Question and Answer With Medinah CC PGA Head Professional Mike Scully

Having played professional football at the highest level Mike Scully, head golf professional at Medinah Country Club, possesses a broad set of shoulders and a tireless work ethic, two attributes that will no doubt come in handy as readies for his role as the host PGA golf professional at the 88th PGA Championship August 17th – 20th. Mike recently sat down for a few minutes out of his hectic schedule to share his thoughts on the Championship, playing professional football and landing his dream job.

As the Championship approaches, what sort of insight have you been asked for by the top players in the world as they’ve stopped by to prepare for this year’s final Major?

I’ve probably spent the most time with Phil Mickelson. He asked me to play a practice round earlier this summer so I had a chance to spend four or five hours with him. Phil’s an information junkie, so he wanted to know every break, every slope and every carry. Other guys have just kind of asked me what some of the holes do. Phil grinds hard in his preparation, down to practically the angle of each blade of grass. He’s incredible!

You have a very non-traditional background for a golf professional, having played football at the Division 1 and NFL levels. What’s that like and do you have any good stories?

Oh, I’ve got plenty of stories! I don’t know if I want any in print though. I wouldn’t be able to deny them (chuckle). Yea, I’ve been fortunate. I played ’83 to ’87 at Illinois and was lucky enough to play in a Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, then played in the Blue-Grey All-Star game and the Senior Bowl my last year. Then I had my cup of coffee with the National Football League. I played with the Redskins in 1988 and then in ’89 and ’90 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Probably the funniest story that ever happened to me was also one of the worst things that ever happened to me. I had a Monday night game against the Giants where I was the deep snapper. Now you gotta understand, I had been snapping on punts and placements since I was seven years old and never had a bad snap. Well, I picked an inappropriate time to have my first bad one. The punt ended up getting block and we lost the game in part to that. So I wasn’t a real popular guy around Redskin’s Park that night, or the next day, or the next week. That was a heck of an introduction in my rookie year.

What round were you drafted?

I was actually a free agent. I signed with the Redskins right out of college. I was actually going to sign with the Bears, but Mr. McCaskey didn’t offer enough money (smile). The Redskins tripled my signing bonus offer, which was kind of cool! I enjoyed the experience. It was very brief, but I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t give anything back. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Growing up in the Chicago area, when did you start playing golf, and were there any golf professionals that were of particular influence along the way?

Emil Esposito. He gave me my first golf lesson almost thirty years ago now. My dad used to play in his twilight league two nights a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Mt. Prospect. I got involved in junior golf during the summer, but back then junior golf wasn’t near as high profile as it is today, so I just sort of gravitated more toward football.

What will your role be during PGA Championship week proper?

I’ve got a bunch of different things I’ll be involved with. I guess the official title would be more like an Ambassador for the club, but the fun part is I get to do a bunch of television work. I’m going to do Golf Talk Live on the Golf Channel on Monday night down in Orlando. I’m actually flying down there on Monday after the Community Relations clinic at Cantigny. Then I fly back that night to be here at 4:00a.m. the next morning to start golf course preparation with Kerry (Haigh) and Tom (Lively). Thursday and Friday I’m doing some work with TNT. I’ll also be doing some staring on Thursday and Friday on the first tee. Then over the weekend I’m doing some broadcast work with Comcast.

Have you done television work before?

Believe it or not, that’s what I originally studied in college. I was a communications major, but ended up getting my bachelors degree in hospitality management. That’s how I got into the club business.

What has it meant to come back to your home town and be the golf professional at a club like Medinah?

Well, this is something very special. Having grown up in Chicago I played here as a kid. I know the history of the facility. I had known Mike (Harrigan) for a long time. I came up in 2002 to speak to the Medinah membership on behalf of The Forest to sell them on winter memberships. At the time I was getting ready to sign a ten-year contract with the club I was at. Sitting with my general manager one day we were just putting the finishing touches on the agreement and I said “you’ve gotta put a Lou Holtz clause in there for me”. He kind of looked at me funny and I said the only job I’d want to leave here for is if the Medinah job ever came open, I’d like to have a no harm no foul clause that I could at least apply for it and see what happens . We both kind of laughed and he said no problem. Then when it came open eleven months later, it was kind of … surreal! So I applied and went through the process and now here I am with my dream job!

