Charles Lanier Bolling Jr. (born November 15, 1957) is an American professional golfer. Early in his career Bolling had much success, winning six significant amateur events in the mid-Atlantic region, including the 1980 Pennsylvania Amateur. Shortly after graduating from Duke University in 1981, Bolling attempted to earn membership on the PGA Tour. However, he was unsuccessful for three consecutive years at Q-school. In the interim he played overseas, culminating with a win at the 1983 South African Open. In late 1984, Bolling earned PGA Tour membership. He played on the PGA Tour for four seasons in the mid-1980s but did not record many high results, never coming close to winning and only recording four top-10s. Since 1990, Bolling has worked primarily as a club professional in the northeastern United States.
Early life Bolling was born in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Bolling started to play some golf at the age of 10 but did not take the game seriously until he was 14. Baseball was his big sport growing up. At the age of 15, however, he began to focus on golf. His parents belonged to a country club which, Bolling later stated, helped him easily segue into golf. They were members Gulph Mills Golf Club in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. At Gulph Mills, Bolling worked with head pro Willie Scholl who, in Bolling's words, "taught me how to play."
Amateur career Bolling attended Duke University. In the summer of 1978 he won the Philadelphia Amateur. In October, Bolling played the Grandfather Mountain Invitational Golf Tournament at Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. In the first round he shot a 73, leading Duke to a 297 total, six in front of the favored team of Wake Forest University. In the second and final round, however, Bolling shot a higher score to finish outside of the top four. Duke's team, however, finished in solo second place, only behind Wake Forest. Later in the academic year, in April 1979, Bolling played well at the ACC Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. At the end of the first round, Bolling was tied for third place with a 69, three back of leader Robert Wrenn of Wake Forest. As a team, "surprising" Duke was in second place at 371, six back of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. However, Bolling would shoot significantly over-par for the rest of the tournament and finished outside of the individual top 5. Duke's team finished in solo third place, 18 strokes behind the champions, Wake Forest. In the summer of 1979, however, Bolling had, in his words, "swing problems," and did not record many high results. To resolve the problems Bolling moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and worked with swing instructor Lew Worsham. He did not return to college in the fall. Bolling later stated, "That period was important to my progress. I made some critical swing changes."
In the summer of 1980, Bolling began to play better. In July, he played the Pennsylvania Amateur. The event was four rounds long. Over the course of the first two rounds Bolling was at 142 (+2). This good score earn him the right to play in the final group on the two-round final day. He played with Frank Furher and Dick von Tacky. However, Furher was sick for most of the final day and withdrew on the 7th hole of the final round. Only Bolling and von Tacky remained in the final group. Bolling had a sizable lead over von Tacky for most of the day. However, von Tacky played excellently on the final round's front nine and after a 25-foot birdie putt on the 8th hole he took the solo lead. Bolling then bogeyed the 11th and 12th holes to fall further behind. However, Bolling came back with birdies on the next two holes. Meanwhile, von Tacky bogeyed the 14th to fall back into a tie and then made a three-putt bogey on the 15th hole. Bolling now had the lead. Bolling was in trouble on the 16th hole, however, stuck in a fairway bunker. He hit a "marvelous" recovery shot, though, to 12 feet. He made the par putt. He remained one ahead entering the final hole. Bolling played the hole poorly but von Tacky "missed a nine-footer for par that would have tied." Bolling's bogey won it by one. Overall, during the final day he closed with rounds of 71 (+1) to finish at 284 (+4). After the tournament he said, "That's the greatest experience I ever had in golf. I've never been in a more pressure situation. I never came to the 72nd hole on the winning side."
In the fall, Bolling returned to Duke. He was a fifth-year senior. In October, he played the Grandfather Mountain event. The event was three rounds long and held at Grandfather Country Club in Linville, North Carolina. He shot an even-par first round 72 to tie several players for the lead, including Mike Cook from the University of Georgia. In the second round both he and Cook again shot rounds of 72 and were now the only ones in the joint lead. In the final round, after 17 holes, Bolling was three-over-par and one back of Cook. However, Bolling made birdie while Cook bogeyed giving Bolling the win. During the fall, Bolling also won the intercollegiate events at Kingsmill and Guilford.
In March 1981, it was noted by Raleigh, North Carolina's The News and Observer that Bolling had "rapidly blossomed" over the course of the academic year. Duke coach Rod Myers said, "Charlie's really matured. He's a good planner on the course, and has the talent to be the ACC champion." In mid-March, he played the three-round Iron Duke Classic. After two rounds Bolling was at 145 (+3) for solo second, two back of leader Larry Penley of Clemson University. In the final round Bolling shot a one-under-par 70 to tie Penley at the end of regulation. However, Penley defeated Bolling on the first playoff hole. Duke's team finished in solo third. Later in the academic year, at golf's NCAA championships held in Palo Alto, California, Bolling finished in 8th place. The following month, in April, he played the three-round Tar Heel Invitational. Bolling led the individual event after two rounds at 138 (−6). He shot a final round 71 to win by five. Overall, Bolling won five events during the 1980-81 year at Duke. He earned second-team All-American honors. In May 1981, Bolling graduated from Duke with degrees in Economics and History.
