Bong Lopez: Swing Doctor

"Give me an hour," he challenged, "and let’s see if you’ll like golf."

If ever I harbored any illusions of becoming an Annika Sorenstam or a Heidi Chua, that would have been the defining moment, the turning point of my life.

I should have taken up the challenge of golf coach Bong Lopez. Instead I opted for this interview, and a cheeseburger and ice tea lunch at the clubhouse of the fabled Wack Wack Golf & County Club, where Presidents (from Jose Laurel to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) and champions (all of them, from Ben Arda to Cassius Casas), plus countless duffers of all shapes and sizes, have teed off and putted, birdied and bogeyed over the last half century.

Anthony "Bong" Lopez is the most sought after golf coach in the country today. First timers trying to find a decent swing, fairway veterans hoping to still improve their game as well as serious golfers on the amateur and professional circuits seek out the jovial Bong in his lair at the Manila Southwoods Golf Club in Carmona, Cavite where he is head pro. Bong is also general manager of the Southpoint Driving Range at the Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang, and holds coaching sessions at the golf driving range at the Manila Polo Club two days a week.

Among his current charges are Heidi Chua, who this year swept all three ladies tournaments (the Philippine Open at the Manila Golf Club and the DHL Open in Canlubang, both in January and the Southern Ladies Open in Cebu earlier this month) and Jennifer Rosales, one of two Filipinas (the other is American-born and raised Dorothy Delasin) in the US-LPGA who last year collected over $300,000 in tournament earnings. Bong is presently in Australia, accompanying Jennifer at a tournament there.

Bong also coaches many of the top players in the men’s circuit, including Jerome Delariarte, Marlon Dizon and Angelo Que.

There are many others who seek him out who may never win a trophy or even qualify for a tournament, but Bong teaches them with as much enthusiasm–and very generous doses of patience, encouragement and good humor. He’s never given up on or turned away a student; not even the one who hit him on the head with her swing some years back–"I literally saw stars," he recalls. She came back after a month for more (badly needed) lessons, and Bong took her back.

"Anyone can play," Bong says with a bright smile, "basta may dalawang kamay at gusto mong pumalo ng bola na hindi gumagalaw (as long as you have two hands and want to hit a ball that doesn’t move)." He belies the notion that one has to be big-bodied or extremely strong to be a good golfer; he says it’s more of hand and eye coordination and body synchronization that determine a good game.

Surprisingly, Bong reveals that he likes to teach beginners. "They start from zero," he relates, "and when they get it, pag may porma na at lumilipad ang bola, it’s a good feeling."

He considers teaching golf as a science, although he subscribes to the Nicklaus philosophy that "teaching is entertainment". He studied with Jim Flick and other teaching pros at the Jack Nicklaus Teaching Academy in Arizona, Florida and New York. He also regularly attends seminars at the Nicklaus Golf Academy, spending at least two weeks every year to brush up on advances in the profession.

But Bong looks for the motivation that comes from within the student. The desire to practice, to correct a swing or any other aspect of the game must start with the student. "He will never force anything on you," shares Heidi. "He waits for you to approach him. So when he makes parinig and says, ‘O Heidi, kailan na tayo mag-practice’ I know that oh-oh, I’m doing something really bad!"

Bong is a third generation golfer, following his grandfather and father’s footsteps on the fairways. He started out in the junior golf circuit in his native Davao, going on to become national boys’ and juniors’ champion, and Asian junior champion in 1982.

He was on the Philippine amateur team from 1986 to 1993, capping his stint with a 1993 SEA Games gold medal teamed up with fellow national champions Ramon Brobio, Cassius Casas and Vince Lauron. He also has a pair of Putra Cup titles in his bag (1986 and 1990).

He has mixed views about the current popularity of golf across the country. While the sport has achieved a niche in mainstream society, he laments the fact that caddies don’t get to play as much anymore and are not given as many breaks. "Wala nang caddie sa national team," he points out, unlike in the past when the likes of the legendary Ben Arda and Celestino Tugot, Robert Pactolerin and Cassius Casas rose from the ranks to dominate the sport.

"But it’s good that more people are playing golf," he smiles. And if Bong Lopez has any say about it, they’ll be swinging and putting with accuracy, style and grace–and enjoying every minute of it.