Blair started playing golf himself a little later in life than the average professional. After graduating from Thomas Edison College in New Jersey, Blair first picked a club at age 25 and soon became a competitor. Now he plays in 10-12 Pro-Ams each year and has teed it up in the Oregon State Open for eight years. A teacher for the past 15 years, Blair decided to focus on golf because at any level, it always presents new challenges.

According to Blair, beginners should practice good contact and good finish balance. Intermediate players need to develop a punch shot with most clubs. Blair uses a drill to help these players build this skill: he teaches them to use three different clubs for one distance and one club for three different distances, alternating between the two. Advanced players are advised to work on a great, long, straight drive and to become "greenside experts." Super putting is also a key objective.

"Students can expect from me a complete review of the basics," notes Blair. "Grip, aim, stance, posture and balance. I give each student one to three things to work on, which I explain in many ways." Blair taught his Club's "Most Improved Player" in this manner, working with him for 45 minutes on the basics and then dropping him to 20 minute sessions on short topics. "This fit his concentration," says Blair, "and he was more willing to practice one small thing at a time."

Blair practices his own game by chipping and putting first, then he heads for the range where he will hit a lot of irons - punch shots, full draws and fades. Next he'll take some swings with his 4-iron, wedge and driver, and then he's ready to tee it up for a full round. The hardest shots for Blair are the 50-, 40-, 30-yarders that you feel you have to get up and down 50% of the time. The shot he loves to make is a 5-iron draw to a pin tucked back left.

Blair recalls one of his best shots ever was thanks to his sand wedge, however. "I was on the 12th hole at Sunriver Woodlands," says Blair, whose story happens to take place on his favorite course to play. "I hit a beautiful drive that just leaked into the fairway bunker. I clipped out a great 7-iron which just made the backside bunker. Downhill, just 12 steps away and feeling blue, I sliced under the ball just right and rolled it into the cup from that backside bunker for a 'double-sandie' birdie!"

Perhaps Blair was thinking of his advice for golfers who are in trouble during a round: 
play for par, pray for birdie.

Though Blair claims he has no superstitions about the game of golf, he coordinates the colors black and blue when dressing for 18. He is often inspired by watching the full swings of Davis Love III, Steve Elkington and Peter Jacobsen, and if could take a vacation just to play golf, he'd hop a plane to Scotland in a heartbeat.

Blair and his wife, Mary Ann, have been married for 20 years, and they've lived in Wilsonville, Oregon for the past six. When he's not on the course, you might find Blair on the courts, serving up aces or whacking a few backhands down the line. He also likes to fish. For help in getting better at your game, e-mail Tom Blair at blairtom@earthlink.net. Thanks, Tom!