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Jeff Kaiser, a 2004 Onalaska High School graduate who went on to play collegiately at Wisconsin-Madison, had a pretty good reason for missing this week's Wisconsin State Golf Association State Amateur at Old Hickory in Beaver Dam. He turned pro earlier this summer.

Kaiser exhausted his four years of college eligibility with the completion of this spring's season at Wisconsin-Madison.

“It was just the right time,” Kaiser said. “I had know I planned on turning professional following my college career. I thought I had accomplished a great deal in amateur golf and that it was time to try and make some money, and see if golf was going to be a career for me.”

With the State Am off his calendar, Kaiser's next event is this weekend's Capital Times Invitational in Madison. Kaiser will play in the Wisconsin PGA State Open at Eau Claire Country Club Aug. 18-20.

“As for goals, who knows?,” Kaiser said. “It's still a long ways away to think about as I do not plan on adding any other tournaments to my schedule this summer, as I still have school to finish this fall and spring. It's hard to say where my game will be at a year from now; where I will be personally.”

Professional golf beyond the PGA and Nationwide Tours is somewhat of a mixed bag, including the Hooters Tour, Gateway Tour and mini-tours. Kaiser has made at least one decision in regards to his golfing future.

“I know I don't want to be a guy that travels from week to week living out of cheap motels and a suitcase, never being at home with my girlfriend, friends and family,” Kaiser said. “I will see where I am at a year from now when it would really be time to get into an intense schedule and see how that goes. If I don't think as though it's the life for me as I play what I can get into, I will look at other options related to golf (teaching instructor, etc).”

Another playing option for Kaiser would be to go out of the country, either to Canada or outside of North America.

“I haven't really thought about outside of the U.S. at this point in time,” Kaiser said. “As of right now, anything outside of North America doesn't interest me.”

One of Kaiser's previous coaches, Onalaska High School coach Dick Kyes, thinks Kaiser has the potential to earn a living as a player. In addition to coaching at OHS, Kyes owns Whispering Pines in Cadott, along with his parents, Frank and Nancy.

“He has all the tools and is one of the best ball-strikers I have ever seen,” Kyes said of Kaiser. “He's also got a good head on his shoulders. so he's got a good shot to be successful on some level.

“How far could he go? You have to get some breaks and be lucky, but he's got all the right things that are necessary to succeed.”