jerilyn  01:04

Yeah, hit a driver in the trees on the right. And I probably tried a miracle shot or something. But I ended up double bogeying the hole I think so. I was like, oh, no, that was Yeah, you don't get that opportunity very often.

Mike Gonzalez  01:16

It's probably a shot out of the trees. You probably saw JoAnne Carner hit you thought oh, I can do that.

Britz, Jerilyn  01:21

That's probably what happened. Yeah, it was. That was a good experience to get that close to winning. Yeah, I got a little taste of that. That. Yeah, that makes a little bit hungry.

Devlin, Bruce  01:33

You got another taste of it the next year too with the LPGA Championship in the Nicklaus course. This lady's name before Donna Caponi finished second to her there.

Britz, Jerilyn  01:46

Well, we were tied I think I mean that down. The last hole is your drive and then there's water to carry and it's pretty long water. What pretty long carry? And so I had my drive down close enough that I could carry it. And Donna had to go off to the side. On the second. It's kind of fun when you when you get those situations. Bruce, you've probably got been there too. And the the spectators call him golf or golf or you know, yeah. So, so I went for it, and I hit it long. And then I hit it up by the green. And yeah, she chipped in, and I missed my helmet and shot a 64 that first round of that tournament.

Mike Gonzalez  02:34

Yeah, record breaking 64 that feature and LPGA record nine birdies.

Britz, Jerilyn  02:39

Yeah, it was fun. You know, you've probably had those rounds to where you don't really know that's happening. You're just playing. And then when you get

Devlin, Bruce  02:49

to do the best you can and all of a sudden they start going in the hole.

Britz, Jerilyn  02:52

Yeah. And yeah, I know one term in Atlanta. I just said I'll combat I'm gonna do reverse psychology on myself here. So every time I make birdie, I'm gonna pretend it's a bogey. You know, just to see what happens is there's another bogey. 65 or six or something doing that? Where's that been all my life? You know? But yeah. Did you ever rehearse? Did you ever do the sports psychology business? Did you ever do?

Devlin, Bruce  03:22

Never did it somehow. Well, that was the year in my the latter part of my playing career. There was a couple of guys out there that were doing this sports psychology stuff, but I never got into it. Maybe I should have.

Britz, Jerilyn  03:38

Yeah, I think I think that's good. Finally Chuck Hogan came on the scene and about the same time Bob Rotella came in there. So I worked with some of those but it was funny on the one of the tournaments. By that time, Bob Rotella had maybe eight to 10 players that he was working with. And we were sitting around on a picnic bench out by the Golf Course there. And he's talking about each one and he said, but there's one person I just can't seem to quite get over the hump there and that was me. I got I got all the concepts. I just I guess I didn't know how to really put them in.

Mike Gonzalez  04:14

Well, in that 1979 LPGA Championship Jerilyn Britz not only opened with a 64 She still had the lead by three after the halfway point. And then you were tied with Donna Caponi going into the final round. But as I read in the in the news clippings, and perhaps it was your quote, but Donna was making everything that last day.

Britz, Jerilyn  04:41

She got a tendency to do that. It's interesting. I like seeing that. Even if they're even as a competitor. I mean, I like golf, and I I really enjoy good golf shots. I don't care who hits them. I really, you know, because it's The thing to do, I, you know, I wasn't upset that her doing that. I mean, you know, it's, it's my job to do my job, no matter what anyone else is doing? I have on that. So

Mike Gonzalez  05:17

she was doing that with a putter she had borrowed from Dave Stockton. And we know from our interview with her that she's not yet returned that putter.

Britz, Jerilyn  05:25

I know, now it's all it's all it was all good. I mean, you know, you can say that you messed up. But I did the best I could at the time. And that's all that's all I expected of myself. I just do the best I can on every shot. You just go over where wherever it goes, it goes, and you go try to do it again.

Mike Gonzalez  05:48

Well, there had to be plenty of positive things you took out of that experience going into that U.S. Open that year?

Britz, Jerilyn  05:55

Yes, it was. You know, like I say, and it's if it's meant to be it's meant to be just do what you can do. And you can't control anybody else out there. And if they play better than you do it, that's the way it happens. And but the open I was just, I was just just trying to do, you know, and it just worked out. Worked out my favor, but thank goodness. It was exciting that my, my, my getting on the 18th Oh, I think we were tied and I look over to him, and he's, he's just fidgeting. You know, he's just sitting next to you. Okay. He says, Yeah, yes. Like I said, second and open isn't too bad. I said, that's half in here. Just relax and enjoy the walk.

