Air Force Reservist Is Granted Leave From Overseas To Watch Daughter Play

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Fort Worth, Texas – Sometimes life needs perspective.

For one player in the field, life's perception isn't shaped by golf but by world affairs. Golf merely serves as an outlet.

Mallory Hetzel, a sprite 17-year-old from Summerville, S.C., walked off the ninth hole to complete her round Tuesday, locking in on her father, Doug. Never mind she shot even-par 71, six strokes better than in the first round, or that it put her on the bubble to make match play, something she has never missed in the two previous times she's competed in the championship.

It was just good to see her father's face.

Last November Doug, an Air Force Reservist, got the news he was being activated. A pilot for a U.S. commercial airline, he was deployed in February to a base in Europe leaving behind wife Harriett and two other children, Lauren, 14, and 8-year-old Douglas. He'll be on active duty until February.

His mission? To fly a C-17 airplane packed with supplies to Afghanistan and Iraq. It's generally big things that other planes can't transport, he said. Recent events of kidnappings, beheadings and instability within the two nations accentuates his awareness of the inherit danger. His assignments, fortunately, keep him out of dicey ground situations. He doesn't worry too much about his own safety except when he reaches a particular destination.

“I say no, but our missions are long lengths,” he said. “It's five hours to Iraq. It's four hours and 30 minutes of boredom, but the last 30 minutes can get exciting.

“It's a little uneasy, but I wouldn't say it's frightening. It does get your attention. But it's a lot like golf. You have to concentrate on your job and not lose focus.”

“I worry about him a little bit, but he knows what he's doing,” said Mallory, the Carolinas Golf Association Player of the Year in 2003.

Several months ago, with the Girls' Junior on his radar, Doug approached his superior officer about being on leave this week so he could watch Mallory play. There was more than the father-daughter dynamic at stake. He has a vested interest in Mallory's results because he also serves as her swing coach. Plus,

There have been times, Mallory admitted, that she'd be working on her game and something didn't feel quite right. Instead of being able to summon dad, she'd work harder or self-correct herself.

She's relied on his expertise this week, discussing technique after Monday's first round and other facets of her game that might need to be improved to get her into match play.

“I'm really glad he's here, he helps me out,” said Mallory. “It seems everyone here has a posse of three or four people with them. Well, he's my one-man posse.”   

It wasn't too difficult to get the time off, Doug said, because he normally works on a two-to-three rotation between being in the U.S. and Europe. The family does get to see him, however brief the stays may be.

“I don't feel it's that bad when you start looking at the guys who have been in Baghdad a long time, because we have a chance to come back,” said Doug.

In any event, he was thrilled to arrive from overseas Sunday and be able to watch all of Mallory's 36 holes thus far.

“This is wonderful,” he said. “This is the tournament you do not want to miss.”

So as Mallory made it off the hilly ninth green, the two didn't need to say anything. They exchanged stares, Doug's replete with happiness that seemed to say “job well done.” There were no tear-jerking embraces or breakdowns. Just smiles and playful words.

Just a proud, happy family walking off to get a bite to eat, maybe get a glimpse of the scoreboard and partake in other vagaries of life.

Ken Klavon is the USGA Web Editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.  

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