Dave Harner

Interview With Dave Harner, PGA Director of Golf Operations, French Lick

A Light Hearted Golf Q & A Interview

By Brian Weis

Below is an interview with Dave Harner, PGA Director of Golf Operations at French Lick Resort. The man on the ground in French Lick is long-time PGA Member and Director of Golf Dave Harner. Dave jokes that he just a "balls-n-sticks" kind of guy. If you knew Dave at all, you would know what an understatement this is! You cannot talk about the world-class golf available at French Lick, including the new Pete Dye Course, without crediting Dave Harner. A fixture at the resort for more than three decades, Dave is much more than golf professional; he is an incredible spirit whose legacy in French Lick is undeniable-From French Licks PR Firm.

The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you do the game?
Started being interested in golf as a 10 year old, caddying for my Grandfather.

What is your current home course?
French Lick Resort

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment in golf is the rebirth of golf in French Lick, seeing the project through start to finish and seeing the lives the project has impacted.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
People who aren't what they say they are and people who cheat at golf.

What is your favorite golf destination?
2nd behind French Lick Resort (of course it is number 1) would have to be the Orlando area, so many great courses there

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
St. Andrews

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
I really enjoy any classic design, something pre 1940 or so, it could be any as long as it was fairly original.

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why?
Get rid of out of bounds, play all boundaries as laterals to speed play!

Dream foursome (living)?
Tiger
Phil
Sergio
Rory McIlroy

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
Sam Snead
Jack Nicklaus
Arnold Palmer
Tiger Woods
All in their prime!

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
PUTT

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
HOLE IN ONE

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

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
DRAW

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
BEV CART

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
WHICH EVER IS CLOSEST!!

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
DOG

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

9) Walking OR riding?
RIDING

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

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
NEITHER!!!

12) Pants OR Shorts?
PANTS

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
PALMER

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
ELVIS

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
BOTH

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
BUMP AND RUN

17) Lay up OR gamble?
LAY UP

18) 18 holes OR 36?
36

Article Tags: Interview With Dave Harner

Revised: 10/04/2011 - Article Viewed 34,046 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.