Mike Gonzalez  06:40

Yeah, well, for our listeners, we're talking about the 1979 Women's U.S. Open that Jerilyn won at Brooklawn Country Club, this is Tillinghast Course in Connecticut. And she won this by two over Debbie Massey and Sandra Palmer. We just visited with Sandra last week, and we'll have her come up to finish because I'm sure we'll be talking about this tournament but rounds of 70, 70, 75, 69   284. And it was as much a story about Debbie as it was about the others to coming in that last day, right.

Britz, Jerilyn  07:16

Right. I was kind of kind of kind of off in the woods kind of after effects because Debbie was a USGA brat, so to speak. You know, she was she's a came up grew up on USGA competitions and things like that. So, so I understood that that's, you know, they were kind of pulling for her and everything. That's fine. You know, whatever. Yeah. So no, it was it was it was all good. I had the thing that, that I really remember. It's just one moment in time. It's on the 18th total last round. And Debbie has gone over the green sort of off out of a bad line, the fairway and I got over my putt. And dead silence. It was the dead silence broke into my my thought processes like what's going on? It really disrupted me and I had to back away. Yeah, this was definitely

Mike Gonzalez  08:18

I remember because I think I mentioned to you when we did our little audio tests that I went back and watched that final round. I think ABC coverage started on about the 11th hole. And as I remember, Debbie was on a run after a couple of early double bogeys on the back, she was she was making a charge and it a decent drive up the left side but ended up in a divot

Britz, Jerilyn  08:39

right now and it distracted her quite a bit, a divot. It seemed deep to her. And so she bladed it out over the green, pretty much and then took her a couple more to get down from there. And I was in the middle of fairway and on the green to the left maybe 14, 15 feet something like that. I just had to cut close it up and what you did it worked out

Mike Gonzalez  09:08

Yeah. So tell us a little bit about what you remember in terms of the the weather the crowds, the Golf Course and so forth that that particular week?

Britz, Jerilyn  09:16

Well, it's it was I loved the Golf Course I thought it was a great Golf Course it's you know, I liked the Northeast Northwest Midwest golf courses really well. I like the trees you know and on a Golf Course. So I just I was just I was just enjoying my my time there and just playing. I kind of I kind of naive on that kind of stuff. I just I just am you know, I'm playing his whole each shot. If I do well and I have to go into the to be interviewed. It's very difficult for me to remember the holes because I just I just I don't pay any attention. I just display. Yeah. Did you do? Did you do that to her?

Devlin, Bruce  10:06

No, no, I was. I seem to take a little more of attention to what was going on. I was a bit of a scoreboard watcher too.

Britz, Jerilyn  10:16

Yeah. I didn't. I knew Debbie. Coming down the last round. I knew Debbie was holding a lot of putts. She made maybe four birdies in a row or something long crossed the hills, curvy things. I'm going well, sooner or later you I mean, you can't just make every one of these. What she was doing it all the way up to the best that I have. That's the way it goes. If it goes that way.

Mike Gonzalez  10:40

No, yeah. Well, you were the you were the first round co leader. You led after 36. But you were three down after three rounds. You think that made it easier to play from behind that last day?

Britz, Jerilyn  10:53

Ah, again, I'm, I don't really pay any attention to that. Because it's it's four days and the total score at the end. So, you know, if I if I make bogey I'm on over. It doesn't make any difference to me because it's what's what's? What is it at the end? Yeah, you never know. You never know when you gotta fly in the hole. You just never know. You know, so. Yeah, I've seen it done a lot. I've played with people who do it a lot. And I think I've played with people, five different holes in one. You know, I mean, when I happened to have this, it's fun to watch people's reactions on those holes and one because I know I was playing with Jan Stephenson. And she had hit the shot on the par three and she did that like that shot. You bang your cup on the ground. She's kicking the ground and she's turning around I said Jan just went in

Mike Gonzalez  11:51

but it didn't feel good

Britz, Jerilyn  11:52

then feel good boy. Matter. Just goes in.

Devlin, Bruce  11:57

You achieve something that week to other than the victory you become the the oldest LPGA player to win their first tournament.

Britz, Jerilyn  12:06

Yeah, I realized that. I did not know that until somebody told me that. I said, But thing. Yeah, no. Age is just a number, right?

Mike Gonzalez  12:18

That's right. That's right, as well. You. You had record crowds that week. USGA reported record crowds. Do you remember much about the par save you made on the PAR? 5/8 After hitting your third shot sideways?

Britz, Jerilyn  12:32

I do remember that. Alright, for the person. I

Devlin, Bruce  12:36

notice how he said sideways.

Britz, Jerilyn  12:38

Yes. I was a really well done shank.

Mike Gonzalez  12:43

Really want to use the word.

