By Rubin E. Grant
Jim Brotherton Jr. believes there’s more to being a golf professional than simply playing.
In fact, he believes the things he did other than playing led to his induction into the Alabama-NW Florida PGA Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class during a ceremony Feb. 10.
“When people think about a golfer going into a hall of fame, they think all you do is play,” Brotherton said. “But you have served fellow professionals, your association and your community. All of those things are important. I think they are more important than just playing.”
An Alabama-NW Florida Section statement about its hall of fame inductees said, “They have gone above and beyond to serve the Section and the game of golf throughout their careers … and have left impacting legacies.”
Brotherton, a PGA master professional, was awarded the 2003 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year. Additionally, he is a member of the PGA of America’s Hall of Fame and was the first head golf professional at Old Overton Club, a position he held for 23½ years. Brotherton also has become an instrumental figure in the recent fundraising efforts and success for the section’s foundation.
Brotherton retired as the head golf professional at Old Overton in 2016, but he still has a busy calendar. He’s in his third year as the head golf coach at John Carroll Catholic High School and he’s a track official for middle school, high school and college meets.
“I love working with the kids,” Brotherton said.
Brotherton landed at John Carroll because he wanted to be of service after retiring from Old Overton. The Rev. Robert Sullivan, the president of John Carroll who is known among his parishioners and friends as “Father Bob,” took him up on the offer to serve.
“I was telling a group of professionals from some private clubs – a bunch of us get together for lunch – that if they needed help with anything to let me know,” Brotherton said. “Father Bob told one of the guys at the Country Club of Birmingham that they were looking for a golf coach and he told Father Bob he had the perfect coach for him. Father Bob interviewed me and told me they needed help.”
So, naturally, Brotherton agreed to be the Cavaliers’ golf coach.
“It’s a nice school and a nice program,” he said. “I’m having a blast.”
John Carroll opened its 2020 season Feb. 18 against Helena at Bent Brook Golf Course.
“We’ve got a good group of guys,” Brotherton said. “We lost three guys from last year so I’m anxious to see how we play this year.”
If coaching wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Brotherton also is a substitute teacher at John Carroll.
“I was doing a bunch of computer work for the golf team and I had to come by the school to print out all the stuff,” Brotherton said. “I heard a couple of the ladies talking about they had a shortage of substitute teachers. I said I can do that. I don’t have to teach. All I have to do is sit in the classroom, call the roll and put the assignments on the board – and I could do my paperwork for the golf team and get paid for it,” he added with a laugh.
“It’s brought me closer to the school and the students.”
Besides, Brotherton didn’t just want to be piddling around at home.
“My wife, Kathy, teaches, so she’s not at home all day and all I would have been doing is sitting around by myself,” he said. “She teaches eighth grade English at Pelham Park Middle School. This is her 21st year. She’s a great teacher and really cares about the students.
“When I told her I was going to be a substitute, she said, ‘What do you know about teaching.’ I told her I’d been teaching golf for 30 years so I know a lot,” he added with another chuckle.
Brotherton still tees it up on the golf course.
“This time of the year with the weather so bad I don’t play much,” he said. “But when the weather is nice, I play on Wednesdays and Fridays. I have an honorary membership at Old Overton, so it’s nice to go out there and play.”
