Date: Fri 28-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Jared-Tendler-Feature

Full Text:

Jared Tendler Feature

B Y T.W YATT

One night at a Newtown High School basketball game, Jared Tendler, a sophomore

at the time, was admiring the All-State banners that hung on the gymnasium

wall. He noticed that the banner for his sport - golf - was, for some reason,

missing. When Tendler inquired, he found that it wasn't missing at all. There

had never been an All-State golfer at NHS.

" That surprised the heck out of me, " Jared said. " There were some great

golfers who went to school here. "

That day Tendler decided that there would have to be an All-State banner on

that wall before he graduated and that his name would be the first one on it.

Last week, Tendler's goal came to its fruition. After a senior season that saw

Jared win the Conference Tournament for the second-straight year, he became

the first golfer in school history to achieve All-State status.

" We've had great golfers at this school and Jared ranks right up there with

all of them, " said NHS golf coach, Jim Casagrande. For a little poop who came

out at 120 pounds, if that, he could hit the ball good from day one. He

developed into quite a player. "

Making All-State in the past was a highly political process. It wasn't until

recently that Casagrande developed a state-wide point system using

differentials, past considerations, and performances at the state tournament.

Now a golfer cannot be overlooked.

With no accrued points from past considerations, and nothing from his state

tournament effort, Tendler made All-State strictly by virtue of having one of

the lowest differentials in the state this spring.

As great as his 1996 season was, though, it didn't start out on a high note

for the senior team captain.

In Newtown's first match this season Tendler shot a 44 for nine holes. He

followed that with a 45 at the next match, a 48 at the next, and then a 49.

" I had started taking lessons early in the season, " Tendler explained. " I

didn't want any major changes but the changes I was going through were enough

where I think they were affecting my concentration. I was thinking about

different things while I was hitting the ball instead of just letting it

happen. "

But Tendler's lessons, through Rich Lanigan's Golf Shop and Learning Center,

eventually started to pay dividends.

Tendler started posting nine-hole scores of 35, 37, 37, 38, 41, 34, 40, and 39

as he helped lead the Indians to an 11-1 record in the first year of the

South-West Conference. At the SWC Championship Tournament, Tendler fired a 39

on the front side at Rock Ridge Country Club in Danbury, and then carded a 37

on the back for a tournament-best score of 76 which helped NHS regain its

conference title.

" In three years at Newtown I was only able to go from a 14 [handicap] to a

seven. " Tendler said. " I thought I had gone as far as I could on my own so I

went to Rich Lanigan. He got me more into the mental aspect of the game. He's

getting me to focus more and develop a killer instinct.

" Last year I shot a 33 at Rock Ridge and was so excited that I ran into the

clubhouse and called my father and told him that I had to stay and shoot

another nine. I shot 43. The other day I was 4-over after the first six holes

and was able to rebound and shoot 71. "

After working with Lanigan, who taught PGA star Bob Tway, Tendler has gotten

his handicap down to a 4, pending 3.

Late Start

Unlike most of the great high school golfers in the state, Jared Tendler

didn't start playing when he was very young. It wasn't until six years ago,

while visiting his grandparents in Florida, that Jared picked up the sticks.

And from there, he was on his way.

Tendler figured a 28 handicap after his second year playing and took his first

lesson in Florida from well-known golf instructor, Martin Long.

" That year I went from a 28 to a 14 and got 'Most Improved Golfer' at Rock

Ridge, " he remembers.

Though small in stature, Tendler was always able to get good distance off the

tees. But after swimming with the Newtown High swim team in the winter of his

junior year, Tendler developed more upper body strength and added even more

yardage to his driver.

" We've had golfers like Dave Brookes, Bobby Snyder, and Steve Bussell who

could hit the ball a long way too, but not as far as Jared, " said coach

Casagrande. " Pound-for-pound he's the longest hitter we've had. "

When Jared's clicking he can launch one 320 yards off his Callaway - as he did

to win the Long Drive Contest at the June 17 Jack Freil Tournament on Monday -

but consistently hits his drives in the 270 to 280 yard range.

Tendler cut his handicap to 7 in his junior year and went on to medal at the

Western Connecticut Conference Tournament, thus earning All-WCC status.

And then came his momentous senior season that just finished up two weeks ago.

Though his high school career is now finished, Tendler still plays golf nearly

every day at Rock Ridge where his family owns a membership. And every day his

game improves.

Just last weekend Jared shot his best-ever round of 70 after shooting his best

nine-hole score of 32 on the front side. " And I missed an uphill seven-footer

for 69, " he said with a smile. " But it'll come. The way I'm stroking it now

it's just a matter of time. "

Tendler will attend Skidmore College in September where he will study business

and play golf for the Division III national power there.

Jared feels that his next step towards improvement, which he hopes to do

before college, will be making more greens in regulation. " I'm only hitting 8

or 9 greens right now, " he said. " I once shot 70 with 26 putts, and 75 with

31 putts. If I can hit 14 greens in a day and hit 26 putts I can shoot in the

60's. "

Does he have aspirations of playing on the PGA Tour, someday?

" Yes, " he replied. " Realistically, I probably won't, but I know that I have

the tools. I'm just waiting for my game to click. I'm thinking about

graduating, and then spending a few years in Florida trying to really hone in

on my game and play all year round. Then maybe I'll go to qualifying school

and play some tournaments, just to see what happens. "

Whether Tendler will carve out a big name for himself on the PGA Tour someday

remains to be seen. But he has already done that at Newtown High School, and

has assured himself that no one will forget it. His name will be enshrined on

the school's Wall of Fame, up there among the best athletes in Newtown High

history. And that banner will say only three words: Golf, Jared Tendler.