She played on the LPGA for 25 seasons, becoming a household name to fans of women's golf. Coming from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to attend Texas Christian University, little did Kris Tschetter know what life had in store for her. As a Division 1 player, she searched the Fort Worth area for a regular practice facility, eventually joining Shady Oaks Golf Club. It was there that she was befriended by Shady Oaks most famous member and indeed one of the finest players to ever swing a golf club. Of course, that member was none other than the legendary Ben Hogan.
In this episode, we chat with Kris Tschetter about her career on the LPGA, including some of her favourite experiences and cherished memories. She takes us back to life in a camperized van, trekking across the United States, playing golf and listening to the radio. She then shares with us a little bit of her experiences on the practice range with Ben Hogan -- the player renowned for spending hours hitting golf balls, perfecting his swing (as much as one could). She tells us of the experience and of the time that he made a surprise visit to support her at the US Women's Open played at the Colonial.
After retiring from the LPGA, she became active in setting up a charity, and spending time with her family. She would eventually join the Legend's Tour and take some time to write a book about her personal experience with "Mr. Hogan". You won't want to miss this treat.
She played on the LPGA for 25 seasons, becoming a household name to fans of women's golf. Coming from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to attend Texas Christian University, little did Kris Tschetter know what life had in store for her. As a Division 1 player, she searched the Fort Worth area for a regular practice facility, eventually joining Shady Oaks Golf Club. It was there that she was befriended by Shady Oaks most famous member and indeed one of the finest players to ever swing a golf club. Of course, that member was none other than the legendary Ben Hogan.
In this episode, we chat with Kris Tschetter about her career on the LPGA, including some of her favourite experiences and cherished memories. She takes us back to life in a camperized van, trekking across the United States, playing golf and listening to the radio. She then shares with us a little bit of her experiences on the practice range with Ben Hogan -- the player renowned for spending hours hitting golf balls, perfecting his swing (as much as one could). She tells us of the experience and of the time that he made a surprise visit to support her at the US Women's Open played at the Colonial.
After retiring from the LPGA, she became active in setting up a charity, and spending time with her family. She would eventually join the Legend's Tour and take some time to write a book about her personal experience with "Mr. Hogan". You won't want to miss this treat.
Hello and good afternoon. Welcome to we're bringing you guests from around the world of golf. My name is Douglas Maida, and it's my pleasure to be your host In today's episode, we're going to meet an incredibly delightful on tour, she became a household name to many that followed the In addition to her playing career on the LPGA Kris Her book was one of the very last books written about the She shares her stories and experiences of being a member of time on the range hitting golf balls and talking about life in We are very excited to have Kris Tschetter join us today to talk before we get to our very special guest, we need to stop
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Douglas Maida:Hi, we're back. Thank you for staying with us. welcome to the show.
Kris Tschetter:It's great to be here. I feel very special being
Douglas Maida:Well, we'd like to tell it as it is here. now since you last competed and you're now actually on the Sports Hall of Fame. Why don't you tell us a little bit about
Kris Tschetter:Well, I grew up in South Dakota and I loved loved was I was able to do other things in the winter. i My loved it. I did ballet in the winter, and then golf in the And it was just it was a great way to grow up nowadays. It's experience a lot of different things as much. So I really
Douglas Maida:Where do you call home?
Kris Tschetter:Sioux Falls.
Douglas Maida:Okay. Is that anywhere near Mount Rushmore?
Kris Tschetter:It's actually on the opposite side of the state. up there was under 100,000.
Douglas Maida:Okay, okay. It's one of the places that I've got
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, it's beautiful. The western side of love the plains don't get me wrong. I love being able to see they're pretty nice to
Douglas Maida:the plains. We used to have a bit of a running fact that they could sit on their porch and watch their dog
Kris Tschetter:It's a little flat on the eastern side of the
Douglas Maida:Okay, enough of the bad stereotypes. Kris, tell us a little bit about being inducted into the South college and university, that probably was nowhere near on
Kris Tschetter:But I it was actually a complete surprise to I was I was actually really surprised, but I appreciated it.
Douglas Maida:Was there a little bit of a ceremony and
Kris Tschetter:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:Now who organizes that? Is that done at the state
Kris Tschetter:It's done at the state level?
