Golf is hard, but Matt Schalk appreciative of father/daughter bonding time

COLORADO SPRINGS – Like any regular player on a golf course, Matt Schalk is quick to beat himself up after hitting a bad shot.

Ask him about his daughter, though, and he’s quicker to get emotional.

The PGA general manager at Colorado National has been tied to his daughter Hailey through golf for her entire life. He helped guide her to becoming one of the top junior players in the state and a three-time girls golf state champion when she played at Holy Family.

The only thing that could stop her from winning a fourth was a global pandemic.

But now, it’s her turn to guide her dad. She’s caddying for him as he competes at the 45th U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

Schalk fired a 6-over-par 76 in Round 1. That’s enough strokes to play a long game of What If?

But when thinking about getting to share the experience with Hailey, Matt couldn’t get a full thought out before nearly bursting into tears.

“It’s special to be here, obviously, with your daughter,” Matt said as he fought back emotion. “Sorry… I can never do this. I do this every time. It’s really special. You’re playing a game that’s so male dominant and you get to be out here with your daughter… it’s amazing to share it with her. She keeps me grounded and she’s a big part of my success.”

That’s how the Schalk family dynamic seems to work.

In the spring of 2017, Matt was the head coach at Holy Family High School and became of a big part of Hailey’s success. As just a freshman, she cleared the field by seven strokes to win the Class 3A girls golf individual championship at the Broadlands. She followed it up with another title the next year at Elmwood in Pueblo and then in a weather disrupted one-day tournament at Pelican Lakes, she captured her third.

Title No. 4 was supposed to come at her and dad’s home course: Colorado National. But COVID-19 forced the cancellation of spring sports in 2020.

Hailey went on to play collegiately at the University of Colorado and now works at Castle Pines. And after a long period of dad guiding daughter, the roles are reversed when Matt gets himself qualified for an even like the U.S. Senior Open.

“It’s definitely a different dynamic having him on the bag for me vs. me on the bag for him,” Hailey said. “He’s super fiery, I’m very calm. We balance each other out very well and it’s cool to watch that dynamic and watch us work together out there.”

Even as a caddy, Hailey felt the nerves of the tee shot on No. 1 of the East Course. Schalk was the first to hit on the day and the nervous energy was felt by all until the ball was in the air.

“I was a little nervous for sure,” Hailey said.

The front 9 went well as Schalk went out in an even-36. The back 9 proved a bit more difficult as he bogeyed the first three and then made his only double-bogey of the day on 16 and a final bogey on 17.

He pounded his drive on the par-4 18th, but the false front on the green pulled his ball just short. He got up-and-down for par.

To play the weekend, Team Schalk needs to be a little better. Matt is a very talented player, but post-college, Hailey brings a level of wisdom to the course that he’s trying to latch on to.

“She reads greens better than I do,” Schalk said. “She talks though shots a little bit more than I do, except for hole No. 16 today. That’s alright. She’s become a smart player and that’s so very helpful to me.”

And even after putting up a bigger number than he had hoped for, it’s clear that Matt savors a grueling walk on a resort golf course with Hailey.

If there’s any incentive for Matt to put up a red number on Friday afternoon, it’s knowing how much he’s enjoying father/daughter time at The Broadmoor.