Just wanted to start a thread about who we are when we're not golfing.

I'm DocT.
How I got my name? I studied pre-med at University of Hawaii back in the BBS (Bulletin Board System) days before the internet on my super-quick 2400 baud dial-up modem. Remember those? Anyway, I had to pick a username. Looking around my room came up with no results, so I went with my major. The name stuck since then, with several variations.

Ok, so I studied pre-med and UH-Manoa. Took my MCAT, accepted to med school, but couldn't afford the tuition. SO I did a 180 and left Hawaii to study engineering in Phoenix, AZ. Moved to California for a job.

What do I do?
The company I work for designs, builds, tests, and delivers broadband communication satellites to worldwide customers. One example is the DirecTV satellite. I'm an engineer in the RF department. Some of the stuff I've worked on are up there in orbit, where as others are in the deep ocean due to launch anomaly.

Why golf?
My co-workers get together every year to play a tourney. At first I wasn't interested, but when I hear the great fishing stories when they return, I just had to try it out. Been golfing for a year and a half now. Never took lessons, hence my super high scores. I enjoy being outdoors and away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

What else do I do for fun?
I used to race RC cars. But I grew out of it. Then it was target shooting and hunting (with real guns). Then I got married, and the wife wasn't too thrilled about guns.

My life?
Well, not as extravagant as some of you. I work, golf, eat, and sleep. That about sums it up. Oh yeah, I have 1 cat too.

Doc T

Good idea DocT. So are you the guy to ask why my remote doesnt always work when I point it at the TV and push a button? Oh well, it doesn't matter.

So I guess we're all going to do this so here goes...

Me? Scott Rushing, I grew up and lived within the same basic area, in and around Winston-Salem, NC, home of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco company....you may have heard people refer to us as Tobacco Road during NCAA basketball time, when ACC teams like Duke, UNC and NC State are playing. That's us.

I went to college at a local college and went to work for a medical school, know known as Wake Forest University Health Sciences. I work for a department that does clinical research and though I'm trained as a programmer and hardware computer guy, through years of out-lasting my superiors, I now am involved in managing the group. This is really the only job I've ever known...I love the people (well most of them) and the environment... I'm also president of a business I started with a couple friends of mine, which gives me golf money to go to the GGR, doing internet development, doing a few projects here and there.

Got married in '95 and now have 2 kids, one of each, and a big dog who acts like a 3rd child.

Golf is one of my biggest passions, having started while I was in college, about 1986 or so. Since that first time, I've been hooked ever since.

Who's next?

Wade Childers
Born and raised in Osage County, Oklahoma.
One-quarter Osage Indian (so my golf tan gets very dark.)
Martial arts from 7th grade through college, 2 black belts.
Bachelor's degree in Journalism
Worked 2 yrs as copywriter in ad agency
Moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue music.
Worked on staff at Signet Sound (formerly Motown Hitsville) for the last decade, as a recording/mixing engineer specializing in movie-music surround sound. Also work as a freelance recording engineer.
Married since 2001 to a beautiful angel
Golf like a maniac, and also play pool/billiards.
*Appear to enjoy putting little balls into little holes, or trying to at least.*
Get my kicks here harassing, and being harassed by, a truly odd but amusing bunch of golf nuts.

Aimee...born in and lived in the northeast (NY, NJ, PA) my whole life.
Graduated with B.S. degree in Interior Design, worked a couple of years as a commercial interior designer (restaurants, offices, custom furniture). Transitioned into office furniture sales. Which is how I got into golf...saw the salespeople taking off in the middle of the day to play, thought that seemed like a good thing. Plus my boyfriend (now husband) was into golf and wanted to have me join him. I now work for one of the largest office furniture manuf's in the U.S. as a territory manager.
Before I was a golf nut, I (like Wade) was training in martial arts but I decided to stop before my black belt (plus I was tired of being beat up all the time). Other non-violent hobbies are sailing and cooking.
Married since 2000, 2 cats, 2 step-kids (college senior and college grad, so mostly absent).

