Pat Bradley - Part 1 (The Early Years)

Music playing  00:00

Mike Gonzalez  00:15

Welcome to another edition of FORE the Good of the Game and Bruce Devlin, I think the only thing I can think about saying today about this Hall of Fame guest that we have today is that she was known for her consistency. The record certainly bears that out. And the thought that comes to mind is "every day she came to play."

Devlin, Bruce  00:37

That's true and play she did too. 36 wins in her career. And I think the highlight of it was six major championships and what a great player she was on the LPGA. And it's a great pleasure to have Pat Bradley, join Mike and I today. We've waited for this for a long time and thanks for joining us, Pat. 

Bradley, Pat  01:03

Oh, thank you, Bruce and thank you, Mike, for your interest in my journey in our great game of golf.

Mike Gonzalez  01:12

Quite a journey it has been Pat. I mean, I have to say and you know, we've interviewed now 41 Hall of Famers. About half men, half women, and I looked at your record, and I'd put it up against anybody's. It is incredible. So Bruce and I are really looking forward to traveling with you on your journey. Of course, as you probably know by now, we always start at the beginning because we're here to tell your life story. We knew you were born in Westford, Mass. So take us through early life what it was like growing up as a little girl in Massachusetts. 

Bradley, Pat  01:54

Yeah guys. Yeah, I lived in Westford, Massachusetts, my family owned a my mom and dad owned a ski shop in Massachusetts. So I was a skier before I was a golfer. And I grew up with five brothers. And my dad was an avid golfer, but not a great golfer, his best handicap was probably a 15. But he knew the great players of both the men and women's golf game. And he deep down in, he learned the game as a Caddy with his brothers at Winchester Country Club in Massachusetts. And he made a promise to himself that when he had children, he would introduce his children to the great game of golf. And with five boys back in the 60s, you know, Golf was not considered, you know, a game for them. They were all into team sports. And growing up with them. I was, you know, I was the hiker and the blocker of the football team with my brothers. And I was like, Hey, you guys, I want to throw the ball and catch it. Oh, Pat, you're such a great blocker and a hiker. You're the best. And so that's when I said wait a minute, you guys and I went home and I said Dad, I said the next time you go up to the Golf Course Can I come with you? And so that's when my journey started. I was 11 years old and I went up to Nashua Country Club were my folks were members. And I started the game of golf at 11 and the pro up at Nashua Country Club John Worball. He saw that I had some natural ability and kind of took me under his wing and helped me with my golf game. And that's you know, that's how I started and of course, you know locally in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, I locally I wasn't a bad player. I won the New Hampshire Amateur twice and I won the New England once and I won the Mass. Amateurs as as an amateur but nationally, um, you know, I really didn't play that great. I never was a Curtis Cupper. I never won a U.S. Amateur. Things like that. So my senior year in high school, I had to go I had to make a decision. Do I go west and continue my skiing or do I go south and continue my golf so my junior year in high school I went out to Red Lodge, Montana and I trained for two weeks under Olympic skiers Andra Multra, Pepe Granshama and then I had to make that decision my senior year. And I decided, through my dad and I, that skiing, you know, you're basically over the hill at 21. The Olympics, you know, the Olympics is, you know, is a nice goal but a tough goal. There's no money in the skiing. And of course in skiing you're always in the blizzards where in golf, you're following the sun. And so the pros for golf outweighed skiing. And so I went down south to a junior college for two years, and then transferred to Florida International University where I was the one and only golfer at the university. It was a brand new school that was just opening up and I was on the golf team. I had no teammates, it was just me, myself and I. And you know, I played in, you know, I played at Rollins tournament, I played the University of Florida tournaments, University of Miami tournaments, Florida State tournaments. But I played as an individual representing Florida International University. So it was, it was a great, you know, a great opportunity for me. And I became an All-American at FIU. And then in 2021, I was elected to the Florida International University Hall of Fame. But what really, you know, what really was the key to FIU is January of 1974, the LPGA was having a qualifying school down in Miami, and I was there at FIU going to school and I went to my advisors at FIU and asked them if it would be okay if I tried qualifying school because it was right there basically, in my backyard. And, you know, they understood, you know, my thoughts of trying to be a pro and everything, and they granted me permission to go through qualifying school in January of 74. And I did three days of tournament golf, and Sunday night, I was handed my card as an LPGA professional. So I was like, now what do I do? I gotta go to school tomorrow. I gotta go back to classes. So I went back to FIU. And the Burdines tournament was being held down there in Kendall Lakes in Miami. So once again, I asked my advisor, I said, you know, Dr. Blucar, I've just received my card as a professional. And the first tournament of the year is that Kendall Lakes, and could I play in it? So of course, they granted me the week off to go and play. And I won, in my very first tournament, Judy Rankin won the event and I made $233 was my first check as a professional golfer. And I thought that was huge. And then the next week was a tournament up in Port St. Lucie called the Sears Classic. And once again, I asked permission from FIU and they granted me permission to play. So I played in that event, and I had a great time and then the tour went out west, to The Dinah Shore and to a couple other tournaments that as a rookie, I wasn't qualified to play. So I went back to FIU. I made up the time that I had missed instead of graduating from FIU in May, I graduated in June, after I made up all my classes and received my diploma. And I was off and running on the tour. And I picked up the tour in June, and off I went. My first year on tour, I won $10,000 And I thought I had to hit the lottery. You know, back then $10,000 went a long way in 1974. And then my second year I won $28,000. And then my third year, I won $87,000. And I was off and running guys. I never looked back. And, it was a journey that rewarded me greatly. And of course, you know, there were many times that there were disappointments, but the rewards truly outweighed the disappointments.

