Green twins making the cut

There's a golf story unfolding in Sisters at Aspen Lakes Golf Course - a story with many chapters to come.

The story concerns a set of identical twins named Christian and David Green. Both 21, both strong and both with great ability. Both made the "cut" at the Oregon Open last week at Aspen Lakes with scores of 145, meaning they played in the same group on the final day Thursday.

It wasn't the best part of their story, as they both finished down the list among the 70 finalists with a tough field of 49 Northwest professionals and 21 amateurs. David had 73, 72 and 74 for 219 and Christian 68, 77 and 80 for 225.

But consider the potential:

Towering drives of 350 yards or farther. High, arching seven irons that go 180 yards and land like a feather. Two shots just short of the green on a par five playing almost 600 yards, INTO THE WIND. Personal bests at challenging Aspen Lakes of 63 for David and 64 for Christian.

This story might never have happened except for a quirk of fate when the twins were six years old. Parents Chris and Pam Green, and older brother Jonathan, then eight, made a reservation at a bed-and-breakfast on the California Coast at Carmel. The place was "sub-par" and Pam made calls to find somewhere else to stay.

They landed at Quail Lodge, which just happened to have a golf course. They all rented clubs and the boys liked it, Pam said.

The passion began.

All three practiced hard when they returned to their home in Southern California. They took lessons and began to enter junior tournaments. The family moved to Oregon nine years ago. The boys were homeschooled, but Chris and Pam wanted them to go to a small public high school. They had been to Sisters and loved it, so they moved here.

Chris owns an environmental consulting business and could locate anywhere. They built a house on the 18th fairway at Aspen Lakes and moved in eight years ago.

The boys won countless tournaments while in California and also in Oregon. All three starred on the Sisters High School golf team. The team won the state championship twice and David won the individual state champion title.

Jonathan, 23, has been playing on a "mini" pro golf tour in California. Pam said he has been struggling and is coming home soon for some intense practice.

This is not a silver spoon story for these three grounded brothers. The twins still mow lawns for extra money. One client, Chuck Gibson, yelled at them Thursday on the first hole to stop at his place on the 11th fairway and give his grass a quick trim.

David works at Aspen Lakes in the pro shop and has outside duties. Christian works at Pro Golf in Bend. Both are finishing college at OSU Cascades in Bend. David is studying natural resources and Christian liberal arts.

A peek into their golf bags reveals a lot about the personable young men. This is an age of endless new golf club miracles. But David plays with a set of Pings that used to be his father's. He got them when he was nine or 10.

"I love these irons," he said.

He also scouts the lost-and-found at Aspen Lakes. After six months the clubs are considered available. David has several wedges he acquired this way, including an old 60 degree.

"I hit them and if they feel good, I put them in my bag," he said.

He also has a Titlist pitching wedge that is 10 years old and a Callaway 3 metal that has been in his bag nine years.

Christian has seven-year-old Titlist irons. However, he is about to get a new set of Nickent clubs because he just passed the stringent qualifications needed to be a member of the Professional Golfers Association.

The twins have other interests. David is engaged to be married in the summer of 2009, after he gets his degree. He also participates in strenuous lumberjack competitions all over Oregon. He became interested after hearing a talk in college. He competes in practically all events, and compares the standing block chopping competition to swinging a golf club.

"It's fun and keeps me in shape," he said.

With his environmental degree, David has the option of joining Chris in the family business after graduation. He is unsure about a professional golfing career. The decision is complicated by a stress fracture in his back that hinders his swing. He took three months off before the Oregon Open and had only three weeks to practice.

He says the lumberjack competition doesn't bother him as much as golf, as the golf swing pinpoints the stress fracture. David first injured his back in high school playing basketball and reinjured it in a long drive competition.

Christian will attempt a professional golf career after college. His plan is to play on one of the numerous mini-tours such as the one his brother plays on right now. Christian says he needs two things to improve his golf game: better mental focus and improvement with his fairway metals.

He also needs sponsors to help with the $15,000 or $20,000 cost.

Father Chris assured a questioner that they eat plenty of food, despite their 6-foot-2-inch, 170-pound frames, with 32-inch waist sizes.

Derek Johnson, head pro at Aspen Lakes, played the first two rounds with the twins and dropped everything to "loop" or caddy for David during the final round.

"Either one could do well in golf," Johnson said. "I would want them on my side."