GOLF:

Kimberly Tran and her husband, Cu Phan weren’t sure what to think when their 11-year-old son, Michael, announced about a year ago that he wanted to be a professional golfer.

Tran, who is a dentist and Phan, a surgeon at Hoag Hospital, didn’t know much about golf, but the couple, who live in Newport Coast, were about to find out.

“He told me he loved golf about a year ago,” Tran said. “He wanted to be a professional golfer. Ideally we would like him to become a doctor or dentist. It is more stable. In sports it is so hard to make it, but this is what he wants and I have to support him.”

Michael Phan started slowly with the sport and his intensity slowly increased.

“We live close to Pelican Hill and he would see people go there and one of his friends was interested in golf,” Tran said. “He asked me if he could go hit balls and it is almost next door so I thought, ‘Sure, that is fine.’ He didn’t get serious about it until a year ago.”

While Tran and her husband might have thought this was just a phase that would pass, they soon realized how serious their son was about the game.

“Whatever he wants he does it,” Tran said. “He didn’t get serious about it until a year ago. He plays a lot of sports. He swam competitively before, but now he has quit everything just to focus on golf.”

It was an education for all three. While Michael was learning the finer points of the game, Tran and her husband were also getting educated.

“My husband and I don’t know anything about golf,” Tran said. “I just learned about birdies, pars and bogeys. I thought bogeys were good.”

The learning curve will be long for the family. As serious as Michael is, they are discovering not only the devotion needed, but the time and money. Cu Phan sat his son down and told him the dedication he would need to succeed.

“My husband told him, it is very hard and if he wanted to become a professional golfer and get on the PGA Tour you have to focus at least eight hours a day and be serious about it,” Tran said. “My husband always says anything is possible if you follow your dream and work hard for it. We just want to give him a chance. We told him he can try and if he changes his mind it’s not a problem.”

But that doesn’t appear likely. Michael is at the driving range almost every day, hitting balls or putting, having fun with the game, but getting serious about it as well.

“Michael loves golf,” Tran said. “Every day he asks me if he can go to the range and practice at Oak Creek. Sometimes I get tired and say ‘Why don’t you take the day off?’ But he likes to go.”

Tran realized how serious her son was and started to look for a formal teacher for him. She didn’t settle for just anyone, instead opting to go to San Diego and have noted instructor, Jim Flick, work with him.

Flick, who has worked with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Lehman, initially declined to teach a then 10-year old, but saw his skill and determination and decided to take him.

“Mr. Flick said he is a very talented golfer,” Tran said. “He needs to think highly of himself instead of putting himself down when he doesn’t hit a good shot. He is very, very hard on himself. It is something he needs to work on.”

To help Michael Phan work on the mental side of the game, Flick recommended Jay Brunza, who was the sports psychologist for Tiger Woods when he was a youngster.

The family is also about to embark on another path Woods took and that is playing in national tournaments. The American Junior Golf Assn. attracts the best young golfers from all over the country and next year Pham will be playing in tournaments.

He has already started playing locally. His first event was in August and in his third event, Nov. 1 he finished first in his age group, shooting a one-under 30 for nine holes. In the same tournament, which was held at David L. Baker Golf Course in Fountain Valley, Phan got his first hole-in-one.

So far Phan is on the right path and it is very possible we may see him 10 years from now on the PGA Tour. Of course with his determination and skill, it could even be earlier

JOHN REGER’S golf column appears Thursdays.