There’s a saying that “it never rains on a golf course.” While it might be optimistic, it isn’t necessarily true.

The boys and girls golf team at Whitewater High were hoping for some truth in the saying when they learned that PGA Tour golf pro Vince Whaley would be stopping by to show them some practice drills and possibly play a few holes with them. As luck would have it, the rain was pouring down on the day of his visit, but the golf teams made the most of having a pro in their midst by asking questions that might help them improve their game, and maybe become a professional golfer themselves one day.

Team members were eager to know how much time Whaley practices each day, and when he realized that he could make a living playing golf. As he answered their questions, he had one key message: the value of hard work.

Whaley emphasized how important it is to keep working at the game. He surprised both teams by sharing that he wasn’t the best player on his high school golf team, but he kept working and now all of the benefits are starting to pay off.

Whaley, a rookie playing on the PGA Tour 2019-2020 season, is also the brother of Mikaela Whaley, a member on the girls’ golf team. She helped David Brown, head golf coach, arrange the visit.

Brown says he hopes to get Whaley back for another visit, next time with better weather so that he can practice with the teams.