Jim Simons has always looked at life with an eye towards the future.

As a former PGA Tour player, Simons was also working as an investment counselor during that time and later became a stockbroker.

Now, at age 54, Simons is getting interested in what he believes is future of golf: learning centers.

"Golf is to be played for fun, but if you wanted to improve, you'd go to a golf school and practice," said Simons, from his home in Jacksonville, Fla. "And, if you really had the time, you'd be up at this learning center.

"You'd check the physical aspect and a program could be put together to help your game," Simons added.

Simons, a 1968 graduate of Knoch High School, isn't talking about golfers only receiving tips on improving their swings.

He's talking computer analysis, data, nine cameras monitoring every twitch and aspect of the swing, then using those numbers to help you achieve your best."Take Tiger Woods," said Simons as an example. "Instead of (former swing coach) Butch Harmon, if he had one of these places, he could see what he was doing."It would be ideal for him to go back to 2000 when everything was going well. If you take everything he's doing well and record it, then three years later he's struggling, you can see if his weight distribution is off or if his timing is different, everything," Simons added.

To be honest, five years ago, Simons thought his interest would be in playing in the PGA Seniors Tour.Unfortunately, life happens.Simons was slowed by back and shoulder injuries during his PGA career, which ended in 1988 after 16 years.Surgery helped his shoulder problems, but in the late 1990s Simons found out he needed cataract surgeries."I was then told I'd be a perfect candidate for Lasik surgery and I was excited," said Simons. "They expected 20/20 or better but I ended up having two Lasik surgeries in each eye."The first time, Simons didn't heal well and, as it turned out, ended up with double vision in his right eye and the left eye was overcorrected."That was really a disappointment," said Simons. "I really did want to play, but I let a long time lapse. I was told by other players that you needed to keep playing and have competition."Also, Simons had three sons to raise and his wife, Sherry, died in 1997 of breast cancer.He and his second wife, Sally, have been separated for two years but remain friends."There's been a lot of emotional stuff, but I've been able to handle that and get over some things," said Simons.He also suffers from fibrositis, which is muscular rheumatism, and fibromyalgia."I have a lot of joint pain and soft tissue pain," said Simons, who still finds time to golf almost on a daily basis.Simons showed early on he was going to be a successful golfer when, as sophomore at Knoch, he won the PIAA Championship and won a pair of Pennsylvania Amateur Championship crowns.As a senior, he finished runner-up at the PIAA finals, then spent the next two years at the University of Houston. He transferred to Wake Forest for his final two seasons and earned All-American honors.Having qualified for the 1971 U.S. Open during his junior season, Simons was leading the field with a 207 after three rounds of play.He led Jack Nicklaus by two strokes heading into the final round, but finished fifth overall as Nicklaus and Lee Trevino ended up forcing sudden death play the next day."I didn't know how good he was going to be until he was a junior and played in some national tournaments," said Simons' father, Ralph, 79, who still resides in Butler."He started to play better nationally. You have to have that exposure and do well," the elder Simons added.Simons won three PGA events - the 1977 New Orleans Open, the 1978 Memorial and the 1982 Bing Crosby - while working as an investment counselor.Simons credits his competitive nature to his father, who despite turning 80 later this year, can still shoot his age."He's a great competitor and taught me how to compete," said Simons. "He and I were usually partners at the Butler Country Club on Saturdays and Sundays."Simons became a stockbroker and spent 23 years in the business, the last seven as an independent along with a co-worker before phasing out of the market game altogether."I'm not a salesperson and I think I got turned off by all the shenanigans on Wall Street," said Simons.Simons still has his license and attends seminars to stay current, but admits, "I may just let it expire. I'm just not interested in selling. I'm just interested in golf and the learning aspect of it."In May, Simons attended the TaylorMade 25th anniversary, as Simons was one of the first players to use metal woods. The company was introducing a new driver, which really appealed to Simons."What really made it intriguing was the weighted screws," said Simons. "You could take them out and change the club's weight to hit the ball higher, low, to fade or hook."Simons discussed his idea of building a learning studio in Jacksonville."I talked about getting involved," said Simons. "They're a big company with money and the capability. Right now, they have their own fitting center and two more will open soon and there will soon be 12 around the world."They're not interested in the learning part right now, just the fitting part. They're taking data and using it for equipment."I can see where they're coming from," Simons added.Simons, however, knows he might have to go ahead and build his learning center with his own money."If I don't do it with TaylorMade, I still think I'll do it on my own, probably here in Jacksonville. If it's successful, then I'll have one in different parts of the country."Still, the best way to go is through the companies, but they don't have the learning part of it," he added.Simons knows his strengths lie in golf and would like to keep his hand in it because that's where he's earned his reputation."I've spent my whole life in golfing and have the most credibility there," said Simons. "If I play a round of golf with Donald Trump, if I tell him about golf, he's all ears."If I tell him about business, would he listen?" Simons asked.

Simons still entertains the notion of joining the PGA Seniors Tour somewhere down the line."I love to be able to compete at a high level," said Simons. "I worked hard at coming back for the Senior Tour and I hyperextended my elbow at age 48 when I tried to come back. I got injections and went to an acupuncturist."I found out through the years that nagging injuries are from the body not standing wear and tear."I had tendinitis in my left ankle for years and found out I had to strengthen it. After I strengthened it, it was just fine," Simons added.Simons has spent years trying to fine tune his eyesight with drills and techniques, just as he has trying to improve his body's condition.He's invested so much time to golf, which is why he knows golf's a huge part of his future, not just his past.That's why he's very excited about his dream of the learning centers."I see golf in the future," said Simons. "We'll all be better than we are now, all be more consistent than we are now"It's going to happen. It's just a matter of being ahead of the curve."