John Smoltz tees it up this week on the Nationwide Tour

Playing class a ball, 1986 in Lakeland, Fla., John Smoltz turned to fishing, and golf to kill the time from the baseball diamond. However, a little he knew, he would quickly become as hooked on hitting a golf ball as he was about throwing a baseball. Of Vino Wong, AP

John Smoltz will tee it up this week on a sponsor exemption in the United States tour in South Georgia Classic in Valdosta, GA.

By Vino Wong, AP

John Smoltz will tee it up this week on a sponsor exemption in the United States tour in South Georgia Classic in Valdosta, GA.

The next 23 years, where he established a Hall of Fame-caliber career and became the only major league pitcher to win 200 games (213) and saving 150 (154), Smoltz went on a road trip is rarely without his golf bag, playing some of their best songs from the Pebble Beach Golf Links at Oakmont Country Club to the Augusta National Golf Club This week Smoltz. is again filling time from his current job as a baseball analyst to play some more golf. Mind you not just any golf. Starts Thursday at Kinderlou forest Golf Club in Valdosta, GA., Smoltz, who spent the weekend in Chicago Cubs-Dodgers series, test yourself against the personnel of the nationwide tour, the South Georgia Classic for the exception in a sponsor.Although he is a scratch golfer with a self-taught swing, has a career-low 63 at tough Floridian golf course in Palm City, Fla., and has impressed Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and plenty of others who play golf for a levandeSmoltz know, competing with the best players on the Nationwide Tour could be a good walk spoiled. "I am not kidding anybody. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here. I just enjoy golf to the point that I want to test my ability to optimize to see what my best can be, "said Smoltz, 43, in an interview from the phone. "I have an imaginary world in which I am not afraid of how it looks in the end, or fault part of it, or what people think. What I think is the most important.In golf, not help you, You are basically in the hands of mother nature, your tension, your character. It's just between you and the small ball and the Club in his hand. "Smoltz go not into Georgia Classic cold. He has played in the amateur at the Bob Hope Classic and at & T Pebble Beach National Pro-am. last year, he cut in Georgia Open, an annual competition open to both amateurs and professionals. "I learned more from this tournament than I would have learned from talking to all PGA Tour guy on how it is to play in big tournaments, "Smoltz said. "I learn from failures. I learn from previous things I've dealt with. "Currently deals with Smoltz thought about playing professional tournaments more often, especially when he turns 50 and become eligible to play on the Champions Tour. "I'm waffling, "Smoltz said. "I think there are times when I liken it to my career when there were times I reached high levels of expectations and there were times I don't. One day I think I'll give it a go. Another day, no.But it is one of the reasons I love golf. The part where every day can be your best day intrigues me beyond belief. "Woods was exciting with Smoltz for the first time they played together. "I had not played with a player who has ever had shot the score he shot, "said Woods. "He is a fan of athletes. Just as he has read the same stamina from baseball in golf is pretty amazing. I have played with him and he shot 69-67 on the same day. Not too many amateurs can do it, especially where they still play a professional sport. "He is quite phenomenal. "For more information about reprints and permissions, visit our FAQ. To report corrections and clarifications, contact standards Editor Brent Jones. Send comments to letters@usatoday.com grants publication in the newspaper. Include name, telephone number, city and State for the control. To view our corrections, go to corrections. usatoday.com. We have updated conversation guidelines. Changes include a brief overview of the moderation and an explanation of how to use the "report abuse" button. Read more.