A knee injury and three important phone calls transformed Beth Bader into one of the most cherished personalities and most respected up-and-coming players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

A phone call for the ISU record books

ISU head women’s golf coach Julie Manning said she remembers the day she got the phone call from then-head men’s golf coach Dale Anderson, insisting she come watch Bader, who was participating in one of his summer golf camps.

Bader was sinking putts and making drives with an after-surgery brace that immobilized her knee, the result of a torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended her hopes of pursuing offers to play college basketball.

Though she admits that basketball was her first true passion, Bader said she saw golf as a sport she could have longevity in, and decided to pursue it at the college level.

“[The Cyclone golf camp] was my opportunity for someone to see me,” Bader said.

Manning said she was impressed, but had reservations at the time as to how far Bader would take her career, even as a collegiate golfer.

“Beth had her sights set higher for her than I did,” Manning said.

Gary Bader, Beth’s father, said it took a lot for Manning to stick her neck out for a player with relatively little experience.

“Julie took a chance on Beth and, fortunately, it worked out and Beth took [to golf] like a duck to water,” he said.

In her rookie season, Bader finished second at the Big Eight Championship and helped lead the Cyclones to their first-ever conference title. The rest of her career at Iowa State included two All-Big Eight selections, the team’s Most Valuable Player award, and the 1996 ISU Female Athlete of the Year award.

“She was the best putter I’ve ever had,” Manning said. “She loved to play golf; she loved to compete, and she loved to beat you.”

“[My career at Iowa State] had a great impact on my [professional] career,” Beth said. “My love for golf grew going through college. I didn’t have a stellar college career as an individual, but I grew to love the game more and more.

“Growing up, I never would have said I would be an LPGA golfer.”

She said the support of her family and the atmosphere at Iowa State helped her develop a curiosity of what would happen if she could reach her full potential in the sport.

What would it take to succeed?

“Since high school, [Beth] has been a dedicated athlete to whatever game she has played. She excels in the sport of competition,” Gary Bader said.

Gary said his daughter’s personality has had a lot to do with her success. In Beth’s first year on the tour, Gary was approached by a rule official during the middle of Beth’s tournament. Afraid he had done something to cause Beth a penalty, Gary stood in shock when the official shook his hand and said, “I just wanted to shake your hand. We need more girls like [Beth] on the LPGA.”

Manning said Bader has always been well-received, the life of every party, and that she has one of those personalities that make you want to see her do well. Bader truly loves golf, Manning said, and not all professional golfers can say that.

“First and foremost, you have to have passion and desire and know that when you put [your] foot down and work hard, things will happen,” Bader said. “I take pride that I’m a girl from rural Iowa (Eldridge). I come from Iowa where you can play golf four months of the year. You don’t have to be an NCAA champion all four years or [be an] All-American, you just have to have the desire.”

Bader said she has seen players who beat her in college and should be able to beat her now throw in the towel on the professional level because they can’t accept that bad days happen, and they need to use them as learning experiences.

“Coming out of college, I guess I really didn’t know where I belonged,” Beth said. “I had a little bit of success on the Futures Tour, but I knew if I was patient enough and worked hard, I could get where I wanted — the LPGA.”

Bader said she relied on her athletic strength and competitive abilities to make her successful in college, but she knew the professional level of competition would require strict training and dedication to be successful.

“People are amazed at what we do and how we can hit the ball like we do,” she said.

She said professional golfers have to have the basic athletic ability, but must also train continuously to perfect their talents.

“I have a 9 to 5 job, it just happens to be outside playing golf,” she said

Where will the tour take her?

Bader said her career in the LPGA is more than gratifying.

“I feel a bit satisfied in the fact that I play golf for a living, but in the whole realm of things, I think I was put here to entertain,” she said. “[The fans] get great enjoyment out of what we do. You can affect so many people’s lives in a good or bad way.”

Beth said one of her fondest memories was an instance when she shot a double bogey on a hole and was very frustrated with herself. Immediately after the hole, a young man in a wheelchair approached her with a huge smile on his face and asked her for an autograph, quickly changing her attitude.

“There is always something to keep things in perspective,” she said. “I like what I do, and I like myself as a person. I do the best I can and still be happy. I don’t want to spend every waking hour and minute thinking about golf.”

Beth said one of her goals is to capitalize on her status to help others. Though it is more complicated for her to nail down professional goals, she said her personal goal for the tour is set in stone.

Four months ago, Sue Bader, Beth’s mother, was diagnosed with pancreas cancer. Beth’s goal is to build awareness through www.pancan.org by donating $5 to the site for every birdie she makes this season on the tour. Beth said her goal will then be to get individuals and corporations to match her contribution.

Beth said setting professional goals too high or too low could put limits on what she is capable of achieving.

“It’s flattering when people say, ‘You’ve done so much in your career’,” Beth said. “I’m to the point where I know I’m better than I am statistically. I really believe [I have the confidence to win] 95 percent of the time, and before I was only 40 percent sure.”

Manning said she still does her best to instill as much confidence as she can in Beth’s mind.

“Every time I talk to her, I hope I can provide her the confidence that she’ll win out there someday — because someday she will,” Manning said.