Britz, Jerilyn  12:45

It was a perfect thing. Yeah. I think after the shank, I hit it. Left and I don't know if it's in the bunker or not. And then I hit it on the green and then rolled in a long pot. Yeah, it was it was like, wow, this is fun. I mean, it was whoever I hit. I had to thank them because I don't know where it would have gone.

Mike Gonzalez  13:08

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well, when when ABC coverage started with I guess would have been seven holes left. I think Debbie birdied for the next six holes. I do remember and and then of course, we talked about we talked about 18. Your your level par 284 was the lowest score by three shots in this US Open since the USGA had taken it over, right? And it tied the best closing round by a winner to up into that point

Britz, Jerilyn  13:40

right now. Yes. I was made aware of that. No one had Oh, the USGA was setting the golf courses up very difficult. At the time when I was playing, and to shoot an even round, or uneven score for the tournament was very difficult to do. So I was I was very happy to have gotten that good start and good finish because very, they're very difficult.

Mike Gonzalez  14:09

It had been a while before you know since you had one. I mean, the last event you want come in was an amateur event in New Mexico but you were playing well coming in so you must what sort of feeling did you have coming into this tournament having finished? Well at the LPGA you almost won the Mayflower Classic coming in. You must have felt pretty good about your game. Well, it's

Britz, Jerilyn  14:34

I because I didn't have the background of tournament play tournament experience that the other two turtle girls seem to have. I never really did have confidence. It just hoped. I hope I had I hope so. I didn't really I didn't really sense any of that or feel that. I'll tell you what happened when I when I went to Phoenix, I met this Joe Nichols. I don't know, Bruce, if you've heard of him or not he, the one that has a resistance move, and a rotary. Joe Nichols rotary is not what people teach rotaries nowadays. And so and so a resistance movement in which you can get the back of your left hand flat through impact, and then you can just hit the crap out of that with your right hand and barbs of resistance there at impact so that the club just snaps through. And I had, I had watched Joe teaching, so I'm at driving range in Phoenix, and he had a few turquoise players coming in, and I would watch him Oh, my goodness, they hit the ball nice and nice trajectory at a good sound and all that sort of thing. But JoAnne Winter was the one who discovered me and who was helping me it fitting. So I couldn't, I couldn't really ask Joe to help me, this professional courtesy kind of thing. And I kept watching them, and I couldn't get close enough to hear exactly what he was telling him. And what he was telling him sounded kind of odd, you know? And I mean, and few months later, I was going through Phoenix, to LA to go to Hawaii or Japan or someplace like that. And I called Joe, I said, Joe, I gotta hear what you have. I just, I just, you got something special I need I need to hear what it is not on says you're Joanne student, I can just do I just come on, can you? Can you please just spend an hour with me? I just wanted to know what you're doing there. They said, I'll tell you what. So we had we ended up going across Phoenix across town at night to another driving range. Yeah, he gave me this, this resistance move and everything. And I would not have had a career without that. That totally hmm, I hit every shot, practically every shot solid. With that practically every shot solid. We went to Japan that next day, or whatever it was, and I hit two back to back woods, that next first time in first tournament round there that I never hit before. Just dead solid, perfect, just straight as an arrow. And most of the shots are pretty good. And I finished. I finished pretty pretty well in that tournament. And then we went to I think we went to the Philippines after that. And I finished ninth. I mean, like immediately put that into play, and used that the rest of my career. And that's why I get so many greens and regulation.

Mike Gonzalez  17:30

I'm gonna come see you. Yeah, I want to learn this.

Britz, Jerilyn  17:34

Yeah, it was just unbelievable. You could, you know, if you have a bush behind you, and you can't take the club back inside or wherever you want to take it. You just take it straight off doesn't matter. Because the issue was the impact. You know, you could take it outside, you could take it inside. You could say you know, you can take a short you could take a long didn't matter. As long as

Devlin, Bruce  17:52

I bet. How about a swing? Like, do you remember a man by the name of Dutch Harrison? Oh, I don't remember. Did you ever see him play did not. Oh, yeah, he just he just he just he'd pick it up. Straight up in the air. Oh, sure. Straight up in the air and turned his shoulders and then just like you're saying he he was a good player too, by the way. Very good.

Mike Gonzalez  18:15

I played I played Dutch Harrison woods as a kid. He's really I really did. Yep. Yep. Yeah. So you, you mentioned Japan and travels to the to the Far East. We've heard a lot of stories about the Japan bus rides.

Britz, Jerilyn  18:30

Oh, my. I'm not sure we can tell those stories. Oh,

Devlin, Bruce  18:36

we've heard some of that. We're not sure that you can make it much worse than what we've heard. But you can try if you want.

