SENIOR CLASSIC AT MESA VERDE : Moo Man : Landers Is Winning Fans With His Down-to-Earth Manner

Robert Landers is a 51-year-old Texas farmer who is living a weekend golfer’s dream.

Even though he taught himself the game, didn’t start playing until he was 22 and rarely had the opportunity to compete in even municipal course tournaments for many years while he worked managing a department store in Azle, Tex., Landers now finds himself in the same events as Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf and Chi Chi Rodriguez.

And Landers is lapping it up.

Landers began play in his sixth event on the Senior PGA Tour Friday, the Toshiba Senior Classic at Mesa Verde Country Club. He shot five-over-par 75 on the first day, and it was a struggle after bogeys on the first three holes.

But Landers wasn’t dismayed, and he has made up his mind that the pro golf life is definitely for him.

“I just know that I can play better golf than I’ve been playing so far,” he said. “I should definitely be able to be around par, maybe one or two over for the tournament. But I think I’ll play my best golf when it gets hotter. I always have in the past.”

No matter what Landers shoots, he has been a breath of fresh air for the Senior Tour.

Landers, who once practiced shots on the cow pasture of the family farm with balls he found on nearby courses, has put away his normal tournament attire--jeans--to meet the PGA dress code. But he still plays in sneakers, which he says is “just an old habit.”

Landers’ down-to-earth ways and his friendly disposition are winning him fans at every tour stop.

His gallery has become known as the “Moo Crew,” and they include people Landers’ age and older, as well as the 20-something generation.

“Last weekend at the tournament in San Antonio, somebody came up with some hats that looked like cowhide with ‘Moo Crew’ written on the front, and they sold a hundred of them before the end of the day on Friday,” Landers’ friend and caddie Roland Sparks said, laughing.

Maybe it’s the unlikelihood of it all, but Landers’ new fans seem to see him as golf’s Everyman.

“I see him hit balls, and he looks like me,” said Bill Dreisbach of San Pedro, who was in the gallery Friday.

Landers’ swing is unorthodox, with a wide stance and very little hip action, but he has been consistently 240 yards off the tee, although that’s not long by pro standards.

“If he could ever get into the top 25 on a regular basis he would have a huge following,” said Ed Rybarczyk of Costa Mesa, who was watching Landers on the back nine.

Three 27-year-olds provided Landers with plenty of vocal support, letting out an occasional “moo” along with a cheer when Landers dropped a putt.

“How can you not like a guy who plays golf in tennis shoes?” said Brian Smith of Las Vegas. “That’s the way I play golf.”

Some of the pros might have been a little taken aback by Landers at first, but Rodriguez says he especially likes what Landers brings to the game.

“I’ve never seen a guy walk down the fairway before holding hands with his wife, like he does, and I think it’s great,” Rodriguez said. “He’s been one of the best things to happen to our tour.”

Landers has qualified for 32 events this year because of the exempt status he won in the national qualifying tournament in Lutz, Fla. But he will need to win a tournament or finish among the top 31 money winners to retain that status next season. A year ago that dividing line was in the $300,000 range, and Landers has won only $7,958 so far.

If necessary, Landers says he’ll play in weekly qualifying tournaments to remain on the tour next year.

For him and his wife, Freddie, it has been one big vacation.

“When I qualified for the seniors, we got a list of the tournaments that I could play in, and I didn’t know how many I’d even enter,” he said. “But now that I’ve gotten a taste of it, I don’t want to miss nothing.”