Douglas Maida:Oh, okay. Wonderful. Wonderful. Excellent.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, which I always look forward to getting got 16 inches of snow in 24 hours. So I got my full taste of
Douglas Maida:And the full experience of winter.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:Kris, looking back now it's been a few years seem somewhat surreal?
Kris Tschetter:I loved playing golf on tour. I actually played tournaments on the LPGA in 2021. Because I wanted to get ready with those young kids again, but it was great it and I ended up that tournament. So I felt like it was it was worth it. But it The last day that when I played I played at Kingsmill, on the drive on that hole. These people had been out driving me by about And they're laughing at me and kind of having fun with it. So
Douglas Maida:Yeah, I guess you can say watching the tour over the power game that's been in the men's tour now for about a
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, those those kids are GOOD, and they
Douglas Maida:Yeah. How about you? How's your tee shots? Are
Kris Tschetter:You know, no, not anywhere near and in the trouble actually gripping the club with my right hand anymore, finger. So it's made it a little more difficult. You know what, I can't play quite at the level I would like to. But other than they're good now. So other than the hands, I feel pretty good.
Douglas Maida:Wow. Was the hips kind of related to golf in a way
Kris Tschetter:It was a little bit related to golf. I'm super because I was so loose jointed, I was having a lot of movement them replaced and now they feel great.
Douglas Maida:Well, that's wonderful news.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:When you play golf, do you still walk at all?
Kris Tschetter:I do. I do. But I gotta tell you, I mean, I used know, I'm gonna get some exercise walking the golf everyone. I laughed at back in the day. Well, it And you know, you know, because my my ligaments and my tendons don't lot of my, my shoulders and my back and everything in place. So getting a cart in golf is not an advantage, I think is wrong, I
Douglas Maida:Well, I bet especially as you're coming to
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, on the last day, you know, four days in were times where I played on tour, I played four or five that. Now.
Douglas Maida:Speaking of which, do you have any favorite
Kris Tschetter:So many. I mean, like I said, I loved being needed to get better because I wanted to be out there. And I to qualify and get my card. My app, my second attempt, and you on tour, I think about the people that I met along the way, tour that I still keep in touch with. Families that I stayed that I had stayed with like the son, I stayed with the son I what I think about the most. The one tournament really that comes to mind is the the first a sweet memory for me because it was part of a team, you know,
Douglas Maida:Has it kind of surprised you that there ceased
Kris Tschetter:Yes, because it was a great event. And everyone really good crowd. So I keep I'm I'm hopeful that they'll bring on both the PGA Tour and the LPGA tour that it's it's hard
Douglas Maida:Yes, I did read somewhere, though, that the LPGA again.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I like it. Now we just need to get the
Douglas Maida:Yes, well, they're gonna do right. Yeah. they're always talking about having their friends or their you know, see week in and week out that are considered part of
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I mean, it's your neighborhood. Those
Douglas Maida:So that's something that was quite common
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, definitely. You know, you had game. So I look back on that. And though those were some of beat her and her wanting to beat me just as much.
Douglas Maida:Oh, that's a great way to keep it fun and
Kris Tschetter:yeah.
Douglas Maida:Did you have a favorite tournament? I mean, on
Kris Tschetter:I really loved Toledo. But I loved it. I loved with that family that just I looked forward to seeing them Um, another tournament that I think about that really sticks course. But again, I love that tournament because it was such a a great golf course. I love that golf course it might be one of
Douglas Maida:Oh, wow. Wow. High praise indeed. Yeah. Toledo
Kris Tschetter:It was, I don't think it was ever Kroger. It was till the city of Toledo a lot of different businesses put money
Douglas Maida:I see. I see. Coming back to the Dinah Shore looking back now at the history of the Dinah Shore and what it's from Mission Hills, and now going to Houston with . . . your
Kris Tschetter:No, I don't think it was because I think really disappointed to move from that golf course. I'm sure has some history that I hate to see go.
Douglas Maida:Would it be fair to saying that it was kind of somewhere else.
Kris Tschetter:Those two tournaments were -- I mean, tournaments were sort of brother sister tournaments, you know, finish first, second or third in the tournament to get invited to great memory that if she was just a neat, neat lady. so down
Douglas Maida:Right. Yes. I remember seeing many a time her hand.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, he loved her golf.
