Art Sellinger

Each September in the late 80's I would come to Albuquerque for 10-14 days to get away and try to find both my mental and physical competitive side prior to competing in the National Long Drive Championship.   I would usually hit some balls for Jack early in the morning followed by practice at UNM South and then play with the Lobo team each afternoon.  This was in the days of Kent Jones, Tim Herron, Mike Ambriz and Brian Kortan and many other accomplished players.  I always felt like I was ready to win the championship after my time in Albuquerque.

After spending some time with Jack I felt comfortable letting him share his thoughts to get me in the best ready position for speed with the driver.  Jack knew I was the type of player who would flip the switch when the lights went on or a crowd showed up so we didn't let these sessions dictate the direction I was going.  I felt if he could get me striping my irons in these sessions it would fall into place with my driver.  Jack used video extensively during these lessons an always had these incredible analogies, many of which I thought were humorous and some I didn't understand.   He just said what came in his head, such as he wanted me "Cat Like" at address, basically in an attack position so I could get in the best smash position at impact.

On one particular day we were working on the back right portion of the range and I was struck on the left side of my rib cage by an errant pulled shot off the first tee.  I went down like I was hit by a bullet.  Jack was wired for sound that day as usual and as I went down, he said "Oh my God, what did you do? Rip your Wrist?"  (I had a bad left wrist that was heavily taped at the time)  It took me about 15 seconds to be able to speak and  I informed him I was hit by a ball.  "Oh my God"  we've been hit" he said.    I was down for about 90 seconds and fortunately shook it off, I had way to much padding around my mid-section then so I was just a little sore for a couple of days.  Jack was frantic, he added incredible humor to a scary situation.

I looked back at the tapes every now and then and listening to Jack, I have to say he really was excellent at his craft.  He made the choice to not get to technical with me but rather get me thinking about better tempo, transition and balance.  He never once mentioned the swing plane or club-face in a lesson.  He knew I could find the ball, he just wanted it in the right sequence with the body.

Jack was the whole package, an entertainer, motivator and great teacher.

Art Sellinger

Trey & Linda Barsalou

We met Jack Hardwick through Bill Loftin and his to be wife Julie Box at South West Texas State College where Bill and Jack were on the Golf Team. Bill was wild and crazy on and off the golf course; Jack was patient and steady in his life and as a golfer. Jack sold me my first set of golf clubs, a used set of persimmon head Wilson Staffs, that he had gotten from his Dad. One humorous story about Jack shows how fiscally tight he was at that time. Many times during that spring and summer when we were in school he would come over to our apartment to eat lunch with us. He always brought his own lunch in a brown paper bag and his favorite soft drink in a bottle. We would sit on the steps and eat lunch and when finished he would always be sure to take is empty soft drink bottle so he could get his 2 cent refund back at the store.

He was a great guy and we still miss him.

Trey and Linda Barsalou

Kelly Hardwick

I would like to share this story of my dad.

While I was growing up, my dad would take me to Texas every year for Spring break to visit friends and play golf for a week. We would play anywhere from 54 to 72 holes per day for 5 days! I have so many great memories of these trips with my dad. This one stands out in my heart.

I was around 16 years old and the night before my dad and I were flying to Houston for our annual trip. I decided to play a practical joke on him. I went into his room and found his suitcase packed and ready to go. I proceeded to reach into his bag and remove all of his underwear. I took them and placed them in my bag. After this, I grabbed a handful of my mom's underwear and placed it inside of my dad's bag. I couldn't wait for him to open his bag after we arrived and find nothing but women's underwear in place of his own. We arrived late the next day. The next morning I heard my dad getting showered and ready to hit the course. He comes into the room to get his underwear, but instead finds my joke! It was great and I was laughing hysterically.  Of course it is what my dad said next that will remind you of how funny he was and how he took things in stride and could laugh at anything. We got to the course and my dad says that he forgot his panteeeezzz. Year after year that was a running joke. Dad loved to say.. "I forgot my Panteeeezzz".. And we would all laugh, because we knew how it all originated.

Jack Hardwick. The man who loved to say..

"I'll bet you $2 to a hole in a doughnut"  (I still don't understand this one..hahaha)

"MotherScratcher"

"Awwh Geeeeezzz"

"Awwh Crap"

"Let the Big Dog Eat"

"Bite"

And... "I forgot my panteeeezzz"

LOL!!! =O)

Rob Lowry

Several years ago my father broke his neck during a fishing trip on the Gila River and a visitor, friend, and college came to the rescue.

