(Editor's Note: Tim Robinson interviewed Tom Brandes, a member of Rainier Golf and Country Club, who recently competed in the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament in Indiana. Jerry Robinson added a footnote.)

What was your first time? Your first date, your first day on the job. Maybe the first sale you made? Your first recital or possibly public speaking? You were nervous.
Now double that and you have amateur golfer Tom Brandes at the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament in Carmel, Indiana early in August.
"Oh man," Brandes remarked. "I was told be ready for the crowds.
"Honestly it was difficult. You have fear of letting them down. I felt like I was running the gauntlet."
With daily crowds of 25,000 spectators and as many as 5,000 people surrounding a particular hole, the task of making a good golf shot can be daunting.
Even for a 15-time winner of the Rainier Golf and Country Club championship.
Brandes, 53, qualified for entry into the senior tournament by besting the field at Bellingham Country Club last June.
"I shot 37 on the front nine and felt like I was out contention," Brandes said.
He got excited when he learned he wasn't, turning up the heat to finish with a 31 and 68 total, edging Jeff Coston's 69. It got him into the open championship.
Carmel, Indiana is a long way from Eugene, Oregon where Tom played baseball and only took up golf because it looked like fun. A natural athlete and self taught, Tom moved to Washington after high school to attend Seattle University.
Looking for a game locally took him to several public courses. He polished his game and settled down to begin raising his family.
He joined Rainier Golf and Country Club. Never a serious player, he liked to play Sundays and Wednesday with a regular group.
Tom's job keeps him pretty busy. He works on highway products like those overhead signs directing drivers. Also those crash cushions at off ramps, but you won't find him emulating those on the golf course.
He's as steady as his short game showed at the Crooked Stick Club.
"I hit a wedge on the 18th hole that stopped a inch from the hole," Tom said proudly.
It was the second of two load roars he got from the gallery making the hair stand up on his neck. The other was dropping a 60-ft double breaking putt for birdie.
Brother Dick assisted on the bag during a practice round with Bruce Lietzke, Jerry Pate and Jay Haas. Tom was having the time of his life. Wife Susan and daughter Kate and son Peter joined the trip. Peter, 16, caddied during the tourney.
The kindness they received was remarkable.
"The fans and volunteers were very hospitable," Tom said.
But not enough to release the tension of being in that environment.
"I did not sleep well," he added. His worry about not playing well was eased by players he met who commented on his swing. He caught the eye of more than one pro with questions.
Answering inquiries about his college golf (he did not play in college) or why he did not try tournament golf sooner (travel and time away from family,) Tom commented, "I'm just a homebody."
He said, even though he is an accomplished player, trying to keep a pro golfer's schedule of competition did not suit his lifestyle. He feels he plays well because he does not practice relentlessly. Something many players feel they need to do to play successfully.
Was Crooked Stick difficult?
"If I played it more often I could play well there," Tom said.
He shot 79 one day of the three and commented that the fairways were firm and fast, hitting through them on most of the nine doglegs on the course.
He even got suggestions from his wife Susan that maybe a 3-wood was more appropriate since his driver (300 yds. +) was hitting the fairway, but running out into thick rough many times.
The greens were fast and slick, but something he was used to at Rainier.
Former Rainier Club member and nationally renowned golf teacher Jim McLean set up his practice round with Lietzke, Pate and Haas.
"Jim knows those players and asked to have me play in their group. He also told to them be tough on me--that I can "take it," Tom said with a smile.
McLean was at the tourney helping touring pro Greg Norman (66 in round 1). Eventual winner Fred Funk shot 20-under par, a tourney record.
Having the chance to play at that level was meaningful. Tom met well-known, successful players (Bernhard Langer is in great shape--"like a Whippet" and Greg Norman who is physically fit like Tom. But Craig Stadler won Tom's admiration as a nice gentleman.
Tom saw the support systems at the tourney. The vendor trailers, the marketing guys attempting to lure players to their products. They offered free demos, club fitting and other incentives. Tom kept his distance.
He accepted the numerous golf balls, even a gift of a "carry bag" provided here from local supporters.
Will he try to get back to the tourney next year? Certainly, but for the time being he'll remain a "family guy."

Footnote: Some effective early training
Like a lot of high handicappers, I was dazzled by Tom's grace with a conversation as well as a golf club and asked him about his training one day while we were on the driving range.
He came from the Portland area like me and told me he was just a kid in Tigard, working with his father driving spikes into railroad ties with a huge steel mallet, Maybe 12 pounds.
He knew he could not swing it like his dad so he slowed his backswing deliberately up to the top and just let the huge hammerhead do its job on the downswing.
-Jerry Robinson