California Golf News Interview with "JB" James B. Griffin
How old were you when you started to play golf ? I think I was 7 or 8. The first course I ever played was a pitch and putt course located on the corner of Orange Grove Blvd and Green Street in Pasadena. The course is no longer there.
Your greatest golf memory ? Winning the South Pasadena Junior Golf 9 hole Tournament in 1966 at Arroyo Seco Golf Course. I shot a 32 and tied a 12 year old. I then beat him in a sudden death playoff with a birdie 2 on the 1st playoff hole, I was 11 at the time.
What was your favorite sport growing up ? I loved baseball and spent hours and hours throwing a tennis ball against the wall pitching, catching and fielding ground balls pretending to be playing in the major leagues. I played 1 year of T-Shirt Minor League Basball at age 8 and then 4 years of Little League Baseball from ages 9 thru 12. I played on the Little League Majors under my favorite Coach of all time Rusty Rose. In the 4 years our teams won the League Title every year. We posted a combined record of 56 wins and 8 losses. During this period I learned important lessons in life about competing and teamwork. After Little League I played 3 years of Middle League ages 13-15 and ended my Baseball playing days as a member of the South Pasadena San Marino Cardinals American Legion Team. I did compete in Slo-Pitch Softball after college in Adult Leagues for many years and finally gave up playing softball and hard ball Adult league baseball in my late 40's when I lost interest and decided to focus on golf.
Who were your Favorite PGA Tour Golfers growing up and who are your favorites today ? Loved Arnold Palmer and Gibby Gilbert equally, today my favorites are Aussies Adam Scott and Stuart Appleby and American Charlie Hoffman.
Interview to Be Continued !
