My friend Tim ‘Lumpy’ Herron
At one time or another, we’ve all come across certain golfers that stand out amongst all others. Perhaps it’s because of how they play, or perhaps it’s because of certain mannerisms they display on the course.
That player for me is my former college teammate Tim Herron.
I first met Herron during my initial recruiting trip to the University of New Mexico. He was a freshman at the time of my visit, and he stood out from the first moment I saw him.
Imagine seeing a heavy-set kid from Minnesota walking around in a wrinkled, slightly untucked shirt. I remember thinking to myself, “this is my future teammate?”
My attitude immediately went from skeptical to excited the moment I watched him tee off with the rest of the team. It was absolutely pure.
I had the pleasure of being Herron’s teammate for the next three years at New Mexico. During that time, his appearance never changed, and his golf game constantly impressed. To this day, Herron is the purest golfer I have ever played with — including Phil Mickelson.
Herron had a nickname in college that has stuck throughout his professional career — “Lumpy.” It is perhaps the most fitting nickname of all time given his stature.
The story that best represents Lumpy’s dominance in college golf goes back to my sophomore year. I was playing in the group ahead of Herron. As he stepped onto the 7th tee at the Tucker Invitational in Albuquerque, he was even par.
From that moment, he went on to record 10 straight 3’s en route to a course record 62. Think about that for a moment. Ten consecutive 3’s!
Twenty-five years later, Tim “Lumpy” Herron continues his career as a four-time winner on the PGA Tour. These days, however, golf is no longer his greatest battle.
Herron now struggles with an incurable disease called Dupuytren’s Contracture.
The effects of this disease cause Herron to lose feeling in his right hand. Over time, the feeling in his hand goes numb, and his ability to grip a golf club becomes increasingly difficult. Unfortunately, this disease will only get worse as he heads toward a future career on the Champions Tour.
There are various reasons that Herron stands out amongst all golfers that I have had the pleasure of playing with. Not only was he the purest ballstriker I’ve ever known, but he was also the most fun-loving guy you could ever hope to be around.
Though Dupuytren’s Contracture has started to affect his ability to feel the golf club in his right hand, I have no doubt that my pal Lumpy will continue to thrive in both golf and life.