Spotlight on Former Athlete: Mike Heinen, Golf 1986-89

Spotlight on Former Athlete: Mike Heinen, Golf 1986-89

Spotlight on Former Athlete: Mike Heinen, Golf 1986-89

Bruce Brown
Special to the Athletic Network

Bruce Brown  BBrown@smgpo.gannett.com  May 24, 2011

This story is a copyrighted enterprise by Bruce Brown. 

 

Getting his driver’s license made all the difference for Mike Heinen.

That can be true for many teenagers, but in Heinen’s case it eventually led to a college scholarship and a professional golf career.

"When I was 12, I started playing around in the yard," said Heinen, who grew up on a farm in rural Acadia Parish near Rayne. "It was nothing serious until I was 14. Then I got my driver’s license when I was 15, and I was able to drive to the golf course."

The closest course was 30-40 minutes from the farm, so Heinen couldn’t just stroll across the street to play. But the sport quickly took hold with him, as it had with other members of the Heinen clan.

"My dad, uncle and grandfather all played," Heinen said. "On Heinen family trips in June, we’d all play. When I got to the point where I could play with a couple of uncles, I was good enough."

Heinen went on to an All-American college career with Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns, earning honorable mention notice in 1988 and third team acclaim in 1989. He was the American South Conference medalist in 1989, leading the Cajuns to the team title as a two-time All-ASC choice.

"It’s funny," Heinen said. "Golf is an individual sport. You don’t really need a team. But in college golf, you need a team. We had a good group of guys and we were able to have success.

"And, because of our team success, we got nationally ranked and got better tournaments. I think it really helped me to get nationally ranked, become an All-American and play in the NCAA Tournament."

Soon, Heinen made a splash on the PGA Tour, winning the Shell Houston Open as a rookie in 1994 with a 16-under-par score of 272.

"Obviously, Houston was a highlight of my career," Heinen said. "My sophomore (pro) year, I had two seconds. I lost in a playoff in New Orleans, and was a couple of shots short of Ernie Els in Dallas.

"I seemed to play better close to home. It was always fun playing in Louisiana, Texas or Mississippi. There, I was comfortable, at ease."

For a down-home product, the tour eventually became a grind, however.

"At the beginning and mid part of the year, I played my best golf," Heinen said. "By the end of the year I was usually a little burned out. You just try to get through it. It’s hard to be out there, week-in and week-out.

"On TV, fans see players when it’s going well, the fist-pumping. They don’t see the other 20 weeks when you’re not in contention. There are so many tough years. It’s a grind."

Like any profession, golf involves constant work.

"You’ve got to live it when you’re a pro, 7 days a week," said Heinen. "In college, you have some time to focus on school. But on tour, even when you have a week off you’re chipping and putting. When you have down time, you still have to make sure you don’t lose the things you’ve worked on."

At certain times, it’s crazy if you’re not playing real well. You miss time with your wife and kids. That’s the tough part of it."

Heinen and wife Kathy have been through the ups and downs since 1991. They have daughter Olivia, 15, and sons William, 11, and Christopher, 6, and the children are the focus.

"I bought a golf cart shop (in Lake Charles)," Heinen said. "My friend is the manager. We stay really busy. I thought I could do this and still play, but it’s been (time consuming) like golf. We’re trying to grow the business.

"When I played, I struggled with not making a full commitment. Should I be on the road, making money, or at home, helping with the kids? I was part-time on both, and was in a no-win situation.

"Now I’m at a point where I’ve had enough of being at the wrong place all the time. Now I’m in my bed every night."
Of the three children, Christopher has shown the most interest in golf. But Heinen is not pushing the sport that helped earn his livelihood.

"My dad would drive me to tournaments, but that was it," Heinen said. "He wouldn’t tell me when and where to play. I did it myself, and that was the better way, because once you leave college it’s all on you."

Heinen remains in contact with current UL coach Theo Sliman, and would welcome the chance to meet current Cajuns and play a round or two. But he’s left the grind behind.

"Now my time off is a little different," he said. "I don’t put as much stress on myself."

This story is a copyrighted enterprise by Bruce Brown.

Pictured above are Mike and his 1988 teammates. (1988 Golf Team-1st Row-Ed Gianelloni, Jeff Calloway, Mike Genovese, John Dupont. 2nd Row-Louie Alford, Hoyle Granger, Mike Heinen, Mike Spillman, Dwaine LeGros, Flint Nelson)

Click here for Mike’s Athletic Network profile, including his "Golf Cars Unlimited" information.

Click here for the Golf photo gallery, then the years you wish to view, including the 1988 and 1989 years which include pictures and information about Mike Heinen.  

Our rich athletic traditions were entrusted to the vision, hope, loyalty, and dedication of those former athletes and we will forever owe them a debt of sincere gratitude. May God bless each of them and their families.

Anyone with information, materials, pictures, memorabilia, etc., of the university’s former athletic program participants is requested to contact Ed Dugas at athleticnetwork@louisiana.edu   Thank you.

The Photo Gallery Link located on the left side of the home page at www.athleticnetwork.net contains over 10,000 pictures of former and current athletes and support groups.  Just click on photo gallery and when the menu appears, click on the sport or support group you wish to view. The years of pictures posted for that team or group will appear and you may click on the year you wish to view. One click on a thumbnail picture or narrative and it is enlarged; a click on the enlarged photo and it reverts back to the thumbnail.

The Athletic Network seeks to post pictures of each team and support group for each year they represented the university.

The stories of the 2009 and 2010 honorees featured in the Spotlight on Former Athletes are still included in the News Page and may be viewed by clicking on "more news" at the bottom right of the News Box, scrolling down, clicking on the title of the story. Those spotlight features which are no longer shown in the News Page, have been moved to the Lagniappe Link of the "History of UL Athletics" located on the left side of the home page.

The Spotlight on Former Athletes announcement has also been placed in the profile of each honoree, excluding the pictures.

2011
Bruce Brown continued as feature writer.
January – Ashley Rhoney and Bret Garnett 1988 Tennis
February – Craig Perks Golf 1989 & 90
March – Eddie Baseball/Basketball 60-63,Coach 67;Ross Mouton Basketball 03-07
April – Kim Eisnaugle Chaffin Softball 1983-86
May – Grady Labbe’ Hunt Track & Field 1989-1994
June – Mike Heinen Golf 1986-89

2009
January – Tim Thompson  Men’s Basketball 1957-61.
February – Gene Bacque  Baseball 1956 & 57.
March – Dr. Louis Bowers – Tennis 1956-58, Track 1955, Coaches 1964-66.
April – Dr. Carter Lomax, Jr. Tennis 1974-76.
May – Johnny Morris, Jr. Football 1927-29,Men’s Basketball 1927-30,Track & Field 1928-30, Golf 1927-28, Coaches 1947-49 .
June – S.L.I.I. Athletic Pioneers I
July – S.L.I.I. Athletic Pioneers II
August – 1912 – A Special Year – First L’Acadien
September – Glenn Davis Lafleur Football 1966-69
October – Bill Bass – Boxing 1938 & 39, Football 1938-40, Coach 1971-75 & 1983
November – Tom Nolan – Cross Country & Track & Field 1971-76, Coaches 1978-83
December – Military Personnel – Military Page posted

2008
January – Alvin Dark  Football, ’43; Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Track, ’44; Coaches, 1947.
February – Alyson Habetz  Women’s Basketball 1991-95 and Softball, 1991-94.
March – Ron Guidry  Baseball 1968-70.
April – Edgar "Glynn" Abel  Baseball 1939, Track & Field 1937-39, Football 1937-39.
May -Christian Keener "Red" Cagle  Baseball 1925-26, Basketball (M) 1922-26, Football 1922-25. 
June – Paul "Buddy" Short  Golf 1962-65.
July – Louis "Louie" Campbell  Boxing and Football 1940-41.
August – Dudley Wilkins  Track & Field 1933-35.
September – Brad Hamilton  Football 1963-66. 
October – Brian Mitchell  Football 1986-89.
November – Kimberly "Kim" Callaway Morvant   Volleyball 1988-91.
December – Kenneth "Mike" Stansbury  Weightlifting 1956 – 1957.

2007

Ed Dugas served as the initial feature writer and continued until Bruce Brown began writing in 2010.
June – Michael Langston Football 1973-77;
July – Hollis Conway Track & Field 1986-89;
August – Leigh Hennessy Gymnastics/Trampoline 1976-1980;
September – Dean Church Basketball (M) 1961-65;
October – Dr. David Fisher Football 1946-49 Track & Field 1947-50;
November – Kim Perrot Basketball (W) 1986-90;
December – John McDonnell Cross Country/Track & Field 1966-1969;

Peace, Ed Dugas

Ed Dugas, Coordinator
Athletic Network
athleticnetwork@louisiana.edu 
(337)482-0999