Douglas Maida:Yeah. Yeah, it'll be interesting. This will be the
Kris Tschetter:Well, they'll make some new traditions there,
Douglas Maida:Yeah, yeah. Let me ask you about the LPGA. that it is a far more international flavor to the tour
Kris Tschetter:Definitely. And, you know, I am appreciative that a family and, and play as internationally as they're then if you wanted to play out of the country, you know, we as a mother, I would have found it really hard to have to go to something on Twitter where they were showing that -- Did you see that they can drive to even, even there's a couple of
Douglas Maida:Right. I think the only one that comes close is the next event is in Portland. And that's about I think is as
Kris Tschetter:That's about it. Yeah, it's crazy. That would be a little better now. I saw players are a little better,
Douglas Maida:I saw a tweet by Karen Stupples who mentioned and drive to the events.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I put something out. I like that
Douglas Maida:was the Econoline setup so that you could have
Kris Tschetter:Oh, yeah, it was it had everything I had all my arrange the layout in my band.
Douglas Maida:And this is in the days before such thing as
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, exactly. Had to listen to the radio.
Douglas Maida:And hopefully you had a good station coming in.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah. That was another thing there were radio station, we'd find our favorite radio station in each
Douglas Maida:If you were, say, Commissioner for a day, what are get the idea.
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I you know, I mean, that's tough. I, matter? No, it's It's not an easy job. And I, I don't think they're, they're doing pretty well.
Douglas Maida:Okay, fair enough. Fair comment. We're after golf. So we'll chat a little bit about why you stopped with you is about becoming an author. And then maybe a little
Kris Tschetter:Okay.
Douglas Maida:All right. So we're gonna take a little break
HONMA:For players who don't want to sacrifice beauty Honma's handcrafted on the coast of Japan. Beres Aizu evokes a sense With Beres Aizu in your bag, you will experience the pure
Amy (Studio):Today's show is being recorded from our studio us on the worldwide web at WWW dot world of golf.org. Or on our proud to announce that we're talking Golf has been recognized downloading our show. With your support. We have become a special guest, Kris Tschetter. Here is Douglas Maida.
Douglas Maida:Oh, welcome back. And thank you so much for playing on the LPGA? What is it about 15 years ago now? a little
Kris Tschetter:2011 was my last was my 24th year on tour. And I I accidentally got bit by our cat. And I ended up with a bone year, I was playing with a doctor. And he said to me, and I for like three weeks. And anyways, I was playing with this goes, You could have lost your hand. I went well, I'm glad I in in 2019.
Douglas Maida:Oh, wonderful. Wonderful.
Kris Tschetter:So I played I played one, two tournaments in
Douglas Maida:Wow, wonderful. Wonderful. So what ultimately saying, "You know what, it's time" or?
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I mean, my kids were getting older. My many tournaments so I wasn't really having to miss down and I just, I just wasn't competing at the level that I So, it just kind of got to that place where and my kids were really thankful that I, I'm telling you, I loved playing you know, they gave me something to, you know, that I wanted to in those events. You know, it's just a handful of events every
Douglas Maida:So in the first few years after retirement, what
Kris Tschetter:It was good. It was good. I was you know, doing spending time doing that. My kids were, you know, at the age know, just, just kind of being mom and being home and taking
Douglas Maida:Did you -- if you were to say look back now at
Kris Tschetter:I would have taken injuries like taking a
Douglas Maida:And why is that? Just because you felt like you
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I just think that I made injuries last is difficult. And I kept thinking, oh, you know, I can information I had. And looking back, I just wish I would have
Douglas Maida:Well, that makes sense.
Kris Tschetter:Hindsight
Douglas Maida:That's 20/20, isn't it?
Kris Tschetter:Yes.
Douglas Maida:Let me switch gears a little bit. Let's talk is the part I'm fuzzy about. Was it while you were attending TCU?
Kris Tschetter:Yes.
