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Hosek works on game and helps others By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN Ryan Hosek of Medford has taken a unique position as a teacher at Club Mediterranean golf resort in Port Lucie, Fla. Hosek, 23, a former North Medford High golfer who is on leave of absence from his job as teacher and salesman for Golf Headquarters of Medford, formerly known as Nevada Bob's, teaches 10 hours a day. After work, he hits the driving range to work on his own game. Club Med features three golf courses, extensive teaching facilities, numerous restaurants and lounges, hotels, swimming pools, tennis courts and the biggest and best play area of all -- the nearby ocean. Also on the grounds is a circus to help the club provide entertainment for family members of all ages. Hosek says he's teaching primarily advanced golfers. "I started out with beginners," he says. "After they saw what I could do, I got to move up to the advanced level to work with people." Vacationing golfers pay up to $1,600 per week to spend a week at Club Med. But they get more than golf lessons for their money. "It covers their air fare to and from the resort, their hotel and food bills and their golf," says Hosek. "It's really a good deal." Hosek says he makes a modest monthly salary, but he gets free room and board, free golf and unlimited use of all facilities. "Actually, it's a way for me to save some money, have a good time and work on my golf game," says Hosek, who plans to play California and Texas mini-tour events again in the spring and summer. He played in a few mini-tour events last year, but had minimal success. Hosek says his work and play in Florida is helping to rekindle his enthusiasm for playing professional golf. Part of his job is to mingle with the club members, pamper them, teach them golf and add to the quality of their stay. "I do whatever they want as part of my job," he says. "I usually eat with them, and I've been known to dance with them at night." "The way I look at it, I'm down here in Florida, tuning my game. I feel my swing is real smooth right now. I'm working hard, and I have one of the teachers working for me down here. I think that will help. "I really like teaching, but right now I want to concentrate on playing professionally," says Hosek. "I'm optimistic I can have success. Playing professional golf is what I really want to do." THE SIGN OUT FRONT still reads "Nevada Bob's." Inside, the merchandise remains much the same, although it's growing by the day, according to Dick Tyler, manager of the new Golf Headquarters store in the Medford Center. The store was known as Nevada Bob's for nearly two years, but that chain has been failing throughout the West for the last two years. Golf Headquarters is a national organization that will give the shop a better identity, a larger inventory of golf equipment and an upgrade of apparel, says Tyler. "We're beefing up our merchandise and making a major change in our clothing line," says Tyler, a member of Grants Pass Golf and Country Club and a local golfer who hopes his knowledge of golf in the Rogue Valley will allow him to order things that local golfers like. "Our store is already starting to fill up," says Tyler. "Right now, it looks empty compared to what it will look like in a few months." Tyler says Golf Headquarters will have such a large stock of inventory, the store might have to eventually relocate. "We're going to have at least 200 sets of clubs, and top-of-the-line clothing by Ashworth, Nike and others," says Tyler. "We plan to have a large inventory of women's clothing, which we haven't had here." Tyler has been a member of Grants Pass Golf and Country Club for 15 years. He plays regularly in local tournaments, including most events at his club. That makes him knowledgeable of what other golf shops in the Rogue Valley offer and what golfers want to see on the shelves. "We want to have the largest inventory of any pro shop in Southern Oregon," he says. "We want people to recognize us as the leader. "Our golden rule here is to only sell a piece of equipment to a golfer we know it will help. If not, we won't sell it. What it means is that our people are going to have to know the equipment they sell." (Randy Hammericksen is the Mail Tribune's sports columnist. He can be reached at 776-4499 or at [email protected] ) Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA