These days, Don Pooley can be found at First Tee Tucson, leaning over putting greens and sharing swing tips with kids just learning the game.
But his own story began on the same fairways decades ago, when he wasn't even sure if he would make the Wildcat golf team.
Pooley had to wait until he got to campus to tryout for the team at Arizona.
"I show up and there's 108 players that are there that day. And I said 'Coach, how many players are you gonna take?'" Pooley said. "He says 'I don't know depends on the score…one or two maybe' I said 'Oh'..."
Pooley ended up making the team that day and continuing on to have quite a successful career as a Wildcat, turning pro after graduation.
But even then, Pooley was uncertain how far golf would take him.
"I figured if it didn't work out, I could always just work at the bank," Pooley said. "And my dad told me to go out and give it a shot because you're no good to a company unless you're 28 years old anyway. Now I could put all my focus on golf."
Four decades later, he had built one of the most consistent careers in the sport.
He won twice on the PGA Tour, including a dramatic million-dollar hole-in-one at the 1987 Bay Hill Classic, and twice more on the Champions Tour, claiming a major title at the 2002 U.S. Senior Open.
Still, for Pooley, the greatest joy these days doesn't come from trophies. It comes from teaching.
"It's just a thrill for me to see that lightbulb go off and see them make improvements. And that gives me a lot of joy," Pooley said.
Through First Tee, Pooley mentors young golfers not just in technique but in values: confidence, sportsmanship and resilience. Lessons that reach well beyond the course.
And now, his legacy in golf is about to be recognized in a new way.
This October, Don Pooley will be inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in Phoenix, honoring both a career filled with victories and a continued commitment to growing the game in his home state.
