For Tony Krogen, golf is life.
And for one more summer, the Marshall native is living the golf life as a caddie and by playing in several tournaments.
Krogen is caddying at Spring Hill in Wayzata and has qualified for the Minnesota Amateur and State Open and hopes to qualify for the US Open for the second straight year.
The St. John's graduate knew that he would have to start planning his career soon, but an opportunity to caddie at one of the most exclusive clubs in the state allowed him to push it off for a few months.
"I had three buddies that I played with at school that caddied there previously," Krogen said. "I was looking to move to the Cities anyway and really wasn't looking to get started right away in a real job so I could play golf and be around it."
For Krogen, being on the other side of the bag was a new experience.
"It's actually weird being the one who isn't playing the golf, but it makes you appreciate it more when you play," Krogen said. "Sometimes I took it for granted, going out to the golf course every day, playing under mom and dad's membership. I feel like I'm learning a lot more about the game from being around it, especially around the short game at a club like that."
Walking the course every day gives Krogen a new view each time. Once a week the caddies get their chance to play the course.
"There are so many little different things on that golf course that you have to go around it hundreds of times just to know it," Krogen said. "It makes you appreciate it more, being at a club like that, being at a course like that every day. And we get to play it too once a week. It's a very challenging golf course too, so it's nice to play that type of course."
Krogen has also had a solid summer playing, qualifying for the MGA Amateur Championship at Hastings Country Club and the Minnesota State Open Championship at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids, which will be played two days apart, starting on July 16.
One day after the open, Krogen will try to qualify for the US Amateur at Victory Links Golf Course in Blaine.
"It's going to be a lot of golf, but it will be fun," Krogen said.
Krogen shot identical 73s to qualify for the two Minnesota tournaments. Krogen knows that this is his last year of everyday golf, but he's ready to walk away from the full-time game on his terms.
"The last couple years I've realized how good some of those guys are. I just really love going to play with my buddies, playing in little tournaments," Krogen said. "I like doing so many other things that I would be afraid of getting sick of it. I don't want that to happen."