Devlin, Bruce  10:31

So let's go back a little bit, Pat. 

Bradley, Pat  10:33

Okay. 

Devlin, Bruce  10:35

In 1973, you obviously got permission to play in the first time you played at the Burdines Invitational was in 1973. And I believe as an amateur you finished tied for 12th.

Bradley, Pat  10:52

I did, Bruce. Yes.

Devlin, Bruce  10:54

Was that the thing that really made you to start thinking about playing professionally? Or had you made up your mind before then?

Bradley, Pat  11:05

Well, I hadn't Bruce. But I knew being in Florida for you know, my college years, my two years at Miami Dade North and my two years at Florida International University, I saw my game change levels. Before I was playing golf all year round, I would get beat six ways to Sunday by the girls from California, the girls from Florida, the girls from Texas. But once I had the opportunity to play 12 months out of the year, I saw my game reach a different level. And when I finished 12 at that Burdines Invitational as an amateur, I thought, you know, I might have a chance. And then when the announcement came that the LPGA was going to have a Qualifying School in Miami, basically, in my backyard of where I was going to school, I had to try to make that moment. And I am so fortunate. And I am extremely grateful to Florida International University for recognizing the importance of that week and that moment, and allowing me the opportunity to try and get my card. And like I said that Sunday afternoon, I received my LPGA players card from Carol Mann, and I was off and running. And like I said, if it wasn't for FIU, I don't know what would happen. What would have happened six months down the road in July, when the next qualifying school would have happened somewhere. I don't even remember. But being in my backyard, I felt ready. And I wanted to try it and FIU was behind me 100%.

Mike Gonzalez  13:14

So we're gonna go back and cover some other things. Because Pat this morning, and Bruce will acknowledges this morning, you set a record. I took note of the time, within six minutes and 53 seconds, you had already gone to Q School. That's a world record for us for our podcast.  But there's quite a bit we want to unpack because you alluded to a few things. And I've just got a short list here. One is your father's insistence that you all experienced the game of golf. And I know it wasn't just for the athletic endeavor, but it was about the quality's of the game that he appreciated as well, right? 

Bradley, Pat  13:57

Yes, he believed that the game of golf was the game of honesty and etiquette and integrity. And he wanted all of his children to experience the great game of golf. And yeah, dad loved the game. He grew up as a caddie with his brothers. And he believed that his children should be a part of this great game.

Mike Gonzalez  14:25

Another thing you mentioned in growing up in a household with five brothers. That can't help but shape who you are. Probably led to some of your competitive fire. Probably shaped your personality. Looking back, how do you think it impacted you growing up that way?

Bradley, Pat  14:45

I mean, you know, having two older brothers and three youngers, I mean, I was kind of in the middle. And, I had to hold my own against them all. And they were great athletes they loved sports. And there was no crying in sports. And so I had to hold my own with five boys in the house. So their competitive spirit helped me shape my spirit of competition. And back in my day in the 1960s, guys, there wasn't a lot of young women in the game of golf. So I played a lot of golf among the members of my club at Nashua Country Club. And they basically all took me under their wing. And as I say, there was no crying in golf. And, you know, you had to suck it up, and, and keep your head up high, and just go forward. And that's what I learned from, you know, playing with my brothers and being with my brothers, and being with the guys up at Nashua Country Club.

Devlin, Bruce  16:00

So they all played golf Pat?

Bradley, Pat  16:03

They did play at it, but not to the extent that... Now they all play, Bruce, we all play now we play together, but back in those 1960s, they were competitors in, you know, team sports, you know, track and field football, you know, baseball, basketball, you know, and so hanging around them. I learned that competitive spirit, but golf came much later in their life.

