DuChateau's studies translate into a career.

Byline: PROFILE The Register-Guard

Unable to afford golf lessons while growing up in Eugene, Doug DuChateau became a "self-taught" golfer.

After graduating from Marist High School in 1987, DuChateau says, "I picked up this book called `The Golfing Machine' and started studying it. I'm really kind of self-taught out of that book."

DuChateau's bookish lessons translated to the golf course well enough to earn him a scholarship at the University of Oregon. As a member of the Ducks in 1990-92, he twice earned all-Pac-10 honors before turning pro.

"I won a few tournaments, but not enough money to keep going," said DuChateau, who qualified for the 1994 U.S. Open and played on the Nike Tour. He turned to golf instruction 10 years ago to make a living.

He taught eight years at Oswego Lake Country Club near Portland, then: "Lo and behold, I found myself working for The Golfing Machine," he said. He handled instructor services for the company that trains golf teachers using principles in the book DuChateau studied in his youth.

"It's funny how things go full-circle in life," he said.

Now the 37-year-old DuChateau's life has completed another circle. He moved back to Eugene last month to take over the golf school at Fiddler's Green north of Eugene. He replaces Mark Keating, who decided to return to the Portland area to be closer to family 14 months after taking over for long-time pro Jerry McDermott.

Alan Whalen, general manager of Fiddler's Green, said he was impressed by DuChateau's teaching credentials. "He gave instruction to golf instructors, so he's kind of served the whole gamut," Whalen said. It also helped, he said, that Fiddler's Green's owners knew DuChateau "from his days as a junior at Shadow Hills."

"We've known the Whalen family since they were in the very first building" at Fiddler's Green, DuChateau said. "My sister carpooled with the Whalen boys out to Marist when I was 8 or 9 years old."

Offered the opportunity to become director of instruction at Fiddler's, "I couldn't pass it up," DuChateau said. "We're really excited about being back down here ... In my case, the line is `You can come back home again!' '

DuChateau and his wife, Heidi, have a 4-year old daughter, and they plan to make Eugene their home.

"I am here to stay," he said.

The golf school at Fiddler's Green is run as a separate business, in leased quarters. DuChateau calls his business Precision Golf School, a reflection on the concise swing envisioned by "The Golfing Machine."

But DuChateau said golfers need not worry that the method is "too technical."

"If somebody were to take a lesson from me, they would never know I was a `Golfing Machine' instructor," he said. "I feel like I am a translator of information - just like your doctor doesn't speak to you in Latin, but you sure want him to know what those Latin terms mean."

Brandon Richardson, of Keating's staff, remains a full-time instructor, and Tim Zwettler continues to teach part-time. Precision Golf School is open seven days a week, offering 30-minute classic lessons for $40 and one-hour video lessons for $80.

Precision Golf School's address is 91292 Hwy. 99, Eugene. The telephone number is [phone]. On the Web, see: www.fiddlersgreen.com/PrecisionSchool.cfm.

- Mike Stahlberg