Stan Smith

THE TENNIS LEGEND, NOW 76, HAS LIVED ON "GOLF ISLAND" FOR 50 YEARS. TURNS OUT THAT WHEN HE PUTS DOWN HIS RACKET, HE'S A PRETTY GOOD STICK.

- John Ledesma

G: Being the top tennis player in the world takes up a lot of time. How did you manage to get into golf?

SS: I never played until I moved to Hilton Head Island in ’71. I had a Wilson tennis racket named after me at the time, so I went to their factory and picked out some clubs.

G: Were you good at golf right away?

SS: Most tennis players pick up the game fairly quickly. There was a golf pro at Harbour Town named Stan Graff, who happened to be a former Stanford quarterback. He related golf movement to other sports, which helped me understand the game better. Golf and tennis swings are very similar in their kinetic link back and forward.