Hahn happy to be in Toshiba

Standing on the driving range five years ago, hitting golf balls as he prepared for the Toshiba Classic, Paul Hahn wasn’t sure he belonged with the elite players on the Champions Tour.

Newport Beach Country Club’s head professional since 1995 was far more comfortable working on a golf swing that was not his own and the butterflies were starting to swirl a bit.

Hahn knew several of the guys on the range from his duties as the host pro, but shaking hands and making conversation was far different than playing alongside them.

Fuzzy Zoeller didn’t take long to put Hahn at ease in his own unique style.

“I walked on the range and saw him and he said ‘Hey Paulie, club pros don’t practice, they sell shirts,’ ” Hahn said laughing at the memory. “It’s a joke with me and Fuzzy. The guys have been great with me. They were more than excited for me.”

Zoeller’s remark inducted Hahn into the club, if only for a week, but it is a seven days Hahn relishes.

Today Hahn will tee it up for the fifth consecutive year, courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption offered to him by the tournament. He is scheduled to tee off on No. 10 with Gene E. Jones and Mitch Adcock at 12:30 p.m.

“The first year was the most exciting for me,” Hahn said. “Unfortunately I don’t prepare myself to play in the event like I should and the reason for that is I have a regular job to do. For me to play golf all the time takes time. I have a 4-year old I want to spend time with so I have a lot of things on my plate that takes me away from playing a lot of golf.”

Hahn spent most of last week preparing the golf shop and staff and his life as a tour pro began on Monday with the pro-am. Tuesday Hahn checked in with the staff at the pro shop and hit some balls, Wednesday he played in another pro-am and Thursday he came to the golf course to get in some more practice.

“I think this is a great opportunity for me to go out and play,” Hahn said. “I am sure a lot of people look at me and say, ‘Why doesn’t he really get with it and prepare for it? But you got to understand I was never a tour player like these guys were. For them to prepare is a lot different than for me to prepare. They do it all the time.”

Hahn played college golf at San Jose State, where his teammates included Roger Maltbie and Mark Lye. His aspirations of playing professionally were over when he hurt his shoulder in a pick-up football game. It was then he decided on teaching the game he loved.

“I took a look at what I was going to do,” Hahn said. “I decided to go a different direction than playing and I am fine with that. I taught a lot of junior golf camps and it was a natural thing for me to do.”

Still it is nice to play Walter Mitty for a week and visit with old college friends like Craig Stadler, Peter Jacobsen and Tom Purtzer.

“I get to go out and mingle with the guys that I went to college with,” Hahn said. “It’s like an old home week for me. It’s a fun deal.”

Though he is in the field, Hahn doesn’t consider himself competing with any of the players.

“No one cares if I shoot 80 or if I shoot 60,” Hahn said. “I try not to put a lot of pressure on myself. The only person who cares how I play is me. I’m just going to go out there and have fun.”

Playing with Chi Chi Rodriguez one year was a highlight and last year, Hahn recalled a memorable shot on the ninth hole.

“It was probably the most unbelievable shot of my entire life,” Hahn said. “I had no shot on the sidehill bank on the left of the fairway. I hit a 3-iron underneath a tree, hooked it and rolled it onto the green and hit the pin, stopping 2 1/2 feet from the hole.”

That is what Hahn’s success is measured by, not his results. He has finished last or next to last every year he has played, but doesn’t expect to do much better because he is playing against professionals.

“The reason I don’t put goals on myself is because I don’t feel like I have done enough preparation in order to have a goal,” Hahn said. “I am basically walking out of the golf shop and going to the first tee. I just have to make sure I take my name tag off, so they know I am off work.”