1. You played golf in college at UNLV and also professionally. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your game?
I've always been pretty good with my short game, a pretty decent putter and pretty good with wedge shots. When I played it was different. You can see on our team it's a bunch of 6-foot-5 guys. Length wasn't as big a deal as it is now; there was more of a premium on accuracy.
2. Who were your favorite golfers growing up and which ones do you like now?
I guess over the years, when I was growing up (Jack) Nicklaus was at the end of his prime, and (Tom) Watson was right in the middle of his. I liked Curtis Strange a lot, Fred Couples and now it's hard not to like Tiger Woods.
3. Will Tiger take the Masters this weekend?
He's the favorite every year – it's almost 2-to-1 odds, really. The local guy (Steve) Stricker has played well all year but just hasn't closed it out. Besides them, no one else really pops out.
4. Were you involved in any sports besides golf?
Most definitely — baseball. Baseball was my favorite sport. I played that all growing up until golf took over. I really enjoyed pitching because there's a lot of strategy involved. The body mechanics of pitching and throwing a baseball are very similar to swinging a golf club.
5. What is your biggest contribution as a coach?
I think just because I've been through their experience — UNLV was top-10 program at the time — I kind of know what it takes to play well. It takes a lot of time and effort, and I don't believe that all the kids that come through understand how much effort it takes to be really good.
6. Do you think Marquette has been changed into a golf school in the 18 years you have been here?
Our first goal starting with the program was to get the best players out of Wisconsin each year. That's still the goal, but now there are good players everywhere. I think we need to branch out of the Midwest and even (recruit) international players. Ireland has done a great job with their players, England is good and Swedish players are good, but I'd like to start here first.
7. Do you think you'll ever coach another player like All-American Mike Van Sickle?
Ever is a long time. But I think it shows you that a player can come to Marquette and play at a high level. I think what Mike's done has opened the door for players to come after him and play here and play at a high level. I think Marquette was a good place for him and we're very fortunate that he came here.
8. You led the team to the Big East Championship last season. Can you describe your feelings after the win?
It was our clear-cut goal. It was just a sense of accomplishment that it was clearly what we wanted to do, and then we went out and did it. That doesn't always happen.
9. You've won a number of tournaments and two Big East Coach of the Year awards. What has been your biggest achievement as Marquette golf coach?
Just the program overall. I really believe that the program gets better every single year. When we started we had zero scholarships. I just look at whole program and how it's got better — we got an indoor practice area we didn't have, we play the best golf courses in Southeastern Wisconsin, and now we're able to get the top one or two players out of Wisconsin every year.
10. What's made you stay at Marquette for so long?
We keep getting better. If there reaches a time when I don't think the program is getting better — maybe our results may be off and our team score might be down — but as long as I feel the program and everything we're doing is getting better, then I'm excited about it, and want to keep doing it.