Calkins: Ted Butler is about to teach his 100,000th golf lesson. And he’s not about to stop.
Golf pro Ted Butler — at the driving range of Putt-Putt Golf & Games — has taught 100,000 lessons over his long career. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
The first golf lesson he taught?
Ted Butler can’t remember, exactly.
Maybe 1966. Back home in New Jersey. He had returned from his freshman year at what was then Memphis State.
But Butler wasn’t actually paid to give lessons back then. He helped out at a club in exchange for free golf.
So maybe it was 1970. At Chickasaw Country Club. Back when Butler was trying to make it as a pro.
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Ted Butler David Gossett Rachel Heck Jerry West Penny Hardaway Subscriber OnlyThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
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