Mike Gonzalez  16:33

Pat, let me pick up on a point you just made about opportunities for girls and women back in the 1960s. Of course we've talked to many of your peers and have heard this time and time again, where, as you had mentioned, perhaps not even a women's team at your school. So you competed sometimes ladies competed with on the men's team, were able to play individually in the national tournaments or in what was then called something different than the NCAA. So opportunities were different, but not just in golf, in life opportunities were much different and what it sounds like you had an opportunity to play and be around the game.

Bradley, Pat  17:11

I did. And that's because of my dad. We I had no golf in my high school. There was no golf. There was no golf team, men's or women's, when I was growing up in high school, so I had to make my own way in the game, which wasn't easy. As I say, I would play against, you know, young women from different parts of the country. And, you know, really kind of struggled. But I am grateful to, you know, the tournaments that I was able to play locally, which helped shape me I had wonderful women as role models back in New England. I had Nancy Black, I had Flo McCluskey I had Pippi O'Connor, these were great women in the Northeast that were the states women in the game that were terrific role models for me.

Mike Gonzalez  18:17

And who knows had you come along 10 years later, had Title Nine been in place, what your opportunities would have looked like and perhaps how your path would have been changed?

Bradley, Pat  18:29

It could have been yes, Mike. Title Nine had not quite kicked in for me. So I had to pave my own way that way. But, as you know, that old time that old saying timing is everything. Well, my journey in my time was perfect for me.

Mike Gonzalez  18:52

The other thing I wanted to pick up on real quickly, Bruce is Pat talking about as a youngster competing locally, in a climate that's a short season. I grew up in Chicago, I knew the feeling. You go to these tournaments and these regional competitions you think you're pretty hot stuff. And then you realize that boy there's kids that can play every day around this country and they're really good.

Bradley, Pat  19:17

Yes. Yeah, I mean, I would get beat six ways to Sunday in a U.S. Amateur or the Trans Mississippi or the Trans Western, it was really quite difficult. But again, once I made that commitment to go South and continue and you know when I would get home in May I was ready to hit the road in my golf where before it was like in August before I really you know, hit my stride in playing the game, back in Mass.

Devlin, Bruce  19:58

You look at your amateur career Pat, two New Hampshire Amateur Championships. You were an All-American at FIU and then in 1972 you won the Massachusetts Amateur and the New England Amateur. In 1973 the New England Amateur again at Rhode Island Country Club. That's pretty good.

Bradley, Pat  20:22

Yep. So locally, I was very proud of my golf career. Nationally, you know, I was behind a lot of players and they were the Beth Daniel's the Hollis Stacy's the Amy Alcott's the Patty Sheehan's.  I was behind them nationally, but yet once I turned professional, 

Devlin, Bruce  20:53

You caught up.

Bradley, Pat  20:54

My record stands with any of them

Devlin, Bruce  20:56

 That's right, it does. It?

Mike Gonzalez  20:58

I sure does. Tell us a little bit about those early days playing golf. What do you remember about your first clubs that you played with?

Bradley, Pat  21:06

Oh, boy, guys. They were Haig Ultras. You know, I don't remember the shafts. I mean, whatever felt good. You know, back then it was all about feel rather than all about numbers or it was all about the look. You know, if the blade look good, if it felt good, you went with it.

Devlin, Bruce  21:35

Was it a man's or a ladies club?

Bradley, Pat  21:38

It was a men's Haig Ultras.

Devlin, Bruce  21:40

That's what I figured.

Mike Gonzalez  21:42

nice and stiff? 

Devlin, Bruce  21:43

 And heavy?  Yeah.

Bradley, Pat  21:43

Nice, like a two by four Mike. And heavy. Yes. I don't know if you guys remember. But I remember that there was a time where aluminum shafts were big. Now we're talking the end of maybe early 1970s. 

Devlin, Bruce  22:06

I remember 

Bradley, Pat  22:06

Aluminum shafts Bruce. 

Devlin, Bruce  22:08

Yeah, I remember. 