Britz, Jerilyn  18:47

Yeah, there were a lot of things going on. Yeah. Not a little nips here and there going on. Yeah. You get to see a different side of some of the players. Yeah, yeah, you should do. Yeah,

Mike Gonzalez  19:01

you have a choice at the beginning of the trip. I guess you can get on the booze bus, the party bus or you can just hang back with with a docile crowd.

Britz, Jerilyn  19:09

Yeah, that's about it. Yeah, it's too bad. We didn't have cameras at the time. I recorded those players might have had a musical career. I don't know. They're pretty good.

Mike Gonzalez  19:24

Most of the time, I guess these courses were a ways away from where you were staying. So you're always faced with an hour and a half two hour bus ride to get there. Yeah,

Britz, Jerilyn  19:32

sure. We're all the land and Japan as you know, it's either either housing or rice fields. So the the you have got the mountains to play because that's where you know, they would you know, they're they're practicing them if they're gonna go practice was a bit Japanese, they would go to these several tiered driving ranges driving range. With nets, they were all netted because they were in small spaces. Yeah, no those those trips were just fantastic. I loved all those foreign trips. It was the people that didn't really I don't say not get along because everybody got along. But you wouldn't you didn't do much with those people. While most trips everybody did everything with everybody, at least

Mike Gonzalez  20:19

it trying to remember Bruce who it was, I don't know if it was Sally little but one of our guests talked about being able to walk through Imelda Marcos his shoe closet.

Devlin, Bruce  20:29

Yeah, I can't remember who

Britz, Jerilyn  20:31

that was. That was quite an interesting thing to me. They put us on his private island. Between events, they had to do something with us. So they he let us stay on his private island. And there was one big house where you go and meet and have food, you know, all this sort of thing. And there was a minor bird of some kind at the at the entry. And every bite it was where. And one of the girls spent a lot of time teaching a couple other new words. And they would have a, they would show a film films came in like four rules, or something like that. Oh, so the first reel they showed us with this was the third part of the film. The next reel was the fourth part. First part.

Mike Gonzalez  21:20

Yeah, crazy hard to follow the storyline.

Britz, Jerilyn  21:23

It was pretty good. Yeah, it was quite the deal.

Mike Gonzalez  21:27

Well, we'd heard those those travels. were fun. So you had a close call at the Mary Kay classic, as I mentioned in 79, leading up to that women's US Open that you won, but in 1980, you broke through and actually won that event that was at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, in a playoff with a pretty good golfer.

Britz, Jerilyn  21:44

Pretty good golfer. Yeah, yeah, she was. She was intimidating. Nancy Lopez. Yeah. It was a very rainy few days. And, in fact, it got it was so wet that we could not play I think was the 10th hole. We had to go. And yeah, it was really it was a slog fest. We were in and out so often on regular that they had a margarita machine in the locker room. By the third or fourth time everybody started to slip on that thinking that there's no way we're going back out again. Oh, yeah. You have to filled with something that probably doesn't remember going back out.

Mike Gonzalez  22:25

Well, you must have had a lot of weather because it was it was shortened to 36 holes that week. Nancy was the defending champ coming in. You get no playoff and I guess you want it with a birdie on the second extra hole.

Britz, Jerilyn  22:36

Right, right. Yeah, it was. Nobody else was around. Even every everybody had left. I mean, players weren't there. And there were no spectators, just the caddies. And maybe a marker was out there. Yeah, I hit my T shirt on the first extra hole down and, you know, in the way I was in a creek, basically, that I had a really good shot out of there. Tighter on that hole. And then on the left, next one, she hit it over the green. I was on the green and see hit it long. And I made my foot or something like that. Yeah, no. Yeah, I felt pretty good about that.

Mike Gonzalez  23:12

Something else happened in 1980. Bruce?

Devlin, Bruce  23:15

Yeah. What what do I want to know about this women's superstars? Oh, yeah. In that you were in it. In Lucaya. In the Bahamas? What What was all that about?

Britz, Jerilyn  23:26

Well, I know the other men's superstars competition. I think they have a couple of years before that to the ladies. And they have LPGA players. That didn't do too particularly well. But if my background and all the sports and all that stuff, I think I had a chance to do so I was invited to to be in that. And I think for about a month I was in well, different tournaments, I would work out I think we're in the Philippines and I'm being out jogging in the mornings, like six o'clock in the morning. I saw I mean it was like 89 degrees at six o'clock in the morning there. And then why would roll and get a boat and I'd roll back and forth. And Cove right next door. We stayed and and I would do swim laps in the pool there. Hollis Stacy was a competitive swimmer. So she showed me how to do a flip turn. Right. And I'd run and and then back home in Orlando before I had a house in Orlando before I went there for a couple of weeks. I go to a high school where I knew the teacher PE teacher there. They said I could come and work out on their track. So I ride my bike around the track as fast as I could. And I've and I rented a boat in a lake and I'd roll as hard as I could for about 50 yards and fact I got a friend of mine to sit in the boat so it'd be harder to pull. Yeah. And yeah, it was. It was fun. I think we had was it. Seven or eight events we had at the end.

