Andrew Ogata

Interview With Andrew Ogata 1st Assistant Golf Professional Arrowhead Golf Club

A Light Hearted Golf Q & A Interview

By Brian Weis

Below is an interview with Andrew Ogata, the 1st Assistant Golf Professional at Arrowhead Golf Club. The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

Can you provide our readers a brief biography?
I grew up watching the game and playing on the weekends with my father. Since I could walk I had a golf club in my hands and swing that club every chance I got. I'm glad I get the chance everyday to help young kids learn the game of golf and help them enjoy the sport as much as I did growing up. I'm currently the 1st Assistant Golf Professional at Arrowhead Golf Course in Wheaton and I couldn't have asked for a better place to call my home.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you to the game?
My Father was the reason I got into the game. At the age of 5 I was swinging the club in the back yard with dad on the weekends begging Dad to take me to the driving range. If it weren't for my father I don't think I would be where I'm at today and have such a love for the game.

What is your current home course?
My Home course is Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton, IL

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment?
Last year I had a chance to coach my first PGA Junior League team. I had a young junior on the first match of the season had a 20 foot putt for birdie. I told him to have some fun and make this putt, he responded " Coach, I'm not a good putter". I proceeded to give him thumbs up and told him to think positive and what do ya know, he made the putt with the biggest smile I've ever seen. To this day that was my proudest moment a golfer.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
I just can't stand it when people don't treat the course with respect. Fix your ball marks and replace your divots thats all any golfer could ask for.

What is your favorite club in your bag and why?
I just love my driver. Who doesn't like to see the ball go far?

What is your favorite golf destination?
I have always wanted to see Augusta during the Masters.

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
I would have to say Augusta hands down.

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
Chicago Golf Club.

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why?
Pace of play!!! I'm a big fan of the wile we're young commercials.

Dream foursome (living)?
Arnold Palmer
Phil Mickelson
Kevin Streelmen

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
Ben Hogan
Sam Sneed
Bobby Jones

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
Long Drives

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
Round of a Life

3) Golfing at the crack of dawn OR twilight?
Crack of dawn

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
Power fade

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
Both!!

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
When ya gotta go ya gotta go

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
Hot dog

8) Around the green, being in sand OR thick rough?
Being in sand

9) Walking OR riding?
Walking

10) Do you carry traditional 3 iron OR hybrid?
Hybrid

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
Long par 5

12) Pants OR Shorts?
Pants

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
Mr. Palmer

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
Beatles

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
Play for fun

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
Bump and run

17) Lay up OR gamble?
Gamble

18) 18 holes OR 36?
36

Revised: 01/13/2015 - Article Viewed 35,545 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.