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Rich Reiber's gamble becomes a new career Rich Reiber took a gamble on golf and it's paying off wonderfully. The new teaching professional at Eagle Point Golf Course made a wager with his uncle two Thanksgivings ago. Reiber, then about a 15-handicapper, told his uncle, Bob Blechschmitt, that he could lower his handicap to single digits in a year's time. Bob cried U.N.C.L.E. No way, he said. Yes way, said Reiber, who then bet $500 he could. Uncle Bob jumped before the window of opportunity closed. "That was really good incentive," Reiber now says. When the deadline arrived last November, Reiber was down to a 6 and happily declared the bet a wash. "I couldn't take money from my uncle," he says. What he did take away is a new career. Reiber, 35, moved to Medford 11/2 years ago from Susanville, Calif., where he operated his father's business that offers services for the developmentally disabled. He was successful enough to enter semiretirement and devote considerable time to golf after moving north. Upon taking lessons from Bill Shearin, the teaching pro at Eagle Point, Reiber was offered a teaching position of his own early this year. The idea is he'll work toward becoming a PGA professional. To that end, Reiber, who now has a 5.5 handicap - he shot even par at Eagle Point this week - will take his player's ability test June 4 at Green Tree Golf Club in Vacaville, Calif. He'll need to shoot about a 150 over 36 holes in one day to pass. If he does, he'll become Eagle Point's non-member head pro and continue to take tests necessary to complete the PGA program. Reiber, who grew up in Moraga, Calif., began his professional life as a deputy sheriff in Santa Rosa, Calif., but had to leave the job following back surgery. "My true love at the time," he says, "was to become a cop, and I fulfilled that." Now he's finding that he loves golf and helping others with their games. Reiber estimates his clientele has reached about 30 and they seem to be happy with the results. His credo is to keep it simple: get a good base with the legs and hips, concentrate on making solid contact - regardless of the ball flight - then getting into the shot. "What I find with most students is the brain gets in the way," he says. "During their swing, they're thinking, 'I've got to do this, this, this and this.' That doesn't work. You have to have a good setup, but once you take the club away from the ball, you shouldn't have any thoughts. You have to have good feel." Reiber is particularly gratified when clients start hitting clubs they've never pulled out of their bag, like the driver, 3-wood or 4-iron. "It's neat to see them smile and know I had a little to do with helping them understand the golf game," he says. * * * DEMO DAYS: There's another neat thing happening at Eagle Point that general manager Tony Galpin and Reiber conjured up. Reiber hauls all of the demo clubs in the pro shop out to the driving range each Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - except this Friday - and welcomes the public to try out any they wish. Moreover, the range balls are free, Reiber sometimes has complimentary sleeves of balls to give away and he'll provide a tip or two. Among the clubs he rattled off for use: Hogans, Top Flights, Wilsons and Bob Toskies. The benefit of trying out clubs on a driving range versus indoors with a net is that you get to see the ball flight. Reiber says the top selling irons are Hogans. For a driver, Wilson has come out with an apple-red Fat Shaft that Reiber says has drawn raves. * * * SPEAKING OF Eagle Point, Dennis Erickson, the Oregon State football coach, was out there a week ago for the Orange and Black Caravan tournament. Once we got the requisite football talk out of the way, the really important subject of golf was tackled. Erickson plays at Corvallis Country Club and sports a 16 handicap. Asked if it was legitimate, he nodded that it was. He hasn't had much time this spring to play, but intends to do so before football heats up again. "I love to play golf," he said, adding that his game "is shaky, but it's gonna get better." It did so fast. He shot 39-42 for an 81 from the gold tees. Have a local golf story idea? Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.