Douglas Maida:Okay. Why don't you tell us about that little
Kris Tschetter:Really being in the right place at the right that they shady oaks was sort of doing a membership push and they The hard part was finding a sponsor, you know, someone that So anyways, we -- it's kind of a funny story. I was out hitting TCU didn't have a practice facility. And all of a sudden, gun? And I'm like, No, I don't have a gun. And she tells me And so, you know, good South Dakota girl, I go well here, get probably wasn't the smartest thing. But, you know, got her to just looked at me like what were you thinking, Kris? Like she Dad that story. And so when I told my dad that story, he's like, that's it. that park anymore. So that's that was the tipping point that to Mr. Hogan. If he wants to talk to you he will but you every other man that walked by every other member. And then I just, I'm just going to be myself. And so I, you know, I hard I was working and how much I loved the game. And he started And, you know, I don't really remember exactly, but it got to he was and I just wave at him, let him know I was there. And he started getting his clubs on the cart and his shag bag, and he'd come back. And, you know, that was just like what we did every
Douglas Maida:I was gonna say, you know, anybody who knows have loved to have done.
Kris Tschetter:And most people would have been asking him about golf? But I was asking questions about my swing, my him any, you know, I didn't want I didn't care about his secret.
Douglas Maida:Right.
Kris Tschetter:You know, I didn't I didn't ask him. I, you person. I really cared more about that, then then the
Douglas Maida:Well, of course, I mean, that's, and so should
Kris Tschetter:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:I just look back, you know, because it's so
Kris Tschetter:And I hear stories now about how people shot without saying something. I was constantly talking. And, you think about that one? How'd that look? You know, what do you have together. And it was banter, it was back and forth. He had this other. There's a story in the book where he -- I called him, I tour, and I haven't played well. And he's like, Well, what are like, why you need to go out there. And you need to do this, this is how we talk to each other, right? And so we hang up Coca Cola at the bar. And and he comes up and he goes, Did I the ordinary. He goes, Well, Valerie didn't talk to me all week. And she that I was mean to you. And she tried, she, she was trying to crying in a corner or something. And so I was like, no, no, it's could you please? So I called her and I was like Mrs. Hogan. Well, I know that, you know, you know how he can be but I was
Douglas Maida:Well, perhaps that's the greatest compliment the boys or
Kris Tschetter:Yeah,
Douglas Maida:you know, or one of the group.
Kris Tschetter:There was another one where I said he pressure. Without missing a beat, he's like, You give me just be Like, Oh my god, they, you know, they just didn't know
Douglas Maida:So you knew which table was his at Shady Oaks?
Kris Tschetter:Oh, yeah, yeah, he had a table and a chair. And because both those greens were, you know, like, right between the thought that he might be watching.
Douglas Maida:What are your most memorable experience? In or
Kris Tschetter:Well, gosh, I mean, we had a couple of dinners his family, and, you know, having dinner, but I guess, when to come out and watch me play? And he'd say, Oh, of course, I'm And I, I knew that he would not come out because he was just something from him. And so it was really just banter. But, you the US Open at Colonial. And so you know, I would pick his brain back out to Shady Oaks and, you know, he came out and watched me second or third from the last group the last day. And again, started pushing because, you know, nothing was happening and so I kind of shot myself out of contention. And I think after I made a double bogey on maybe the 10th him out of it, you know, like it was hot. It was, you know, 95 and attention and, but he felt like he needed to be out there because I was having a rough day. He wanted to be there for
Douglas Maida:Wow, wow. And Colonial to I mean, one of the
Kris Tschetter:And, and then what was really funny, so I saw Oh, my God, you know, and I went, and I gave him a hug, kept his head down, would have kept walking, but not me. And he hug and I walked to 17. And my dad was caddying for me and my goes, That's Ben Hogan over there. The guy's like, No, it's wearing just like a, you know, like a suit/ coat hat. I don't my dad goes. I'm telling you, that's Ben Hogan, the guy goes, waited for me on 18th When I walked out of the scorer's tent, pictures of it, which I'm thankful for. I've got a really with him. So that was fun. Then the caddy finally believed my death but up until that people that knew that you know, Mr. Hogan helped me with my golf believe me. If I did, they looked at me like I was lying, was at the tournament, and you know, it was like, the cat was
Douglas Maida:Gee, at a US Open, you know, he's still I
Kris Tschetter:It still bothered him (the fifth).
Douglas Maida:I know, I read that I'm, I could see how it would have to like, Well,
Kris Tschetter:yeah, the medal looks exactly the same.