Mike Gonzalez  24:52

Oh, I think it was more than that.

Britz, Jerilyn  24:56

Seven out of 10 Yeah,

Mike Gonzalez  24:58

I mean, yeah, maybe maybe you didn't compete and every one of them maybe you got to choose the digit. Right? Right. Yeah. So they had they had tennis they had swimming they had basketball, bowling biking, quarter mile 60 yard dash golfing, rowing. I mean there was a lot of and I remember watching these these were terrific. I mean again we reminding our listeners this back in 1980 So you've got to be of a certain vintage to remember this, but this was a big deal.

Britz, Jerilyn  25:27

Yeah. I read I really enjoyed that and I got to meet all those other gals and everything that I did biking, and I think I did pretty well except that I got butt boxy and I wasn't I wasn't a competitive biker so I really didn't know how to manage all that. I got boxed in a little bit so I couldn't really do well but the the one who won was a skier she almost she almost left us Oh fast. And I was in the finals for finals for the rowing. And I was against Nancy Lieberman. Yep. And then great basketball hall of famer right and the boats hit my my legs stretched out couldn't hardly barely reached the the seat of the other boat in front to put your feet on press against. So they boarded an angle that I could put my feet on that so I was rolling and I was I think I was leading her and also in that board went down I almost fell out of the boat. So I lost on that but and I did well on bowling and yeah Geez That was fun. We had to go over an obstacle course had to go up over a big high thing you know I'm come down to some some tires. So I went up over it came down and broke sprained my ankle. Oh boy. Listen, practice sessions. Right. And boy, did they have a good taper tape man. I had no problem finishing. But the next week I supposed to go to the San Diego area to play with Hale Irwin andin a Mr. Goodwrench tournament team thing and I was gonna How am I gonna do that with a sprained ankle? And yeah, so that was that was kind of tough but he in fact the first round he says you're kind of having a tough time getting to your left side aren't superstars was was really a lot of fun

Mike Gonzalez  27:23

and respectable showing fifth place. $5,550 And you mentioned basketball being your favorite sport. I think early on and you got some real Hall of Famers? You mentioned Nancy Lieberman played you've got Anne Meyers Of course another hall of famer that was in that competition that was there. Other names that people might remember Rosie Casals from the tennis world Shirley Babishoff from the swimming world. So it had to be a lot of fun.

Britz, Jerilyn  27:53

Oh, yeah. It was really really good. Basketball i In practice, I I was making everything but in the in the competition and kept hitting the rim. But I didn't do as well now I was disappointed in that when I thought it was gonna win that one.

Mike Gonzalez  28:08

Yeah, we we talked about a couple of LPGA championships that you you were in the hunt on let's go to that second one, which was 1981 again at the Nicklaus Golf Center. And again, it's Donna Caponi and you finish second to Donna by one there. Another good tournament you must have been playing well as that week is also that

Britz, Jerilyn  28:30

Golf Course for some reason I played well. I liked it. Kind of reminded me have my mic, of course at home shape with holes, all that I just felt real comfortable on a Golf Course. Yeah, yeah, it was deja vu Donna doing the same old thing.

Mike Gonzalez  28:51

Yeah. I mean, you were first round leader and then one back after After two rounds to back after 54. But she birdied the last two to sneak in by one one shot.

Britz, Jerilyn  29:03

Yeah, it was it was it was just a replay. on it too, because I got to that tournament a few days early and Bonnie Bryan's left handed. And she was a camper too. So they had a par three course there at that facility. So Bonnie when I went over there to the par three course and we tried to close she played right Oh, really? We had so many laughs so much fun. And day before we're supposed to go you know go play this other tournament but we had a ball bruise ever play left handed golf?

Devlin, Bruce  29:43

No, no, I tried to I hit a couple of shots left handed but not most of them. Were just sort of, you know, 2030 yard shots. I couldn't I could never swing it. You know, make a full swing with it. No way.

Britz, Jerilyn  29:55

Yeah, I always said when I play left handed I play like a girl Ah

Devlin, Bruce  30:02

well, you have you have one record, though that not too many of our major champions have and that is a perfect playoff record. Do you know that one playoff one victory? Yeah. And and so you understand why we always bring this up. I think we said we're on our 73rd interview with you. All of these major champions who do not have a winning record. Only about 43% of the time. Did they win?

