Talk among a foursome of fellow band directors about one of them hitting the pro circuit was written off as golf course chatter until Don Jeanes decided to follow his dream. Now he's giving up his band director position at West Springfield High School and possibly going against the big names on the Pro Golfer's Association Champions Tour, formerly the PGA Seniors Tour, for golfers over 50.
He remembers the conversation.
"I kind of made a joke of it at one point," he said, "I'm following my dream. This is not going to be one of those things that I'm going to regret that I didn't try," he said.
Jeanes plays on the course with his group of Stan Scoonover, a Fairfax County Public Schools music curriculum specialist; Art Pittman from Frost Middle School and Mantua Elementary; Larry Hiness of Jeb Stuart High School; and Larry Oats who teaches trumpet on a freelance basis. Hiness will take over Jeanes place at West Springfield next year. Pittman's been playing with Jeanes for over four years.
"It's a great opportunity for him," Pittman said. "He plays quite a bit and studies the game. He's got a good shot at it."
"I believe I play good enough as guys on the tour," he said.
Jeanes played in the rain on May 31 at Bristow Manor and scored 81 for 18 holes. The day before, he played Penderbrook in Fairfax and got a 75. In comparison, at the PGA Championship Tour in Newton Square, Pa., that ended on Sunday, June 8, John Jacobs won with a score of 276 over the four days, which is a 69 average for 18 holes.
THE PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR is not something anyone can just go out and do, though. Golfers have to qualify and go through a series of stepping stones to get to that level. Jeanes will sign up as an apprentice and take the November qualifiers classes in the fall. His first step is on the state level this summer though. They are on the amateur level.
"I plan on playing state tournaments this summer," he said.
Jeanes will then move on to the Monday Qualifiers and the November Qualifiers, and possibly on the tour by next January. He currently trains with James Smith, the head golf professional at Fair Oaks Golf Course in Fairfax County. "Very few have the determination and work ethic to follow through," said Smith. "If he didn't try it, he's always going to look back and say 'what if.'"
Debbie Frear has a teenager in the West Springfield band under Jeanes. She helped plan his retirement party, which took place on Sunday, June 1, at the Burke Fire Department. Over 150 people enjoyed an alumni band she got together as well as finish off the four golf motif cakes.
"Don's been a well-respected teacher. We all knew he was an avid golfer. It was surprising he was making a pretty significant plunge," she said.
Frear did make a request though.
"Several of us had said when he makes it on the tour we want tickets," she said.
GOLF IS MADE UP of three things, according to Jeanes: the swing, physical training and mental preparation. He has a training regimen for the physical training, with help from Smith in this area.
"I gave him a lot of things to work on, flexibility and strength training," Smith said.
Then there's the financial aspect of the pro tour. Unless players are sponsored, each golfer has to pay his way on the tour. He meets the requirements for the Fairfax County Public Schools retirement with at least 25 years employed and meets the state requirements as well. His wife, a band director at Liberty Middle School, will keep her job for now.
"The only gamble is it's expensive to do all this stuff, I just have to be careful for what I spend. I would focus on stuff nearby," he said. That means he will wait on the Hawaiian Open or Pebble Beach.
Jeanes was with the Fairfax County Public Schools for 27 years but only the spent last six at West Springfield High School. He also taught band at Annandale High School, Robinson Secondary, Edison High and Groveton Elementary.