Former Air Force general is atop Golfweek's super senior rankings

The popularity of senior amateur golf competition has grown dramatically in the past five years. There is now a national senior amateur circuit and accompanying national rankings, compiled by Golfweek magazine.

In 2007, more than 600 golfers earned rankings points in the regular senior division (55+) and the super senior division (65+).

Nowhere in the rankings is there a golfer more intense -- or more successful -- than Bob Hullender of San Antonio.

Hullender, 71, is a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general who flew 221 missions as a pilot in Vietnam. Now, despite a series of physical ailments, he commonly plays in 35 to 40 golf tournaments a year.

In a recent 16-month period, Hullender underwent three surgeries yet managed to run away with the 2006 national super senior title. His 870 points were 370 ahead of runner-up Richard Anderson.

Before those three surgeries, Hullender had both hips replaced. Regardless, he posted a runner-up finish in the U.S. Senior Amateur and earned a trophy case full of senior titles.
"How long are you going to keep playing in all these tournaments?" he was asked.

"Just till I die," he answered. "Then I'll quit."

Turning philosopher, Hullender talked about the allure of golf. "I love this game," he said. "Every morning, I can't wait to get out there and hit practice balls. Golf is such a great game, because you can play all your life. As we get older, I think it means more. I'm on the back nine of life, and I can't imagine living without golf."

Hullender was no child prodigy. He wasn't raised with a sawed-off golf club in his hand. He didn't break par when he was in grade school. He didn't even particularly like golf.

He was fast; golf was slow. Golf was a game that could wait, because he was busy making a name for himself as a fast-pitch softball pitcher and then as an Air Force pilot.

"Bob Hullender is as tough as they come," said Gunnar Bennett, who reached the semifinals of the 1998 U.S. Senior Amateur. "He does not like to be beat, and you can see this right away. When you play him, you're in for a fight."

When Hullender reached his 40s, golf began to replace softball on his priority list.

"I never played in a USGA (U.S. Golf Association) event until I retired," said Hullender, who was 52 when he retired in 1989.
 
Since then, it's been golf, golf, golf.

In fact, his email address is amgolfer, for amateur golfer. His wife of 43 years, Sandy, however, came up with an answer to that email address. Hers is amnotgolfer, meaning she doesn't play.

"I don't how she's put up with me all these years," Hullender said. "I just an old Georgia redneck (his hometown is Ringold, Ga.) who likes to play games and win at all of them."

Hullender's first hip replacement came in 1986. The second in 1992. "I couldn't walk 18 holes to save my neck," he said, "but the hip replacements solved that. After the second one, I really started playing a lot of golf."

He was a man on a mission, just as he had been in Vietnam. "If I go after something, I am relentless, no matter what it is," he said. "I will spend as much time as it takes to develop the skills to win.

"Nobody is going to outwork me. There are a lot of golfers who, in my opinion, are more talented than I am. But they won't work as hard as I do."

Hullender plays golf in San Antonio at The Club at Sonterra. His assessment of his own game: "I don't have a weakness, but I don't particularly have a great strength, either. I hit the ball longer than average, and my short game is probably better than average.

"And I don't have any shots that scare me. I think that's important."

Hullender currently is leading the national super senior division again. Nothing surprising
there.

So, how many tournaments has he won?

"All the barby (barbecue) circuits and base championships and club championships, I don't count those. I've never kept a record of anything below runner-up, either. I seldom ever finish out of the top 10.

"I've won probably -- a conservative guess over the years -- 200 or more tournaments."
And he lost one memorable tournament that reveals a lot about the fire burning inside the old general.

"In my mind, it seems like a world record, but all I know is that I got beat by 21 shots in an 18-hole handicap tournament.

"My handicap was plus-three, but I was playing at scratch. I shot 67 and got beat by 21. A guy with a 36 handicap shot 82 for a net 46.

"You can't beat the cheater. He will wax you, and you can really get waxed in Texas on the barby circuit. When they beat you with that pencil, it kind of torques your jaw. I still think of that round, and I still get mad."

Hint: Don't let this man get mad. He will whip you on the golf course, and then there's that military background.

Just call him general. Then salute. Then admire the first-place trophy he has just won.