Professional career
Bolling attempted to earn playing privileges for the PGA Tour in 1981 at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. He was not successful. The following year he returned to q-school. At 1982 PGA Tour Qualifying School he missed graduating by one shot. In the ensuing years he played primarily overseas and on the Tournament Players Series (TPS), a satellite tour of the PGA Tour. During the southern hemisphere summer of 1982–83, Bolling played the Southern African Tour. His first tournament was the Gordon's Gin Classic. It was also first 72 hole tournament. He finished in 11th place. Later in the month, he won the country's national open, the Datsun SA Open, defeating Tertius Claassens by a shot. In addition, he defeated serious contenders Nick Price and Gary Player by multiple shots. He won US$14,000. He was the first American to win the event. Bolling ultimately finished in third place on South Africa's Order of Merit for the season.
As of April, Bolling began play on the Tournament Players Series. A month later, in May, he played the Chattanooga Classic. He opened at 133 (−9) to put him in a tie for second place, two behind leader George Cadle. In the third round he played well on the back nine. He eagled the par-5 11th and closed with a 15-foot birdie for a 68 (−3). He took a two-stroke lead entering the final round. However, Bolling played poorly in the final round, shooting a 75 (+4), to finish in a tie for eighth, four back of champion Jim Dent.
Later in the year he started play on the PGA European Tour. Bolling's good play in South Africa gave him an exemption for the tour. He recorded top-25 finishes in his first two events, the Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the State Express Classic. In his third event, the 1983 British Open, he opened well with a 71. However, he shot a second round 80 to miss the cut. After the British Open, Bolling did not play particularly well. In his final six events of the year, he made the cut in only two of them. In late 1983, Bolling attempted to earn membership for the PGA Tour at 1983 PGA Tour Qualifying School. It was his third attempt at q-school. He was not successful.
In early 1984 he played some events in the United States. In April he earned entrance into the Greater Greensboro Open. However, he missed the cut. In June he played the 1984 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. It was the second time he played the event. He led the field early in the tournament with a front nine 32 (−3). He ultimately shot a first round 72 (+2). However, he shot a second round 79 (+9) to miss the cut. Shortly thereafter, Bolling again played in Europe. On the European Tour he made the cut in four of nine events, with two top-25s.
Later in the 1984, Bolling would play on the Tournament Players Series as he had the previous year. In early September he played well the Everett Open. Bolling started the final round tied with England's Peter Oosterhuis, one back of the joint lead shared by Chi-Chi Rodríguez, Dave Stockton, and Ron Commans. Bolling opened well, holing putts from, respectively, 15 and 5 feet on the 2nd and 3rd holes to take the solo lead. He also hit wedge shots close on the par-3 8th and par-4 9th holes to assure birdies. He recorded a front nine 31 (−4) to take a three-shot lead over Stockton, Rodriguez, and Commans. He then birdied the 10th and 12th holes to "extend his lead to five shots." Though he had some troubles in the middle of the back nine, he drove the 280-yard par-4 16th hole to create an easy birdie and secure the win. He won $36,000. The following week he played the three-round Victorian Open in British Columbia. Bolling later stated, "I wanted to play respectable to show people my win in Everett was not a fluke." In the first round he shot a 66 (−4). In the second round he shot 63 (−7), tying the course record. He was at 129 (−11). This set the record for lowest two-round total on the Tournament Players Series. In the final round he shot a 69 (−1). He won the event. With his 198 (−12) total, he recorded the lowest three-round score on the TPS. With the win, he was virtually assured with an exemption into the following year's PGA Tour. He was the leading money winner on the Tournament Players Series and considered the tour's "hottest player." The following week, he played the final event of the season, the Anderson-Pacific Sacramento Golf Classic. Before the event, on September 11, he played "The Shootout," a pairs event. His partner was Bob Tway. In the nine hole tournament, his team shot three-under par to tie the team of Bob Charles and Russ Cochran for the win. Bolling earned $250 for the victory. Two days later Bolling played the event proper. Bolling's goal was to protect his money leader standing. He easily achieved this goal, finishing in third place, one out of a playoff. Due to his Order of Merit win he received PGA Tour membership for 1985.
In December he played the Chrysler Team Championship, with Brad Fabel. In the first two rounds they shot 66–64 to put themselves in a tie for ninth, three back. In the third round they shot an "impressive" 64 (−8) to take a one-shot lead. In the final round the team shot a 66 (−6) to finish tied with four other teams. At the first playoff hole, Fabel missed from eight feet and Bolling from 20 feet. The team of Raymond Floyd and Hal Sutton won the event.