What have been some of the challenges that you maybe didn’t expect, and what have you most enjoyed so far?

Well, first of all, being recognized as the Medinah head professional everywhere you go is pretty special! But I think I underestimated how high profile it was. Not so much for me, but in terms of how high profile the club is in regard to who we deal with. Some of the people we’ve had come through the doors the first three years has been incredible. Now, understandably, leading up to a major championship you know that’s going to be elevated. But with some of the people we have as members and some of the people that follow them and what the expectations are, I don’t want to say it surprised me, but it has definitely provided for a unique set of day-to-day challenges.

What’s your favorite golf course?

Augusta. I’m obviously blessed that I work at one of the top courses in the world, but I’ve never had a chance to play Augusta. I’ve been to six or seven Masters, but to get the chance to walk those hallowed grounds and actually hit a shot would be pretty cool.

Prediction time...who wins the 88th PGA Championship?

Obviously the pat answer is Tiger or Phil. Both should play well here. I believe though, that it all depends on Mother Nature. The golf course is set-up to play 7561 yards. But if we get a stretch of hot, dry days leading into the event and the golf course is firm, now all of a sudden that 7561 becomes 7200 and you bring a lot more players into the picture.

Who do you see as a potential dark horse?

Luke Donald. He has put in a lot of time. He’s played maybe a half dozen rounds here in the last year with his Northwestern friends. I played here with him about three weeks ago. I really think the golf course fits his eye, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play well. I also wouldn’t count out Retief Goosen. I think he is destine to play real well in a PGA Championship.

You mentioned this year’s Championship will be set up in excess of 7500 yards and each year it seems the courses, especially the PGA, get stretched longer and longer. With today’s technology, do you think the golf ball flies too far today?

Yes. I happen to agree with Jack Nicklaus. I actually think one of these years you’re going to see the Masters and the people at Augusta say here’s the ball you’re going to play for our event. I realize there is a lot of money out there for the guys to play certain golf balls, but yes, I do believe it’s flying too far.

Ok, you get to play only one more round the rest of your life, where are you playing and who’s in your foursome?

It would be at Augusta National with my father. Maybe Jack Nickluas and Arnold Palmer to round out the group. That would be a pretty cool experience.

What is your most cherished athletic accomplishment in life so far?

Good question. I think I actually have three. Being part of Rose Bowl team. Meeting a lifetime goal of making it to the National Football league, and the third is the first time I beat my dad on the golf course. And it took me a long time to do that!

Where and when did it happen?

1997 at The Forest Country Club in Ft. Meyers. I beat him by a shot. I shot 73 he had 74. It took me forever. And still to this day, he’s 63 years old, if I don’t play good he puts it on me.

Being a football and golf guy, if you had a chance to win the U.S. Open or be part of a Super Bowl Championship team, but not both, which way you going?

I’d go with the Super Bowl ring, hands down.

What are your favorite things to do away from golf now days?

Spending time with my daughter and watching her play high school basketball and volleyball. It’s fun seeing her be more competitive even than her father.

Has she taken up golf yet?

Actually just recently. I hired a female teacher this year here at the club, Catalina Navarro, and she has worked a little bit with Taylor and has gotten her hooked. It’s been great. There has been a lot of nights this summer when she’ll come by and her and dad will sneak out in the evening and play a couple of holes. It’s really been fun!

Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Professionally, it was from Jim Butler, who was my mentor in this business. Jim told me “always remember that you are the employee and that you work for the membership”.

The best personal advice I’ve ever had was from my dad. He used to beat this into me as a kid and has stuck. … treat everyone you meet the way you want to be treated.

Mike Scully was elected to PGA membership in 1999. Prior to his current position at Medinah, Mike served as the head golf professional at The Forest Country Club in Ft. Meyers, FL from 1996 until moving to Medinah in 2004.