On balance, Charles Barkley might be the most patient man in golf. Sure, it took Phil Mickelson 13 years as a pro to notch his first major and Jack Nicklaus took 27 years to rack up 18 of them, but those guys have never dealt with the kind of mental block that plagues a once-solid-shooting Sir Charles to this day.

Let us consider The Hitch.

Tiger’s old coach couldn’t fix it. Annika Sorenstam turned away in horror whenever the former NBA titan started his swing, and she isn’t alone. It’s an ugly woodchopping move that has no known equal in the hacking universe, and for a guy who was so fearless in the paint for all those years, it’s hard to reckon his powerlessness against it.

John Smoltz, the former Atlanta Braves pitcher and Cy Young winner, has watched Barkley’s travails up close.

“Charles has been my partner at the Michael Jordan event, and when you see him on the range, you think he’s got it,” says Smoltz, one of this week’s favorites at Edgewood Tahoe. “But some transitions are not easily made, and when he gets to the course he can’t pull the trigger. But with all the things he’s been through and done, he has more persistence than any of us. At one point he was a pretty good golfer. I heard somebody gave him the tip of watching the club as you take it back, and he kept doing it. It’s unfortunate.”

Virtually every fellow competitor in the American Century Celebrity Championship has nothing but respect for Barkley, who keeps showing up at Edgewood to tee it up with his friends, most likely ending up dead last by tournament’s end, or very close to it (Brad Garrett finished behind him one year).

“I’ve played with Charles Barkley when he could shoot in the 70s,” says Rick Rhoden, who’s won the American Century eight times. “Then one year he showed up with his yips, and he’s been like that ever since.”

It’s been a long time, long enough for less determined personalities to hang up the weapons for good. But Barkley endures. He is this tournament’s unofficial host, especially off the course, where he’s known to sign autographs for hours and follow up with some memorable parties at the host hotel just across the street. The golf is most definitely secondary at best. Not that he’s given up on it completely; he’s still searching for a way out of Hitch Hell. Last year he put a couple lefty clubs in his bag and used them here and there, and this year he may go southpaw full-time.

“I am thinking about it,” he said during a conference call in June. “I mean, it’s not any fun to be hitching. [Playing lefty] can’t be worse. It’s not like I’m kicking ass right handed. When I play right handed, clearly the hitch and everything drives me nuts. I have no idea if I’m going to top it or shank it or whatever. So I get really nervous and agitated going to the golf course. Even though I suck left handed, it does free my mind up and I don’t hitch.”

Maybe Sir Charles has more in common with Mickelson than we thought. Going lefty could be his way out. And you can bet every one of his fellow competitors is rooting for him.

HOOPSTER HOPES?
While Lake Tahoe’s betting lines pegged Barkley as a 500-1 shot this week — adding a zero to that would make sense — a few hardwood stars get a bit more respect from the oddsmakers. Michael Jordan, easily the most popular autograph catch from year to year (though Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers give him a run for his money) is 40-1, as are Boston Celtics star Ray Allen and former San Antonio Spurs standout Vinnie del Negro.

Jordan can play, there’s no doubt, though wrapping a club consistently around that tall frame poses problems. It’s the same for every basketball player out there, says Smoltz.

“I consider those guys to be the best athletes in the world. The biggest hurdle they have is their height. The taller you are, the more room you have for error in the swing. But Michael is playing well, shooting par or around par every round. He’s one guy I’d put my money on to fix it quicker, or to find a way to get good, with the competitive desire he has. He does have a little loop in that 6-8 frame that gives him a little more to be perfect on.”

Adds three-time AmCen winner Dan Quinn, “I played with Michael a few times, and there were times when he could shoot a 72 or 73, and I’m sure he’s still got that in him. He loves golf, he’s built some bad habits over time with the swing he’s got. But he’s got a big a heart and will as there’s ever been in any athlete.”

Rhoden says the top stick from the roundball contingent isn’t on the roster. “The best basketball player to compete in this event is probably Jack Marin. He’s won a few of our [celebrity ] events.”

Then there’s BYU star and recent Sacramento Kings recruit Jimmer Fredette, who harbors no illusions about winning the tournament. He’s just happy to be there as the first college basketball player to win an invitation to Tahoe. “When you look at the names you have on here — Jordan, Jerry Rice, John Elway and all these guys who have been unbelievable athletes in their respective sports, to play in this tournament and have the invitation extended to me, was a real honor,” he says. “I’m not the best golfer in the world, but I’m just going to go out there and have fun.”

It’s Fredette’s first trip to Tahoe, and he plans to make the most of it. “I hear it’s a beautiful place, so many good things about it. I’m looking forward to it. I don’t have any expectations of winning, but of having a good time.”

That won’t be an issue. All he has to do is hang with Sir Charles.

WHERE THE FANS SHOULD PLAY
Obviously Edgewood is off-limits this week, though if you can hang an extra day, it’ll open back up to the public on Monday, July 18. Among Lake Tahoe area courses it’s considered the cream of the crop, though there’s plenty of golfing gold to be mined within an hour’s drive. Here’s our top five:

Genoa Lakes — A 25-minute jaunt down winding Kingsbury Grade from Edgewood to the Carson Valley brings 36 holes of top-notch golf into view, especially at the original Lakes Course designed by John Harbottle and Peter Jacobsen. It meanders among the Carson River and brings desert, parkland and even links-style golf into the picture. www.genoalakes.com

Incline Championship — The full-length Robert Trent Jones Sr. course was spiffed up by Kyle Phillips a few years back, making it more of a must-play than ever. Great lake views through towering pines and first, fascinating green complexes, a snow-fed stream coming into play on at least half the holes make for a fine mountain experience. And the executive Mountain Course is no slouch, either. www.golfincline.com

Old Brockway — A history-steeped nine-holer on the North Shore that’s tougher than you think, with small crowned greens and tight driving lanes. www.oldbrockway.com

Coyote Moon — Getting to this stunner in Truckee near Tahoe’s north shore in an hour might be a stretch, but the drive is worth it. Brad Bell hits all the right high-altitude notes as he finds a steady diet of oh-wow tee shots and approaches on a ridge above town. No. 13 is one of the best par 3s in the area, dropping 150 feet to a streamside green. www.coyotemoongolf.com

Old Greenwood — Also in Truckee, Jack Nicklaus’s only daily fee course in the region boasts a heady mix of long and short par 4s, a couple of cliffside beauties and a great Sierra views all around. www.oldgreenwood.com