Tommy Robinson ... Up close and personal

By now most of Tommy Robinson's colleagues and assorted acquaintances know the GCSAA Class A superintendent is teeing it up this week in the U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor's East Course in Colorado Springs. But there probably are a few interesting things about the 31-year GCSAA member many of them don't know.

So, with an assist here and there from the USGA's tournament Player Guide, did you know ...

-- That Tommy actually tried to qualify for the Champions Tour back in 2002 when he turned 50, but withdrew after three rounds when he suddenly decided he liked being a greenkeeper more than a touring pro. Enlightened myself by this nugget of fact, I asked him Wednesday about his change of heart. "I really got to thinking the more I was playing and looking around at everything (at the qualifying school)," he said. "Finally, I told myself I don't want to do this for a living. I mean, think about 28 or so weeks a year on the road, hotels, looking for places to eat, worrying about making enough money, and all that ... I don't regret it."

-- That Tommy and Broadmoor's director of golf course maintenance, Fred Dickman, both hail from Deerfield, Ill. Robinson, in fact, has known Dickman's father, Fred, for more than 40 years. The elder Dickman was a former teacher and coach at Deerfield High and currently teaches in the park district near Robinson's course, Ravinia Green CC, for more than 40 years.

-- That Tommy's hobby is collecting Lionel model trains. Also, he dabbles in making stained glass windows in the winter off-season.

-- That just prior to coming to Colorado Springs for the Senior Open Tommy strained his right elbow moving a large rock at Ravinia Green. He had a cortisone shot before he left and says the elbow feels pretty good. "I need to remember to have the younger guys on the staff do things like that," he said.