Britz, Jerilyn  30:31

Ah, see, there you go. It's a good thing. I didn't have any more than one.

Mike Gonzalez  30:40

You quit while you're ahead. Right? Yeah.

Britz, Jerilyn  30:43

Well, you know, I actually remember how I felt going to the tee for that playoff. I was like, just so relaxed, just totally relaxed. Because I couldn't I couldn't lose. You know, I mean, if I lose, I won, you know, I mean, yeah, you get it, you get your fight for everything, you know, for so long in those days. All those hours on, on the competition in the competition. And it's done. You've you've made it. This, this is it. I mean, you've made it, you can just relax. Whatever happens happens. You made it Yeah, that's how I that's the feeling I had was just felt relaxed. It didn't matter to me if I won, and I was great if I did, but yeah, it's it's you know, your your play that King of the Hill thing, you know, where you're climbing and climbing, you're pushing people down and try to be king. That's kind of how it feels playing golf to me. And you're fighting, you're battling and then you win. It's like, Is that all there is? Dylan Bruce?

Devlin, Bruce  31:52

No, that's, that's interesting.

Mike Gonzalez  31:53

Yeah. Well, oftentimes, when when you guys would come off a victory, what do you do? You get in the car and you're off to the next event? You didn't have a lot of time to celebrate often digit. Right? That's true. Yeah, that's true.

Britz, Jerilyn  32:05

Well, that's interesting, too, because you play pro AMS. And in Bruce, you played a lot of those too, I'm sure but this one lady go. You know, when you get down to the pro amateur. So what do you go home now and come back to the weekend? Well, I mean, let me let me tell you how to go this is play Wednesday program. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament, you pack up and you travel Sunday night. You play Monday. You get to the tournament Monday and probably play practice round. Tuesday is a practice round. Wednesday is a program. You play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you pack up you travel Sunday night, you play a maybe a program in between, you know, yeah, there have been a lot of times a Monday probably. That's Monday program on the way to you practice on Tuesday. I said, No, I'm not going home for the weekend. Yeah. People don't understand what we do. I mean, that almost what that schedule was like,

Mike Gonzalez  33:03

oftentimes it was, I mean, once you're out on tour, you're out there for the season. You're not every home every couple three weeks. You're on an airplane. You're driving and racking up a lot of miles. Yeah.

Britz, Jerilyn  33:13

Yeah. Yeah. My, my once I got that travel trailer, this was this was really neat. I thought that was in 76, 77, something like that. My dad retired. And every time I call calm, I call home every day tell how I played whatever. I wasn't playing very well. So Well, how'd you do this? Well, I shot Ed. And this is how and that's called next. What would you do if you to? And then then then next week? What do you do? 79. Then I call the next day, well, maybe three? She says, Don't you think it's time for you to come home?

Mike Gonzalez  33:52

Get that out of your system?

Britz, Jerilyn  33:54

I said no, no. I said, I am getting better. I'm really getting better. Yeah, they didn't understand it. See, I'm British. You understand me getting better. score better, right? Yeah. And like not necessarily one term and so Well, how'd you die? So I finished third. Oh, you watch.

Mike Gonzalez  34:12

Yep. I started getting the ball in the hole. I told you I was getting better. Yeah. Now you did something back a long time ago that I did. And that was go to a long putter

Britz, Jerilyn  34:25

did Yes. I was the first first LPGA player to go to trial on butter. Yeah. How to work for you.

Mike Gonzalez  34:33

It did and it has worked splendidly. Oh good. Yeah, um, I used to I used to put very well with a short putter but at some point, I couldn't get my ball down the line anymore. And I said, Oh, that's fine. I no ego involved. I'll try it. Orville Moody. Did it all try

Britz, Jerilyn  34:49

it? Absolutely. It sure did. In fact, the first tournament that I use it in or for Moody was at that tournament, and we had a nice long chat about it. Yeah. Very good. Okay. So good tips from him.

Mike Gonzalez  35:01

But were you better with the long putter?

Britz, Jerilyn  35:03

I was better with the sharp, shorter putts. And those are the ones I struggled with the most. The long putts actually, at one point I don't know if I didn't turn on an app and I carry two players one long putt or one sharp putter, and he's short putter for long putts and long putter for surplus.

Mike Gonzalez  35:20

Well, that's interesting because I at some point, it takes a while to learn distance control on the long putts with a long putter Right, right, but, but now I couldn't imagine trying to put a 50 footer with a short putt putter, right? I could probably be okay with three footers, but I'm not sure I'd be okay with 50 footers. But I chose not to use the S word early. I won't use the Y word either. But But I remember specifically Bruce, you and I talking with Beth Daniel, she had three specific episodes in her career where she dealt with that. Yeah. And others have, right? Definitely.

