TriBella Takes A Break For The Masters Tournament. Seriously.

by Mile High Multisport Coach Khem Suthiwan
Many people in the triathlon and cycling world know James Sharpe as one of the most skilled bike mechanics in the industry and owner of the TriBella Sports Group (TriBella, Colorado Triathlon Company, and Denver Fit Loft). Very few know about his history with the sport of golf, yours truly included. Proof that some triathletes have other interests outside of the sport. Shocking, I know.
James grew up in Gunnison playing golf and racing bikes since he was 12 years old. It wasn’t uncommon for him to compete on the greens one day and turn around to race his bike the next. His brother and father also played golf competitively, so the drive (no pun intended) to continue playing at a high level was deeply rooted in his family. For two years he played at the collegiate level in Louisiana, transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder to focus on cycling, and stepped away from golf completely for the next 3 years.
masterslogoWhile working at several cycling shops in Boulder and racing as a CAT 2 cyclist, James was reintroduced to his former love by a colleague. Not missing a beat during his 3-year hiatus, his game was right where he left it. He entertained a career as a PGA Professional by taking the Players Ability Test (PAT), something required in order to register for the PGA Professional Golf Management Program. The PAT consists of playing 36 holes shooting par or better. James passed with flying colors at the Lake Valley Country Club in Boulder in 1993, a course known for its difficulty, scoring 73 and 71.
During this time James also worked as a contract bike mechanic for the Trek MTB racing team. After passing the PAT, he put down a deposit for the Spring of 1994 PGA Professional Golf Management Program. Then in the Fall of 1993, James was asked to be the 2nd mechanic for the Trek Cyclocross and MTB racing teams. At a crossroads with a choice to make between two sports he truly loved, he chose to pursue cycling which resulted in a career with Trek from 1993 to 2004, and now owner of the TriBella Sports Group.
DSC_0146So there you have it. Even though his path took him towards cycling, he still carries a 10 handicap and plays golf whenever he can. His favorite course is Ventana Canyon in Tucson, AZ, his dream would be to play at Pebble Beach and Augusta National, and mostly frequents the Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen. His prediction for The Masters? Justin Rose of the United Kingdom, currently ranked 54th on the PGA tour. These days, his goal for every golf outing is to leave the course with more balls than he originally started with.

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