Kermit Zarley - The PGA TOUR's Christian Pioneer

Spreading the Message Zarley Helped Start Bible Group

By GARY D'AMATO
The AMERICAN CHRONICLE

The name Kermit Zarley probably would be familiar only to keen students of PGA Tour history.

Zarley played in 542 tournaments in a career that spanned a quarter-century (1963-'87). He won the 1968 Kaiser International Open and the 1970 Canadian Open, but he was never a star in an era that was dominated by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and, later, Tom Watson and Greg Norman. (Photo: 1970, Weston Golf Club, Ontario)

Zarley played in the Greater Milwaukee Open 10 times over an 18- year span. He tied for 10th at North Shore Country Club in 1969 and tied for 12th at Tuckaway Country Club in '79, after opening 68-67.

"I recall that I was in the hunt after two days (at Tuckaway) and I didn't finish that well," said Zarley, now 67.

But he left his mark on the PGA Tour in other ways. In 1965, he co-founded the Tour Bible Study with brothers Babe and Jim Hiskey; 44 years later the Bible Study is still going strong and has expanded to other tours around the world.

"We started in August of '65, in Philadelphia," Zarley said. "There were six of us at the first meeting: Babe and Jim Hiskey, Paul Bondeson, Dave Ragan, Joel Goldstrand and me.

"Many years later, Bernhard Langer from Germany would become a major championship winner; his faith was renewed at Bible Study. He started a Bible study on the European Tour. The LPGA started a group because of us and then many years later the (Champions Tour) started a group."

Today, two chaplains alternate conducting the Tour Bible Study, which meets every Wednesday, usually at the tournament's host hotel. Among the regular attendees are Aaron Baddeley, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Jonathan Byrd and Menomonee Falls native Mark Wilson.

"We have anywhere between 25 and 30 guys show up and it's not just the players, it's anyone affiliated with the tournament," Wilson said. "Some caddies come, wives come, CBS Sports people, Fellowship of Christian athletes people.

"We just talk a little bit at the beginning and hear what's going on in everybody's lives and who we need to pray for. And then the chaplain usually has a moving or motivating message, and he ties it into golf."

The Tour Bible Study doesn't get much publicity, and Zarley understands there are cynics who question religion's place in sports.

"That's just the way the world is," Zarley said. "It doesn't matter if you're talking about sport or not. There are people who believe and people who don't believe. There are some strong cynics and people can even become hostile about it."

Zarley, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., is proud of his career. He won a tournament, the Canadian Open, that Nicklaus never won. He played with the great Ben Hogan in one of Hogan's final PGA Tour appearances. And he had a combined 15 runner-up finishes on the regular and senior tours.

 - - - Kermit Zarley web site -  KERMITZARLEY DOTCOM

"I was inducted into my high school hall of fame in Seattle," he said. "I brought up my runner-up finishes and I said, 'That record looks like I did my fair share of choking.' "

His career goal was to win the U.S. Open, and he had a close call at Pebble Beach in 1972.

"Jack and I were tussling for the lead on the back nine," Zarley said. "I came around to No. 14 and had a wedge to the green; the pin was tucked on the left. I should have played safe but I went for the big gamble and plugged the ball in the lip of the bunker and wound up taking an eight.

"My dad hadn't seen me play much golf on Tour, but he flew down to see that. He said afterward, 'I turned green. You spent more money in a day than I make in a year.' "

Nicklaus went on to win the U.S. Open and become golf's greatest champion. Zarley went on to become a Christian author. His latest book, "Warrior from Heaven," recently was published.

Zarley still plays golf occasionally and met Tiger Woods at a pro- am.

"He was standing 2 feet behind my ball, talking to people, and I was ready to hit," Zarley said. "I said, 'Hey, Tiger, get out of my way. I've got to hit.' Then I stuck out my hand and introduced myself.

"I don't think he knew who I was."

(Copyright 2009, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)

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