Inside Comments: Steve Turcotte

Brian Mogg says the younger version has bright future

Thanksgiving and Christmas might make for some fun times around the Mogg household. If someone asks for Brian, you will get answers from a couple of different people.

On one side of the room might Brian Mogg No. 1, the 50-year-old who is considered one of the top golf teachers in the country and who runs his own golf school at Chambers Bay. On the other side of the room might sit another Brian Mogg, the 15-year-old junior golf phenom and son of the older Mogg’s brother Gary.

Confused? Put it this way, Gary and his wife decided to name their kid after his older brother Brian. And there was no bribery or trickery involved in the naming of the younger Brian Mogg, “My brother is my best friend and we are very close,” said Gary Mogg. “My wife knows how close we are and she thought it would be a great idea too to name him after my brother.”

OK, so I’ve heard of Gary Jr. or a Brian Jr. But a second Brian name in the family?

“I like it,” said the younger Brian Mogg. “I think it helps me in a way I can get recognized more for my golf game.”

If the younger Brian Mogg keeps playing like he has, he won’t have to worry about trading on his uncle’s name. At age 15, he is making a name all for himself so far.

As a freshman at Skyline High School in Issaquah, the young Mogg finished sixth at the Class 4A state tournament – the best finish ever by a freshman. Last summer. He also won the Portland Junior Golf Championship, finished second at the Washington State Junior Golf Championships and finished 17th in a national AJGA event in Texas. He also was selected by the PGA to represent the Pacific Northwest at the Junior Ryder Cup last year.

This young left-hander has game. Don’t believe it, just ask his uncle, who works with some of the games top players like DA Points and 2009 PGA champion YE Yang.

“He’s a great young player,” said uncle Brian. “With some of the things he’s been through, I would have been rattled. But not him. He’s a mature kid.”

Mature and talented. At the Callaway Open, which is played every November in Pebble Beach, uncle Brian tees it up every year. But he brings his brother and nephew down for some practice. Young Brian brings some clubs, throws them in his uncle’s bag and gets to take some shots at places like Spyglass during practice.

In one round last year with DA Points and Jeff Gove, the young Mogg took out his 60 degree wedge off a hardpan like near the 18th hole and put two shots within gimmee range. Yes, the kid has game. Even in the presence of PGA Tour players.

With uncle Brian living across the country, lessons are still easy. Dad Gary emails swings and uncle Brian takes a look and then gets back with information.

“It’s special working with someone like my uncle,” said the younger Mogg. “I ask him new stuff all the time. I never get tired of learning from him.”

Steve Turcotte is editor of Inside Golf Newspaper., He can be reached at sdturcotte@comcast.net.