Douglas Maida:You put in the time and effort you beat the feel very surreal that you spent time in knowing one of the
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, it's crazy. I was so lucky. And he, thankful that he let me see that side of him that he didn't let
Douglas Maida:Yeah. Yeah, let me touch on that for a bit. least in his earlier part of his career, you know, where he was no, doesn't suffer fools gladly kind of thing. You know, and and then you kind of got to see him-- the total opposite. What are
Kris Tschetter:Well, I mean, I think that he was just very, as his memory, became worse and worse, he became, you know, much
Douglas Maida:Wow, wow, when you wrote the book, I'm trying that a conscious decision on your part? or just kinda like,
Kris Tschetter:I never planned on writing a book, I somebody people wanted me to write the book, but I am not a writer. And know, when something happens every day, there's not a lot what I did was I talked to people that I knew at the time, know, like, all these stories I had that I would tell to people, So here's an example. There's a story in the book about where you know, I'm bantering with them. And Mr. Hogan's standing on, and, and I put this story in the book, it's one little about how, you know, they were playing, and this is what goes, I'm pretty sure that that story is about me. But that would tell my dad stories are my roommate and we all you know, And then I also found a recording of about a half an just let the camera run when Mr. Hogan came up. And there and recording of funny things that he said that I put in the book. the book. They didn't all happened like that one day, but wish I would have written down more because the book would have
Douglas Maida:As we start to work towards the end of the you about this part for hours.
Kris Tschetter:As you could probably tell, I could talk
Douglas Maida:Legends of the LPGA. It's a relatively new
Kris Tschetter:Its been around, it's been around for about 20, it a little bit more.
Douglas Maida:I was gonna say in relative terms to the LPGA.
Kris Tschetter:oh, yeah.
Douglas Maida:But yes. Why don't you share a little bit
Kris Tschetter:Well, it's, we're all thankful to have it frustrating to play on the Legends Tour, because none of us compete, like we're, you know, we should be at the top of our nice to see everyone again. And, you know, it's it's definitely sit back and relax and have fun. And you know, just enjoy the together. So it's, it's great. It's it. And I think people like us, they still enjoy coming out and watching us play.
Douglas Maida:Are you practicing much? Or is it just
Kris Tschetter:So in 20, in 2021, I was I was, you know, I really, you know, wanted to play well. And then this year, that from golf. So I didn't practice as much and my hands you know, golf course, because I feel sort of torn. So you know, we'll see, grind one more summer out of it.
Douglas Maida:So it's been a few years since you played now have you been up to? You mentioned your children are
Kris Tschetter:Yeah, I've got two there. The 19 -- Well, it's old is not quite sure what she wants to do. So she's just to figure it out, like like everyone else. And then I opened "brain balancing" office at the type of brain balancing. It's called Ceraset. Anybody who all over the country and I did it in 2019 to help my golf I was I played in Toledo like a week and a half after I did it. And I five birdies in a week. And I made five birdies in a row in an would have had this 20 years ago. But anyways, this brain balancing, I just love it. I brain balancing is neurofeedback, which means that we give you an opportunity, while we give your brain an head, that we've applied different musical tones to the those tones as itself and your brain tries to rebalance and I mean, when I did it in 2019 -- A) it helped my golf game, but I experienced in my life. I was taking medicine to sleep. And was life changing. And it can be life changing. For a lot of people who have long COVID -- I mean, there's nothing out there lives back. So it's I love it. If you can't tell I love it. I
Douglas Maida:Okay, and they can find that just by typing
Kris Tschetter:Yep, yep, just cereset.com. And, you know, golf on tour again. But this is a really close second, like I I
Douglas Maida:Wow. Wonderful. Wonderful. Well, Kris, we are at like all of a sudden you look back and say wow, that went by and, and
Kris Tschetter:I and have enjoyed it.
Douglas Maida:Aw, Thank you so much
Kris Tschetter:Thank you for having me on.
Douglas Maida:Our pleasure. Our pleasure. And hopefully we could
Kris Tschetter:All right.
Douglas Maida:Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen, thank you playing around or to do your best to keep that ball on the
Kris Tschetter:Definitely.
Douglas Maida:From all of us here at the world of golf, and
Amy (Studio):You have been listening to our podcast show. January 18, 2023. If you have an idea for a future show, subject line. This show is the copyright of the World of Golf.