Well to make a long story short for the weeks after his accident Jack came by the hospital and the house talking to him about how things happen for a reason and to look at his future in a different light.

Jack would bring instructional material like golf books and videos on the golf swing and spend hours talking to dad about how he had both the technical understanding and the communication skills to become a great instructor of the golf swing.

I ask myself every day if I was in his shoes would I take time away from family and everyday responsibilities to guide someone to help them see the positive side of life's ups and downs.  Jack has motivated and inspired many people and I am glad to have had the opportunity to see his devotion to family and friends.  Don't get me wrong Jack was a great instructor and he has helped me become the best instructor I can be with his subtle questions like "That move at the top is interesting what does it feel like I've never been able to get my hands in that position" and "When you are practicing do you practice with the same intensity like when you play", don't forget "Bueno Bye"!  In my heart and with every ounce of belief in Jack "the man" his greatest lesson he gave me was how to be in life and the life lessons out side of golf!  I still remember the phone conversations with my father during his recovery and how excited he was about all the ideas, discoveries, and theories the two of them were working on.

The Jack I know and remember the most was the one off the course and that's the one I look up to and still us as my inspiration.

Your Devoted Student,

Rob Lowry

Sandy Schlameus

Sonny and I married during college and lived in a 2nd story apartment in San Marcos, courtesy of his Grandmother.  It was summer, very hot!  One business under us on the first floor was a dry cleaners with a couple of  steam irons going all day, so the floors stayed warm .  Sonny's folks sprang for a window air conditioner for our bedroom. We were newly weds.  Here came Jack, Mr. College Guy--He had a part time job and was golfing for the team and needed a place to stay for a few weeks before school started.  Fine, we had an extra bedroom and there was no problem.  One night, I woke up  to go to the potty and came back into the room and there was soft snoring coming from the other side of the bed and down on the floor!  Jack had brought a quilt and pillow into the cool room to sleep!!!  We had a good laugh in the morning and we never found out how often he slept with us.  He was a really a very good Friend and golfing buddy of Sonny's.

Sandy Schlameus

Bob Meiering

Jack was a ferocious teacher, which contributed to the success of a modest nine-hole golf course in not the best location in Albuquerque. Jack's presence projected "class" which translated into 60 to 70 thousand rounds a year at Puerto del Sol. Jack consistently gave 2000 private lessons a year and a multitude of clinics but he amazingly projected endless enthusiasm with each and every student.

During the last years before his death, he was attracting many aspiring tour players. I have no doubt if Jack were alive today, he would be recognized as one of the top 20 teachers in the world-an icon of his time.

Bob Meiering

PGA Professional

Friend and Business Associate with Jack Hardwick

Erik Harp

JACK HARDWICK

"THE TEACHERS ­ TEACHER"

JACK HARDWICK, MY GOLF TEACHER, MY FRIEND, MY MENTOR! LET ME START BY SAYING JACK HARDWICK WAS NOT ONLY A WORLD CLASS GOLF INSTRUCTOR, BUT AN EVEN BETTER PERSON! I HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF LIVING WITH JACK HARDWICK AND HIS WIFE KAREN DURING MY COLLEGE GOLF CAREER AT UNM! THE TWO OF THEM ARE THE SWEETEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD! THEY BOTH WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO TAKE CARE OF ME AT A TIME WHEN I REALLY NEEDED IT!

I HAVE SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES OF THE GREAT JACK HARDWICK . . . WHERE DO I START . . .- WHEN I WORKED AT PDS I CALLED JACKS LESSONS THE DAY PRIOR ­ I CAN REMEMBER HE WOULD BE BOOKED (OTHER THAN A 15MIN BREAK HERE OR THERE) FROM 8AM IN THE MORN TIL 11PM AT NIGHT (NIGHT RANGE STYLE) THAT'S HOW POPULAR HE WAS! I CAN SEE HIM NOW TEACHING IN HIS WRANGLERS AND ROPER COWBOY BOOTS WITH HIS SANFORD AND SON GOLF CART EQUIPED WITH ALMOST EVERY TEACHING AID AVAILABLE!