Bradley, Pat  22:09

They were the worst piece of equipment 

Devlin, Bruce  22:11

Terrible 

Bradley, Pat  22:12

you could ever imagine. But at the moment, it was the best and the greatest. Well, it was awful. I remember when Yamaha had the graphite heads, Bruce. Well, I did an outing in Hershey, Pennsylvania and it was a little, you know, five, six hole skins match. And it was Laura Davies, myself and Nancy Lopez and Juli Inkster and I had this Yamaha Graphite-head driver. I mean, it was the newest and the greatest. And I'm on the first tee. And I hit this tdriveried and I hit it pretty good. And the next thing I know Juli Inkster goes Hey Pat, will, you take the head cover off that driver, because there was no real crack to the ball. Yeah. You know, there was kind of like a thud Bruce. But anyway, it is interesting. And of course, when I signed with Colgate Palmolive when I first joined the tour, in 1974. And David Foster was the CEO of Colgate Palmolive. And he introduced a line of equipment called Lady Creighton's. And I'm telling you 

Devlin, Bruce  23:47

I remember that yeah, 

Bradley, Pat  23:48

Do you remember that Bruce?

Devlin, Bruce  23:49

I do remember that.

Bradley, Pat  23:50

And I mean, myself, Judy Rankin, Sandra Post, Donna Caponi, Nancy Lopez. We were all swinging these Lady Creighton's. Well, I'm telling you, Bruce, these things I couldn't keep on on the Golf Course. I mean, they were loosey goosey. You know, one minute it would go left the next minute it would go right. And Mr. Foster, you know, when Judy and Donna Caponi and Sandra Post and Marlene Hagge goes David, these things aren't the best. Well, Mr. Foster took heart to that. And the next thing you know, Bruce, Mr. Foster buys RAM. He bought RAM, and then everything changed. Now weve got a set of equipment that performs and it complements us. So, fast forward to doing an outing with Colgate Palmolive. And Bob Rosberg, he was with Ram. And I'm swinging these Lady Creighton's still because I want to be a good ambassador. So I'm swinging these Lady Creighton's and they're going everywhere. And so we're on the driving range. And I was talking to Bob and he had his Ram clubs, and they were S-300's. And I hit his club and my ball went straight as a die. Now it didn't go very high. But they were straight where I was aiming. And then like a light bulb went off in my head, Bruce. And I'm like, Holy mackerel, is this the way it's really supposed to be? So before that day was over, Mr. Rosberg left that Golf Course, that outing, without a set of clubs. 

Devlin, Bruce  26:15

Oh, you took them off him? 

Bradley, Pat  26:17

I took them Bruce. I said, Bob, I'm gonna take care of your clubs. I figured men had a quicker chance to get a replacement than a woman.

Devlin, Bruce  26:33

Yeah probably. 

Bradley, Pat  26:34

Probably.

Mike Gonzalez  26:35

Did he ever get it back?

Bradley, Pat  26:37

I did not give them back. And the next thing, I went to the Women's U.S. Open at LaGrange Country Club. And I had Bob's clubs in my bag. And I won that Women's U.S. Open with Bob Rosberg's clubs.

Devlin, Bruce  26:55

How about that!

Bradley, Pat  26:56

And it was something extremely special. I still have them. I still have his clubs in a bag at home. And I think about it often. How important that moment was with Mr. Rosberg.

Mike Gonzalez  27:18

Did you ever have a chance to play the small ball growing up?

Bradley, Pat  27:23

You know, I didn't. But I did this outing. Here's another good story. I did this outing in Texas Bruce at the Trophy Club. 

Devlin, Bruce  27:37

Sure. 

Bradley, Pat  27:38

And it was a charity outing. And of course, there was, you know, four guys and me. And I was hitting the ball really well, you know, pretty strong and everything. And the next thing I know, on the back side, this one gentleman was hitting the ball a long way. A really long way. And so one hole, he hits it left and I hit it left and I go Joe, I'll go and get ours. No worries. I'll pick mine up. I'll get yours too. So I go over there. I picked my ball up and I pick up Joe's. And sure enough, he switched to the little ball. And no wonder he was out driving me. He wasn't out driving me on the front side. But on the back side, he was out driving me and I found out why. And I go Joe, here's your little ball. So anyways, that was that story, but I never played it. I never did play it in a tournament. But I do remember,. I do remember playing in a tournament in Plymouth, Indiana, fellas, and it was back in the day where you could use different balls. Yeah. So I was playing with JoAnne Carner. And on the third Hall hole it was this par three. And the winds were howling Mike. And all of a sudden, JoAnne went to a Top Flite. And she like burned it through that wind. Right on the green. And you know, made a great three. And then, soon after that, maybe a year or whatever. Then the rule came where you couldn't switch balls during a round, right?

Devlin, Bruce  29:38

I remember that too. Yeah,

Bradley, Pat  29:40

But back in the day, back in the 1970s. And I remember distinctly that this one part three, the wind was howling and JoAnne went to a Top Flite and it worked. I think my Titleist just ballooned in the air and just fell way short of creek.

Mike Gonzalez  30:03

Well, why don't you take us through that decision process you went through in terms of thinking that you might want to do this for a living? And then, you know, tackling that Q school in 1973?

