CLUB PUTS PRO ON A PEDESTAL.

Byline: Dave Shelburne

Braemar Country Club honored one of its finest - and golf's finest - last week with the unveiling of a bronze, life-size statue of longtime Braemar teaching professional Ralph Guldahl.

Guldahl, a Masters and and U.S. Open champion who served for 28 years as Braemar's first club professional, was the subject of a week-long celebration capped by the dedication of his statue near the first tee on the east course.

The shy, 6-foot-2 Texas native, who died in 1987, was remembered as much for his unpretentious nature as for his considerable golf ability - and he had enough of the latter to be named to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

A contemporary of such PGA legends as Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, Guldahl won 16 tournaments during his PGA career and was in his prime during the late 1930s, playing for the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1937.

In 1937 and '38, he won consecutive U.S. Opens, a feat matched by only five other players since that national championship was started in 1895. In '39 he won the Masters, following two straight runner-up finishes. In '40, he was a semifinalist in the then-match-play PGA Championship, losing 1-up to eventual champion Nelson.

Guldahl set tournament records in winning the '37 Open and the Masters, both times finishing a stroke ahead of Snead - who would go on to win seven majors.

The only man ever to win three straight Western Opens (1936-37-38), Guldahl did that at a time that tournament was one of the PGA's most prestigious events. It wasn't quite a major but it was close - about the way The Players Championship is regarded today.

But when longtime Braemar members or employees walk by that shiny new statue of their popular head pro, they're as likely to be thinking of qualities other than ball-striking.

Said Anita Bradford, who worked at the club for 27 years: ``He was a gentleman to the fingertips.''

Quick enough studies: College of the Canyons golf coach Gary Peterson expected slow but steady growth from his young Cougars, and that's what he has seen throughout a 47-6-2 season that has COC on the verge of its fifth Western State Conference championship in seven years.

Sophomore Ryan Shaffer (averaging 77.2 strokes) and freshmen Dan Flynn (76.8) and Chuck Roulund (78.1) have been the leaders on a club that often includes David Wood and Marshall Paterson among its five scoring players.

Eight games up on Ventura and Bakersfield with two conference tournaments remaining, Peterson and crew are all but assured of earning one of the WSC's two berths in the May 6 Southern California Regionals at Hesperia CC.

Peterson thinks if his team can survive that nine-team, 36-hole competition - which sends the top four to the May 13 state tournament at Santa Maria CC - the Cougars have a good chance to bring home the school's second state title.

He admits the regionals are the Big If - Canyon's season ended there last year, when COC missed advancing by one place. But Peterson also thinks the Cougars' title chances improve if they do advance to Santa Maria, where his team has played well twice this season.

``I've got to be optimistic,'' said Peterson, who has enjoyed a better than .800 winning percentage at COC and produced a state champion in '93. ``This team is very young, with only two sophomores, but they've really grown.''

They said it: Masters champion Nick Faldo, on why he returned to a regular grip after putting cross-handed last year:

``If I'm going to miss, I'd rather look good at it.''

Johnny Miller, golf's star of the mid-1970s, on the difference between himself and Jack Nicklaus, who won his 100th professional tournament and eighth senior major at the Tradition this month:

``When I got to the top of the mountain in 1974-75, I said, `Hey, it's time to stop and check out the view.' Whenever Jack reaches the top of a mountain, he starts looking for another.''

TOURNAMENTS Boys and Girls Clubs of Pasadena: May 2 at Brookside GC No. 2, Pasadena: Sugar Ray Leonard will be honorary celebrity golfer. Scramble format. Entry fee $125. Information: [phone].

Burbank-Magnolia Park Optimist Club: May 10 at De Bell GC, Burbank: Low gross, low net in flights for men and women (Callaway for all non-handicappers) Entry fee $100. Information [phone].

Vaquero Golf Weekend: Non-refundable $25 deposit deadline May 15 for July 5-7 two-day tournament at Indian Wells Golf Resort, Indian Wells. Format best ball, men's division and mixed division, 6:30 a.m. start both days. Entry fee of $205 per person (due in full June 24) covers cost of two rounds and two players sharing one night's lodging at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort. Information: John Gold at 240-1000 ext.5522.

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Classic: May 18 at Valencia CC. Sportscaster Todd Donoho will be celebrity host. Entry fee $350. Information: [phone].

MEMO: The golf column appears on Thursdays in the Daily News.