MY FONDEST MEMORY OF THE GREAT JACK WAS WHEN HE AND I WOULD GET TOGETHER IN HIS LIVING ROOM AND WATCH GOLF WHICH HE RECORDED ON VCR ­ HE WOULD LITERALLY FALL ASLEEP DURING THE GOLF (THE REAL ACTION) BUT THE SECOND A COMMERICAL WOULD COME ON HE WOULD AWAKE, FAST FORWARD AND FALL BACK ASLEEP. WHEN THE GOLF COME ON THE DANGEST THING I EVER SAW IT WAS HILLAROUS!

WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THE MAN JACK HARDWICK WAS ON AND OFF THE LESSON TEE! THAT HARDWICK SMILE AND HUMOR IS UNFORGETTABLE ­ I CAN'T WAIT TO JOIN JACK IN HEAVEN FOR MY FIRST ROUND OF GOLF (I'M SURE HE WILL BE ABLE TO FIX MY JACKED UP GOLF SWING! PRAISE THE LORD!)

GOD BLESS YOU HARDWICKS

ERIK HARP, DIRECTOR OF GOLF CHAMISA HILLS CC

Jack Hardwick

April 1, 1992

Guy and Bob,

Today marks 15 years with New Mexico Golf and Jack Hardwick. It's been a great ride. Very rewarding in several areas. Financially, it has been a way to earn a nice living at something I really enjoy. Professionally, it has helped me to attain some very satisfying goals and to achieve a certain amount of recognition in our business. Mentally and emotionally it has made both me and my family happy due to all our involvement in this business.

Thanks for the opportunity that you gave me back in 1977.

Your Buddy,

Jack

P.S. Another 15 will just about do it up right!

Bob Lowry

Jack was my mentor and teacher for 8 years. He taught my 3 children Dee Dee, Robbie and Ronnie. We all became golf professionals. I worked in Corporate America and at the age of 45 with the guidance from my team, of which Jack was a key member, I left Corporate America to prepare for the Senior Tour.

Jack and I discussed a back up plan if the dream of playing on the Senior Tour did not work out. After breaking my neck in a life altering accident my career as a senior professional golfer was over.

After several months of rehabilitation Jack came to my home to visit me. He asked me what I wanted to do. I wasn't sure and he reminded me of my plan "B" if I didn't make it on the Senior Tour. I said I still wanted to pursue plan "B". He went to his car and returned with a box of his teaching tapes and he began tutoring on how to teach. My plan "B" began that day and I eventually became a golf instructor. I have been a golf instructor for 16 years. Thanks Jack. I hope you are still enjoying your teaching at your driving range.

Bob Lowry, PGA

Racquel Huslig

I was hitting Range Balls on the range at Puerto Del Sol Golf Course in 1987, my Senior year in High School. I was in between tennis tournaments at the state event and was trying to kill some time rather than waiting around for two hours for my next event.  It was there that I decided to try a golf course. This man drives up to me in a cart, who I later find out is Jack, that looked like something that would put Caddy Shack to shame with all the contraptions, and says ," young lady, do you realize you are hitting that 5-iron 175 yards, mind if I help you."  He takes a big draw of water from his forever used tennis ice cooler with water and he pulls up in his pink Sansabelts and matching pressed shirt. It was from that point that I drafted a full addiction to the game of golf. I took several lessons from Jack, hung out at the course like he was my dad, looked up to him, caddied for him, played in Pro-Am's with him, and just flat out loved that he was my mentor.  His friendship with the University of New Mexico golf coach later earned me a spot on the team and my first ever job in the golf industry at Albuquerque Country Club.  It is now 23 years later, and I have had my Class A in The PGA and LPGA since 1994 and have achieved all I had hoped for in the golf business.

I owe it all to Jack Hardwick for his friendship and his leadership in adopting so many to the game of golf.

Ray Peterek

Dear Jill,

Got your email early this morning and have had it on my mind ever since. Just cannot seem to get it out of my mind. As I sit here watching "The Masters"  I know that I needed to respond. It would be very easy to sit with friends and talk about your Dad for hours upon hours. However when it comes time to put pen to paper and write down things that would go into an article my mind seems to go into a state of lock-down. I don't have a story that is cute or funny. There just is not a story that would do justice. Your Dad's and my story started on a lesson tee in 1980 something as two total strangers that fate had brought together and ended on a Monday evening of disbelief in 1994. Sure there are many recollections, feelings and emotions of days and events between those two dates, however they just seem to all be condensed down into one  great story that I am proud to have been a part of.  Honest, compassionate, caring, that was Jack. Yes, Jack was known as a great Teacher of The Game, a fun and funny person to be around and the glue that seemed to keep us all together. He only used events like the Master's, Pebble, The Super Bowl as excuses to keep us close. Of all these qualities the one thing Jack should always be remembered for is his heart. What Jack may have lacked in physical stature he certainly did not lack in heart. I once kidded him when asked by someone why in the world he wanted to go to Disney. It was so he could see his seven little buddies!