Britz, Jerilyn  35:58

It was interesting with that long putter. It was 47 inches. I don't know what you had 47, 47 or 48 inches, something like that. Well, my driver was that long. So never you take a drop. Right? You can use it. You can use any club in your bag, right? So I used to be able to I'd use my driver, right? Putter or drive or whatever. So then I use my long putter a couple of times. Oh, my goodness gracious. Was there an uproar in that shooting, you know, they didn't have that. So well. You can carry a long putter if you want. Yeah, yeah. And so then they made a rule for a week or two, that anyone was playing in my group that needed to drop it to use my planner, I'm like, my driver is just saying Links my putter and use my driver for, you know, five years here.

Mike Gonzalez  36:49

That's crazy. So tell us about sort of as you as you're winding down your career and sort of the decision that comes to you this is okay, I think it's time to call my LPGA career quits and get on to something else.

Britz, Jerilyn  37:06

Yeah, that was tough, because I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the travel and everything but I just couldn't make four footers anymore. I mean, it's just just they were not going to fall for me, you know. And once I once it gets in your Yeah, that's pretty hard. Yeah. So. So yeah, just one offseason, just to see what was out there as job wise. I worked at a UPS facility and I worked at a mail service and US mail. And just to see what that was like. And then I worked at a hardware store. See what that was like, and I didn't like any of it. And while I was going through that, Brad Yates. Well, actually one of the other girls on tour said that she had worked for this VIP Golf Academy on the east coast of Florida. Port St. Lucie area. And she gave her the number of the guy that was was only in under running it. And so I gave him a call. Or no, he called me. I don't know how he got my number. But he called me and asked if I would want to teach as as VIP Golf Academy. I said, Well, what what exactly do you do there? And he goes, Well, it's it's one on one. That's that's good, because I was. Yeah. And he says, typically three days. And the morning you work on skills in the afternoon to play. That's really good. So I said, Yeah, I'll try that. And I started doing that. And boy, can you ever help people in three days? Just that one person? Yeah. It was a fantastic concept. So I called him and I said, I try it. And so I kind of commuted back and forth there a little bit to that. Port St. Lucie area at the VIP Golf Academy, and I did that for eight years. Yeah. Yeah, I do that for one reason I quit their house because my mother had turned 90. And I could tell when I had been home last time that she might start to need some help. She shouldn't be that way. So once you turn 90 Then I went, that was 1986 2006 went back. 98 is when I quit the tour. And I taught for eight years and then went back home system in 2006. And she lasted till she was 97 I got some good, good quality time together. Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  39:30

Yeah. And some good genes. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Well, helping people with the game must have been quite gratifying for you.

Britz, Jerilyn  39:39

It was especially when with that kind of a program that you can really see some improvement from day to day. I mean, it was really fun. Yeah, and you

Devlin, Bruce  39:49

can take the you can take the lesson to the Golf Course to immediately which is gonna be a great advantage for people you need standard and practice tee and it's it's one thing but when you got to Playing golf hole, it's a different story is

Britz, Jerilyn  40:02

what really is. And he had a nice facility there was near the PGA has moved up to that area now to that. It was at the legacy Golf Course. And of Port St. Lucia has a beautiful Golf Course. And the range was right there, we could go back into the range. And we could go out on the Golf Course. And if they started to have trouble, right in the middle of the round, you just go back to the driving range, get a few more well, now go back on the course. Yeah, that's just it was wonderful.

Mike Gonzalez  40:30

Yeah. Were you were you able to play many legends events when that got started

Britz, Jerilyn  40:37

Not Not really I was working on. And by that time, I played a couple of couple three of them. Yeah. Yeah, I enjoy.

Mike Gonzalez  40:46

Well, tell. Tell us about the experience of playing in the 2021 Women's U.S. Senior Open at a place you won the U.S. Open at 42 years before?

Britz, Jerilyn  40:56

You can't not play that right.

Devlin, Bruce  40:58

You gotta go got this wonderful a bit.

Britz, Jerilyn  41:01

Yeah, it was just it was. It was so much fun. I think they had read done some of the course. So there's some of it. I didn't remember. Particularly. But I don't remember what I did yesterday, particularly. That to be the first one to hit off the First Tee. Yeah, that was I was I was treated very nicely by the people there. Yeah, that's great. And there were a lot of people there that so they had been out the original tournament. And 79. So yeah, a lot of good memories.

