THE GREEN’S FIRST ROUND DRAFT
These up and coming entertainersdrive for perfection

A good stretch from the hallowed links of St. Andrews a new cadre of young golfing enthusiasts is taking shape, and more than a few are taking notice. Yes, its true that they can chip with the best, read the greens or even offer a pointer or two, but in truth all eyes are on them because they are beautiful on course and on screen. We can never forget the debonair Joe Louis, the maverick whose celebrity made room for others to enjoy the game, or Althea Gibson, whose talents were unassailable, but at this point in history a new handful of Black entertainers stand poised to seize a new day.

	PLAYER:	Eva Marcille Pigford
	AGE:	24
	POSITION:	Model/Actress
	BREAKOUT:	Winner of America's Next  Top Model, Season 3
	ON DECK:	Free Agent

Be it a contest of skills or simply an opportunity to have a good time, this game has caught the fancy of the next generation of Hollywood heavyweights. The course has become an alternative canvas—some tell us they need a solid 18 to relieve the pressures of a hectic shooting schedule and even more intense travel demands. Others say they have found a graceful means to channel a lifetime of athletic potential. Still others suggest that the course is a perfect catalyst for treasured moments of family bonding. There is much to be found by losing oneself in the game of golf.

But the entertainers we have captured in this issue refuse to be lost in the shuffle. Eva Marcille Pigford, Lance Gross, Chris & Kyle Massey and Pooch Hall are but a few who have gone green and as every enthusiast knows, there’s no turning back. All of which makes sense because their careers are going full speed ahead. As always tgm is here to put Rodeo Drive and Main Street on notice. Here is The Green Magazine 2008 first round draft picks

Golf is a game of choices an thought and that is what life is about. If you make quick choices you may not be satisfied with the result. It’s about trying to measure, think about it and execute—that’s the kind of game it is. I like to stick to a plan; when things come at me I like to be able to handle them. We in our generation need more avenues to express ourselves. Not everyone is a basketball player; not everyone plays football. Those kids that don’t necessarily connect to your average or common sports might use a negative outlet to release frustrations if they don’t have alternatives. I went to Washington Prep in South California and my school started a golf program. You would be surprised to see the kids that gravitated towards the game.

	PLAYER:	Lance Gross
	AGE:	26
	POSITION:	Actor
	BREAKOUT:	Co-star, Tyler Perry's House of Payne
	ON DECK:	House of Payne: 26 more episodes

My dad is a big golfer. He’s been trying to get me to play since I was younger. Now when we play in Las Vegas it gives us a chance to spend time together. We talk about politics and everything else a Father and Son would talk about on the course. I’m getting to his level. He always teaches me. My girlfriend and I [Eva Marcille Pigford] also play all the time. I win most of those rounds, but she is very good.”

	PLAYER:	Chris Massey
	AGE:	18
	POSITION:	Actor
	BREAKOUT:	TV series The Parkers
	ON DECK:	Zoey 101

There are a lot of people we know who have gotten involved in golf now. Friends of mine who never thought about playing golf before have gone out and picked up some cheap clubs because it’s just about having fun and a great place to network. Even though many are picking it up, I have not seen too many females, but earlier this year we attended the first annual Don H. Barden Golf Event in Las Vegas and there was a young girl from Atlanta who was kicking everyone’s butt out there. She was about 14 or 15 and a top golfer in the nation.

With golf you definitely learn respect, patience and concentration. It’s a gentleman’s game that teaches you courtesy. For instance, if you are on a course that is also a residential community, what happens when people lose balls is that the residents collect and resell them. They put them in a crate with a sign telling you how much they are and you are supposed to take however many balls and leave your money—it’s an honor system. In comparison I think for the most part when you’re watching mtv and action movies it’s great entertainment but its not teaching you anything.

	PLAYER:	Kyle Massey
	AGE:	16
	POSITION:	Actor
	BREAKOUT:	Selma, Lord, Selma
	ON DECK:	Cory in the House

I think golf is very peaceful sport and not the easiest game to pick up, either. Once you get out there and hit a perfect shot you don’t want to leave. Before they picked up the sport a lot of my friends and family kept saying it’s too hard—all that land and all that grass for one little ball and one little cup. Once they go out they experience 18 holes of peace and quiet. I think it is an amazing sport. For me personally I like golf way better than basketball. Golf is now my favorite to play and football is my favorite to watch.

	PLAYER:	Pooch Hall
	AGE:	32
	POSITION:	Actor
	BREAKOUT:	Co-star of the CW TV series The Game
	ON DECK:	Diary of a Champion

My first experience with golf opened up my eyes to a whole different world. I can see why they call it the gentlemen’s game. It’s about respect, integrity and honor. I’ve played many sports in my life and I was successful in all of them. I’m a competitor. But with golf I found something that I had to work at. At the NAACP Tournament I would have to putt just a foot away from the hole and I would miss. When I get introduced to something new I always try and keep an open mind. My father always taught me to take both the good and the bad as lessons that I can apply later in life. So as a competitor I naturally wanted to get better. I started to try and see the course like the pros see the course. The skill and technique that is involved is amazing. I was able to step outside of the frustration and ask how I can dominate the course without losing control. Just like in real life we have to get outside of ourselves. As people we don’t have control of so many elements and sometimes we lose our cool. Our conduct can become crazy at that point, and in golf it’s the same way. You don’t have any control over the trees or the wind or the birds. But you have to maintain your self-control and patience to be successful. In golf it stresses your being and your mind to concentrate and observe your surroundings. So when I’m out there on the course I exercise my mind so that I can see where I fit in. I came away from that tournament seeing why people love the game so much. The focus and self-control that I had to practice has bled into every part of my life. I get it now.