Joe, born in Pgh Pa. Left there a long time ago, I am a very quiet type of guy and like some of
the others I used to be a shooter, especially moving targets, then I left the military.
No really, I did a lot of traveling around and seeing beautiful new places from Washington State to Arizona, and the Niagra Falls to Ft. Lauderadle, and in Europe from Denmark to Sicily to the Canary Islands and all places in between, married and work for the military in Germany.
Hobbies; include writing, cars (from hot rods to Lexus), fitness, marveling at a beautiful countryside
or watching the sun setting (over a mountain ridge, or the ocean), listening to music
(country, contemporary, oldies, some soul), enjoy the company of good people who are
not too loud, (although when the mood is right, all heck can break lose),
used to be a dancing fool, anything from two-stepping to English Waltz.
and last but not least.., GOLF.
Took up the game two years and three months ago, found it to be just about as good as
peanutbutter or hotdogs. I study golf as if gettin ready to take a test, every little detail has to
imbedded in my mind. During days of inclimate weather, I go in the back yard and swing the club.
Can't get enough, watch recorded golf games over and over, sooner or later I'll get the trick.


My motto
Love with all your heart, and when you dance,
dance like the whole world's watching you.

Hi, I'm Laney.
Grew up in a very small town in Kansas.
KU Jayhawk. Three years of physics, BS Electrical Engineering.
Work as a seismic data processor. Sort of a fancy computer operator, making images of the subsurface to assist oil prospecting.
Two kids in their 20's, both in grad school.
Marriage didn't survive.
Former passions: piano, judo, distance running, rock/alpine climbing, backpacking, yoga, tango.
Golf: Boyfriend took me to the driving range to try it. I took one lesson (May 2006), and got hooked. I don't know exactly why. The challenge, being outdoors, the rhythm and athleticism of the swing.
Like Doc, I'm pretty simple. Eat, sleep, work, read books. A little run/workout here and there to balance the golf, and a boyfriend to share life.

One of the satellites I worked on will be launched tomorrow.



Here's a link of the launch vehicle. http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av011/rollout/
The satellite payload is in the cone of the vehicle.
Link of the WGS satellite and an artist rendition of the payload: http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av011/071007wgs.html
Renditions really do no justice. Up close and in person, it's a beauty.

This is the first WGS satellite that we've worked on and now it's going up!

I'll be at work to watch the live broadcast of the liftoff and system initialization (if I have time).

Although this is just one of many satellites I worked on, I always get excited about seeing one launched to orbit.

- Doc T

DocT, keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars! That's so cool. I always knew there was something very spacey about you. BTW, do you happen use one of those golf GPS doo-hickeys? Would be ironic if you didn't...

After my brother graduated from Air Force, he worked in Torrance. We knew he worked on satellites, but that's as much info as he gave the family. Sounds like you and he were working on the same sort of thing. Small world. Very cool, Doc.

Torrance? Satellites? Ah, I know where that is!

I know how he feels about "talking about work." Sometimes I can't really tell my wife what I'm working on either.

As for the WGS satellite, yes it is a military sat, but I worked on the declassified portions. I really hope this sat helps out our men and women serving to protect our country.

Just to get waaayyy off topic, I remember when Patriot Games came out (early 90's), and they were following troop movements via satellite, and I was wondering if that could be true. A guy I worked with said he was in the military in the late 70's and they were reading license tag numbers via satellite back then. What kind of optics could do this? I know you can't really discuss anything, Doc, just rambling.

A quickey Doc; do you work with a guy named Sonny G.?
We are getting ready to shut down our K-band shot to Kosovo this year,
Shortly they will be changing authority down there,
it was used to track vehicle movements, etc,
nuff said.

Joe

Man it feel's so James Bond'ish on this forum now...how cool. You know, much of our golf club and ball technology is from military background...so we're all sort of related in that sense...

DocT, I hope all goes well with the lunch..I mean launch! (ok, does anyone remember that series with Bob Denver as a service technician having lunch and accidently launches a rocket?..."Far Out Space Nuts" was the name. ) anyway, we now return to your normal broadcast...

Watched the launch live on our company's broadcast. Launch was successful.

As far as optics on the sats... no, our area deals with RF satellites. But then again, on the military side... I wouldn't know as it is behind locked doors and I don't have access to those areas. I hope to one day transfer to the military area though. Would be cool to have a DoD secret clearance!

You all are talking about lauching satellites and rockets and secret clearances..........

If you look at my avatar, you'll see what appears to be a rocket launching a satellite into orbit.

In actuality, you're looking at a photo of a Pro V1x launching off my new Titleist D2 driver!

One of the nicest looking Pro V1x Titleists I have ever seen, if I do say so myself.