Mike Gonzalez  41:37

Yeah, talking about Brooklawn Country Club where Jerilyn won the 1979 Women's U.S. Open and then competed in the 2021 Women's U.S. Senior Open, I'm sure JoAnne Carner. Was there trying to make the cut as well.

Britz, Jerilyn  41:51

He was but you know, she got to quit. She got to play in a cart. Older than me. Yeah, it was pretty hilly. I remember some of those hills. I remember 17 and 18. It feels really well. 16. But some of those hills. I didn't remember those. I was thinking boy,

Devlin, Bruce  42:12

a little younger than I was a little younger.

Britz, Jerilyn  42:15

No problem them. No, I was I really, really had a good time.

Mike Gonzalez  42:20

Yeah. So before we sort of wind down with our typical three closing questions, tell us a little bit about what you you're up to these days.

Britz, Jerilyn  42:29

Well, let's see. I was when I was 77. I played 77 holes of golf.

Mike Gonzalez  42:35

Oh my god. I love that.

Britz, Jerilyn  42:37

I was just a nice day. gal that play a lot of golf with when we played was nine holes or something. Yes. I think I'm gonna keep playing. I can't go on. I said, I wonder how many holes I'd have to play how many rounds but I have to tease that's a lot. I think I'm gonna try see if I can get that done. And I I'll be done. Oh, just because it was 77 years on different people come out play with nine holes with.

Devlin, Bruce  42:58

Yeah. Great. Yeah.

Britz, Jerilyn  43:01

So I do I like to carry still. I like to carry and walk.

Devlin, Bruce  43:04

Yeah. You still play which is great.

Britz, Jerilyn  43:07

Yeah. How can you not? I mean, it's, it's just, it's such a pleasant, a pleasant place to be on a golf. Yeah, it really is.

Devlin, Bruce  43:18

Well, as Mike said, you know, we don't let our guests get away without answering three questions. So you want me to my ask the first one,

Mike Gonzalez  43:29

you go first, you go first. Okay. Oh, you're the star.

Devlin, Bruce  43:36

If you were to have known, what, you know, now, when you were first went out on the tour, what would you do differently?

Britz, Jerilyn  43:48

You know, I don't think I'd have done anything differently. I, I'm, I'm so blessed to have been able to do that. I mean, I remember as, as a pretty young child 18 years old, when you started to give the person I wanted to be a professional athlete. What were the chances of that happening? You know, golf and tennis, and I didn't play their sport. So I mean, I was screwed. I mean, you know, I wanted to play basketball, there was no better. So, so I just, I'm just very, very pleased. I think that I took a really good route by by playing all these other sports because I could start late and have, you know, coordination to be able to, to make contact with the golf ball. So I would I have made sure, maybe, you know, maybe, but how important is that? I mean, it's just, I want you know, what, was close to a couple more times. I mean, how many people get to do that, you know, how many people want wish they could be professional golfers? Yeah, a lot. I mean, screw just even the members on I have aspirations for them. And then I have the opportunity there, you know?

Mike Gonzalez  45:04

Yeah, yep. Okay, next question. We're giving you one career Mulligan? Where do you take it?

Britz, Jerilyn  45:11

Oh, am I a career Mulligan?

Mike Gonzalez  45:15

One shot anywhere in your career? Where do you take it? One shot?

Britz, Jerilyn  45:25

Well, shoot, I had so many offline shots.

Mike Gonzalez  45:29

Which one would have made a big difference?

Britz, Jerilyn  45:32

It's one would have made a big difference.

Mike Gonzalez  45:35

Either one of those LPGA championships, can you think of one shot you would have had over?

Britz, Jerilyn  45:39

Not really? Yeah. I might have tried to go for a fire five on the front side and to the overwater and I might have been in the water on that one. That would be probably the one.

Devlin, Bruce  45:55

Well, the last one is, how would you like people to remember you?

Britz, Jerilyn  46:01

Oh, my. How would I like people to remember me? Just to subtly blast my whole life.

Devlin, Bruce  46:15

That's great. Well, listen, it's been a joy. having you with us today. We really appreciate your time and your reflection of all the all the great times you had on the Golf Course. And I know Mike, and I, thank you a great deal for being with us.

Britz, Jerilyn  46:31

Now. Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm just so so honored. Thank you so much. You guys are great. Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing right there in the service to the game for sure.

Mike Gonzalez  46:43

Well, thanks, Jerilyn it's been a pleasure having you. Thanks for joining us on FORE the Good of the Game.

Britz, Jerilyn  46:47

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Mike Gonzalez  46:51

Thank you for listening to another episode of for the good of the GaNS. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe. Spread the word. Tell your friends until we tee it up again. With the good of the game. So long, everybody

Music playing  47:12