HAYDEN LAKE - For as long as Dan Porter has been the head professional at Avondale Golf Club in Hayden Lake, he has been able to keep his work and family well within his range.

The driving range at Avondale that is, where his three kids, as well as his wife have worked alongside him at the club.

"During golf season, they basically go to school and make a bee-line here," said Porter, in his 12th year at Avondale. "They're either working, hitting balls or practicing."

Taylor, 20, his oldest son, is a senior attending Boise State on a golf scholarship.

"He was here almost every day this summer," Porter said. "He maybe took one day off to go to the beach, but that was about it."

His other two children, Chelsea (18) and Michael (16), are also avid golfers and work in the pro shop at Avondale.

"Chelsea and Michael are usually here by noon or 1 p.m., during the summer," Porter said.

Chelsea is a freshman at North Idaho College and signed a letter of intent to play for the women's golf team on Aug. 8. Michael is a junior at Coeur d'Alene High.

Taylor lettered at Coeur d'Alene for three years, before going to the Community Colleges of Spokane for two years before heading to Boise.

"It's been awesome," Taylor said by phone from Boise, where fall practice has started. "I don't think that a lot of kids can say they get a chance to work with their dad. I feel really lucky to get to hang out with him all the time, and pretty much my entire family. I feel really lucky to have had a chance to work there."

Taylor played in 8 of 10 tournaments last season for Boise State.

"It's been good so far," said Taylor of playing in Boise. "I feel like I've grown up a bit and am on my own down here. My coach used to be on the PGA tour and has showed me a different side of the game. My dad taught me my swing, but the mental side that I've learned from my coach could be what gets me to the next level."

"They all work hard on their games," said Dan of his three children. "Taylor works incredibly hard. He got into town on May 15 after school was over and was either on the course or working every day. Both Chelsea and Michael are starting to go down the same path, so it has been nice to play together and continue to work together."

Dan's wife, Debbie, has worked as the merchandiser at Avondale for five years, ordering everything from shirts to clubs for the pro shop.

"It has been interesting," said Dan Porter of working with his family. "It's great in that I've had a chance to see the kids each and every day. It's been really good for me. Working with my wife, it's good to know you've got someone you can trust. She's not a typical employee."

As far as his kids, that has its moments.

"It's great for them," Dan said. "But it's a double-edged sword. If a cart breaks down, I need to pull them from practice."

"They've had to sacrifice for the business, but all have had good attitudes about it," Dan said. "There is a lot of perks to it as well. We've met lots of people and they've gotten an idea of the inner workings of a business. As an owner of a business, you're usually married to it. That makes this a lot easier to work with my family."

Both the NIC and Coeur d'Alene High teams practice at Avondale. Porter also is an assistant coach for both teams, which contributed in Chelsea landing with the NIC team.

"Derrick (Thompson, the NIC men's and women's coach, and an assistant at Avondale) knew Chelsea really well," Dan said. "He's had a chance to watch her grow as a golfer over the past five years.

"I can't imagine my life without golf," Chelsea said. "It has always been a part of it."

Neither can Dan.

"I brought the kids out to play and they got addicted and from there, it has been pretty simple - but I never forced golf on them," he said.

Michael played junior tackle football and Chelsea played softball before focusing only on golf the past few years.

Dan said convincing his wife to take up the game was a little tougher.

"She just started playing a couple years ago," Dan said. "At first, she didn't like it at all. She didn't like the idea of chasing a little white ball around, but she just started getting into it and I think she's more addicted to it than I am now. We've been playing in couples tournaments on Sundays. I don't know of too many jobs where you'd go to work on your day off, but we've been doing it. For someone that disliked golf, she practices a lot."

Porter added the club's 328 members have also been great.

"It's like a big family," Porter said. "Also, I wouldn't bring my family into a situation unless it was a good one. The members look at my kids like they are their kids. During tournaments, they are giving advice, asking how they are doing. The membership has really embraced my family."

"The members there almost seem like a second family," Taylor said. "Some of them call me while I'm down at Boise State. They've been great."

"It's been pretty neat," Dan said. "My kids and wife know all the members here. Avondale is like a big happy family. I've worked in a lot of businesses over 29 years, and this is the best atmosphere I've been at in all of them."

That good nature extends to their home.

"There's two good things that come from working with my wife," Dan said. "I get a good employee and a happy wife. I've been very fortunate to see them grow as golfers and human beings. It's been great thing to see."