Big dreams on the green

By Gerald Frazier
Daily Forty-Niner

Tiger Woods may be the most recognized name in the world of golf today, but in a few years you might want to mention John Mallinger too.

Senior John Mallinger is currently the team captain of the Long Beach State men's golf team. The Escondido High School graduate has played in 24 career tournaments with LBSU, shot 68 rounds with 5,097 strokes and an average of 74.96.

Mallinger has placed in the Top 10 four times and in the Top 20 nine times.

As team captain, Mallinger has a lot of responsibilities. Men's golf Coach Bob Livingstone said Mallinger is probably the best at understanding how to juggle golf and school. He has not missed any classes so far this year.

"He is the leader," Livingstone said. "He leads by example."

Mallinger said he finds it easy being the leader of this close-knit team.

"I like our team's work ethic, our team is really disciplined," Mallinger said. "We communicate really well with each other, and that has really helped."

Malinger started his career with the 49ers in 1997.

"I felt I could help out if I came here and hopefully turn the program into national material," Mallinger said.

After playing many sports, Mallinger decided to stay with golf in the eighth grade, and has been playing for nine years.

There is always something to work on in golf, Mallinger said. "You can never perfect the game," he said.

Mallinger has set many goals for his senior year. His ultimate goal is to win a tournament, he said.

"I have high expectations," Mallinger said. "My second goal is to get player of the year for the Big West."

Next winter, Mallinger plans to take his clubs to the pros.

"This is something I want to do for a living," he said. "I will probably turn pro in about a year and a half."

Mallinger's first goal as a pro is to join the PGA Tour, and his second is to play the State Open.

But if Mallinger does not make the tour, it will not be due to lack of hard work.
 
"I practice everyday," he said. "I try to practice 360 days a year."

Mallinger said he does not pattern his game after anyone.

"I try to work on my own game," he said. "You have to play your own game and play to your strengths, everyone is different."

Mallinger's preparation for tournaments is simple.

"I try not to analyze the golf course too much," he said. "I use the practice round as my routine, because each course is different I have to know where to hit it and where not to."

Having the right attitude is also important in preparation for golf, and Mallinger definitely has that.

"You need to be a pretty positive person," Mallinger said. "You can not get too excited or too upset, there are times to get upset and there are times not to."

Mallinger has learned to translate those attitudes for golf into other aspects of his life.

"I find myself never missing class, I never miss stuff," Mallinger said. "I find myself under control."