Bradley, Pat  30:15

Yeah, Mike. Again it wasn't until I went to school down in Miami, and had the opportunity to play 12 months out of the year that I saw my golf game go to a different level. And, I knew that when I played in the Burdines as an amateur and finished 12th, you know, I got to talking and thinking that, you know, maybe I gotta give this a go. But I want to graduate first, because there was no guarantee back in those days. whether you could make it. There were really, you know, the money wasn't great. I mean, when I joined the tour in 1974, we had like 30 events, and the total purse of all 30 events was $1.2 million. And you got to divide that up by 70, 80, 90 players.  And, my first check was $230. Well, that wasn't gonna get me far. So. So anyways, fellas, I wanted to graduate. I wanted to get my degree in teaching, which I did. And, and then with qualifying school, there in Miami. You know, I was talking to my brother Tom. And my brother, Tom, my dad, and my brother, Rick, and nine other men at Nashua Country Club, wrote out a check for $1,000 each. So I had $12,000 in the bank. Now, it wasn't $12,000 for the next three years. It was $12,000 period. And if I went through that $12,000 the first year or whatever, it was nice knowing you, Pat. Good try, you know, you gave it a go, but we're done. And so my brother Tom, and I call them the Nashua 12. They were very generous in giving me each, each of them gave me $1,000. Put it in the bank. And that's what I lived on. And the first year as I said, I made $10,000. So I was able to pay them back $500 of that $1,000 that they gave me. The next year I made $28,000. I was able to pay them another $500. So they got their $1,000 back within two years. Not a bad investment. 

Devlin, Bruce  33:17

That was 1975. Right? 

Bradley, Pat  33:19

Yep. And then the third year, I made $87,000. And I gave them an extra $500 Thank you so much, guys. I'm on my way and I appreciate your belief in me in making the LPGA Tour,

Mike Gonzalez  33:40

And they all retired!

Bradley, Pat  33:43

Yeah. They did. But they were really excited. They didn't think they were gonna ever see a dime. 

Devlin, Bruce  33:50

See their money, that's right

Bradley, Pat  33:51

Yeah, they didn't think they were gonna see a dime. And of course, you know, in this day and age, my first contract on the LPGA Tour with Colgate Palmolive Bruce was $5,000. That was my first contract. 

Devlin, Bruce  34:10

I understand. 

Bradley, Pat  34:12

And I thought I was a million dollars that Mr. Foster believed in me, as a 23 year old rookie that hadn't done anything. And, he signed me to a $5,000 contract. And then as the years went on, you know, he automatically upped it. I never had to negotiate. I didn't have an agent. No one had agents basically back then, except maybe Lopez. I didn't have an agent. So it was me, myself and I that that took care of myself.

Devlin, Bruce  34:52

Yeah. That's a great story.

Mike Gonzalez  34:55

To your point you made earlier about career money, Pat, you know, I think it was in 1970, the total purse on the LPGA Tour for the year was $435,000. Then David Foster and Colgate Palmolive come along. They sponsor this little tournament called The Dinah Shore in 1972. That sort of transforms the Tour. By the end of the decade, purses are now $5 million and it just keeps going up from there, but they played a large, large role in putting the LPGA on the map, didn't they? 

Bradley, Pat  35:30

Without a doubt, you know, Mr. Foster putting that money on The Dinah Shore, Colgate Dinah Shore and Dinah Shore being a part of the event really did put us on the map. I mean, to have another woman of her stature, her celebrity status, want to support. Women's Golf was huge. And of course, you put it in that beautiful area of Palm Springs. It just it it was just a match made in heaven, Mike. And you know, I had to earn my way in. It was kind of like our women's Masters. You earned your way in by either winning an event, finishing second or third. And I was fortunate enough to finish third in an event in Jacksonville, Florida. Which is another interesting story. I finished third in Jacksonville, Florida, but the sponsor ran out on us.

Devlin, Bruce  36:38

You didn't get any money. 

Bradley, Pat  36:40

We didn't get any money Bruce, but I didn't care because it got me into Dinah. So I didn't care. You know, me that third place it got me into Dinah. But yeah, the sponsor we played three days in Jacksonville, freezing cold, 30 degrees in the morning. And at the end of the day, when it was time to distribute the money, there was no sponsorship. But anyway, I got third place and got into Dinah and that's all that mattered to me.

Mike Gonzalez  37:20

Thank you for listening to another episode of FORE the Good of the Game. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, spread the word and tell your friends. Until we tee it up again, FORE the Good of the Game, so long everybody.

Music playing  37:39