However, make no mistake about it, there was nothing at all small about his heart. Ask those who were fortunate enough to have known him. So maybe I did write a story after all.

Love always, Ray

Jill Spatafore

This moment is clearly etched in my mind, as it was an epiphany for me.  In one brief moment, I saw who my dad really was in his heart.  Back in '89, he had been working with John Purcell to "get him into" the AT&T tournament at Pebble Beach.  John promised that if he made it in, he would fly my dad & family to Pebble Beach to attend the tournament, and he did just that.  We spent the day walking along with the gallery, and at the end of the day, we came across all the golfers from the tournament having drinks at the clubhouse.  I saw John Purcell and urged my dad to join in, "Dad, go over there and have a drink with him."  My dad replied, "Jill, I'm his golf pro."  To which I said, "I know, go join him."  He repeated again, with an emphasis this time, "No, I'm his golf pro."  My brows must have furrowed in confusion at this point, as my dad explained simply, "Honey, that's a servant role."  His humility both surprised me and touched me deeply, and at 19 years old, this struck me so profoundly, that I've carried it with me all my life.  With all his accomplishments, that quiet moment is probably the one of which I am most proud!

Jill Spatafore

Todd Kersting

In 2002, I was given the task from Tony Hidalgo, Director of Golf at New Mexico Golf Ltd. to take my teaching and coaching skills to Puerto del Sol Golf Course to build up the great teaching history it was once known for under the late Jack Hardwick. Even with another great teaching partner, John Kienle, and myself who has been fortunate to be a voted top teacher in New Mexico by my peers, I started to realize even more how big Jack's shoes are to fill. Adding my lessons AND Johns, we can barely get to half the total lessons Jack taught.

The more I teach, the more I realize that no one will top Jack. Its been on my 'bucket list' to tell as many people who will listen, how special Jack was. And as you read about the stories from others who crossed his path, it was not just how he taught the game, but how big his heart, passion, and compassion was to everyone he met.

I've been blessed as well with Jack. My story is when I was at a fork in the road deciding if I too can actually make a living at teaching a game of golf I loved. I will NEVER forget the common phrase that Jack told me one summer day close to 20 years ago. Jack said, "Todd, if your passion is teaching and you strive to be the best teacher you can be, you will not only make a decent living, but more importantly, never work another day in your life".

I am happy to say, I've been retired since 1990. We Miss You Jack!

Todd Kersting

PGA Professional

Director of Golf

Puerto del Sol Golf Course

Nicole Peterek-Anderson

How can anyone find words to explain Jack Hardwick?  CRAZY, wonderful, fun-loving, compassionate and devoted would be a nice start.

Jack's death was sudden. I remember when I heard the news I simply could not believe it - he was too young!  Later it occurred to me that Jack indeed lived his life wonderfully. He lived each day with joy in his heart.  He was passionate about everything he did, especially teaching.  I can still remember clearly the last conversation we had when I told him I thought I wanted to become an elementary teacher. He responded by telling me that he thought teaching was one of the greatest jobs a person could have and he was happy for me.  This caught me off guard because I was fully expecting some typical smart joke from him, but there was a level of seriousness I had never heard in his voice. It held a lot of weight with me because I truly felt like Jack was one of the most talented teachers I had ever seen.  He had a genuine love of teaching because he wanted to help others find joy and contentment.   He taught others that it didn't matter where the ball went, just the progress in the swing.   He taught others the importance of laughing at yourself.  He taught others compassion. He taught me to teach.

He was so special to me and always will be!  In fact, he meant so much to me that when it came time to name my son, I knew his name had to be Jack!

For those of you who never knew Jack Hardwick, you truly missed a great man.

And I imagine if he were here today to read all of these comments, he would say.....

GEEEZZZZ!

grip it and rip it,

Nicole L. Peterek-Anderson