Forever, we have been introduced to those who dream big dreams and push themselves in inordinate ways to achieve personal glory, wealth, and fame.

The spotlight seemingly is theirs perpetually, a testament to our society’s obsession with celebrity and star power. Sigh.

But what of those who dream small dreams and jump quietly into another chapter in their life’s journey, guided not by financial rewards but by a selflessness and a belief that they can make a difference, even a small one.

Give me the latter. Give me Bob Halloran’s slightly different, but wholly inspiring career change at age 59. Having recently retired after 20 years at Ch. 5 in Boston where he was a popular sports reporter/anchor, Halloran no sooner had closed the book on a 38-year career in the electronic media, when he followed his heart and jumped into golf.

Not as a player, though he handles himself quite well in that department, thank you very much. No, Bob Halloran wants to become a club professional, one who focuses on teaching that most important segment of the game’s population – young kids.

“I love the game and I do want kids to stay in the game,” said Halloran, who confirmed that he had been tossing this dream around in his head for a few years. In Tom Ellis, the head golf professional at Furnace Brook Golf Club, a nine-holer in Quincy, Mass., Halloran found a mentor of sorts who encouraged the idea that many would find unconventional.

Then again, a lot of folks who profess a love for golf can’t quite match Halloran when it comes to feeling the game’s soul. He cherishes that golf “is the only game that teaches integrity,” and that it still finds room for manners such as “taking your hat off.”

On the flip side, Halloran is cognizant of what so many will proclaim – that golf is difficult. What makes it less difficult is teaching the basics early and that is where Halloran would love to focus his energy.

“Get the grip, keep your head down, get over to the left side,” said Halloran. “A lot of it is cheerleading and not overcomplicating it.

“I do think I could help, especially young people. I like to encourage, I’m big on being positive, and I’ll feed off their enthusiasm.”

What ignites even more admiration for Halloran’s dream is when he details his own personal journey to get to where he is in golf. The guy who stood up before a high school assembly and proclaimed he was “going to be the next Howard Cosell” is the same guy who at 59 wants to be a club professional even though he really only got seriously into golf in his mid-40s.

Oh, there had been golf as a kid growing up in Middletown, N.J., but mostly as a caddie, not as a golfer. “I definitely liked tennis better and I was better at baseball,” he said.

Throughout his 20s and 30s, Halloran said he would play a handful of times each year, but it wasn’t till he was 45 that the bug got him. At 48, determined to get better, “I applied myself,” said Halloran, and he jumped into lessons at GolfTec.

How serious was he? Halloran tells of a drill he was given that would help him take the club down on an inside path. “A head cover was put down and if I did the drill correctly I wouldn’t hit the head cover. But I hit it 30 times in a row.”

Finally, a 7-iron was swung perfectly. Head cover not touched. Ball flushed. “I fell in love,” he said. “At 48, I was passionately obsessed.”

The journey to become a PGA of America professional was on and Halloran has always felt his odyssey works in his favor. “I think kids and golfers will relate to my journey, which might be similar to theirs,” he said. “What I can communicate is, I did play for 35 years the wrong way and I can show you the right way.”

The Player Ability Test is a key component in the quest and Halloran fell just shy on his recent attempt. Needing to shoot 156, he posted 79-83. He can take it again, no problem, and that’s in the works. Still, the dream is not stalled; Halloran is able to study on-line and the dream is plugging along.

At Furnace Brook, Halloran works a few hours in the pro shop for Ellis, and with school out, a steady stream of youth lessons will start up. “I’ve been studying the swing (for years) and I do feel like I have a specific idea of what the swing is supposed to be.

Still very early in this adventure, Halloran concedes that “emotionally, I’m not certain I’m ready” for this phase of his life. Then again, “I think I know myself and in two months I think I’ll really be enjoying it.”

Already, a few group lessons have given Halloran a hint of the pleasure that is to come. “The kids are teachable. They’ve been very well behaved, they’re very focused.”

True, roadblocks will arise. Some children arrive without clubs, others have never even picked up a club. “But what’s a big thrill for me,” said Halloran, “is when I get a sense that it’s a thrill for a young golfer when he or she hears that sound that comes with a clean stripe of the ball.”

That feeling, said Halloran validates this crazy dream he’s chasing. “I think I can offer some nice help with just the simple things,” he said.

Selflessly, he's sort of mastered this giving back thing, eh?