Surber Unfazed by Par for Course

Spend a few minutes talking with Russell Surber, and you can’t help thinking that there is something special about him.

Watch him play golf for a few hours and that suspicion is confirmed.

Surber, a junior at Flintridge Prep, has a wholehearted dedication to golf that puts him at the top of the list of the area’s top high school golfers.

“He is the epitome of the saying practice makes perfect,” said Flintridge Prep Coach Bob Loughrie. “He works long and hard where other kids his age get bored.”

Surber, a mild-mannered, well-spoken young man, has attained a level of maturity off the course that has spilled over to his on-course behavior and translated into great success.

“I have seen him roll in a 30-foot eagle putt and hit a ball out of bounds,” Loughrie said. “And there is no difference in his composure. That is unusual for someone his age.”

Surber, a 1995 U.S. Junior Amateur quarterfinalist, shot a one-under par 71 as a sophomore in last season’s CIF-SCGA championships to finish third in the most prestigious prep golf tournament in the state.

He averaged an even-par 36 per nine holes in high school matches last season and was the Prep League’s most valuable player.

He followed that with a rigorous summer schedule that included more than a dozen national tournaments and played in the Canon Cup, a tournament which pits the top 10 players in the Western U.S. against the top 10 from the East.

Dissatisfied with a barrage of scores around 75 over the summer, Surber sought out a new private coach and enters the season armed with a new swing and new confidence.

“He pretty much changed everything,” Surber said of pro Randy Peterson of Alondra Park golf course. “Grip, timing, tempo--you name it he changed it.”

Surber said it took a while for him to get used to the new swing, which emphasizes fundamentals instead of mechanics.

“It’s a real repeatable swing,” he said. “I hit it bad for quite a while then it was like, ‘Wow, it’s suddenly easy,’ and my good days started multiplying.”

The new swing is producing a 20-30 yard improvement off the tee, and has Surber smiling about the upcoming season.

“I’m up almost a club with my irons,” he said. “I’m a lot more consistent. My ball is flying straighter and lower. It kind of guns up the middle.”

Surber, who can’t remember not playing golf, started at 7 1/2.

He would go to Dodger games and other sporting events with his dad, Jack, and the two became inseparable, except when Jack headed to the golf course.

“I guess I just wanted to be with him then, too,” Russell said.

Now it’s Jack who follows Russell to the course, watching his son do some pretty special things.

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No offense to the class of 1997, but the future of Valley and Ventura County high school golf looks pretty bright due to players in the classes of 1998, 1999 and 2000. Here’s a look at the best prospects:

* J.T. Kohut, Westlake, So., Next in the long line of successful Warrior golfers. Could have played No. 1 as a freshman.

* Tommy Barber, Notre Dame, Fr. Grandson of former PGA champion Jerry Barber and son of Griffith Park pro Tom Barber.

* Ryan Wyman, Hart, So. Will fill the shoes of former No. 1 player Jason Semelsberger, now No. 1 at UCLA.

* Justin Ohye, Calabasas, Fr. One of the top 14-and-under golfers on the state junior circuit last summer.

* Shawn Andrews, Nordhoff, So. Returning All-Frontier League player will challenge for league title.

* Darrin Schneider, Granada Hills, So. He’s no (Darren) Angel, but this Darrin will be counted on to carry the Highlanders.

* Riley Marshall, St. Francis, Jr. Broke par for first time at two-under against Flintridge Prep last week to best Surber.

* Anne Lee, Notre Dame, So. Trying to follow Notre Dame grads Emilee Klein (1992) and Heidi Voorhees (1988) to LPGA Tour.

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AT A GLANCE

* Westlake--Always a power, the defending CIF-SCGA champion returns just one senior, Andy Sirivichia, but sophomore J.T. Kohut was one of top players as a freshman. A group of 12 talented freshmen and sophomores give the Warriors more depth than last year.

* Hart--Always rivals Westlake for the title of the area’s best team. Three top players return for the seven-time defending Foothill League champions--juniors Charlie Smith and Brandon Wallace, and sophomore Ryan Wyman. “We don’t have rebuilding years here,” Hart Coach Dennis Ford said. “We just reload.”

* Notre Dame--The Knights are eight players deep without much of a drop-off. Junior Kevin Coughlin finished third in the Mission League last season. Freshman Tommy Barber and sophomore Anne Lee, one of the top girls in the area, are young but talented.

* Calabasas--Jon Ohye was the medalist at the CIF North Regional tournament last year. Younger brother Justin is just as good and transfers Aaron Levine and Scott Braun add depth.

* Harvard-Westlake--Brian Rosenstein and Alex Weil each have won the Mission League title in the past and give the Wolverines talent at the top.

* Alemany--Chuck Ruiz and Brian Wolf make the Indians a force in what is expected to be a hotly contested Mission League race.

* Nordhoff--Will challenge five-time Frontier League champion Calabasas with a team that is nine deep and may be the best Ventura County team this year other than Westlake. Senior Sean Holland shoots in the 70s and returning all-league selections Jeff Coburn and Shawn Andrews are on the same level. Freshman Tommy Hadjuk may surprise.

* Chatsworth--Defending City Section 5-A League Champion Todd Golditch returns for a squad that appears ready to end Granada Hills’ four-year hold on the City Section title. Marco Evans, third in the 5-A league last season, also returns for the Chancellors.