LIFE ON THE LINKS
PGA’S Retief Goosen has seen it all
South African golfer Retief Goosen has swung his clubs across the globe, but he’s never touched down in Saskatchewan.
That changes next week, when the two-time U.S. Open champion visits Saskatoon for Synergy 8’s 2018 Drive for Kids Campaign. The Aug. 28 event, which has drawn a string of PGA golfers through the years, is raising money for cardiac equipment at the pediatric assessment rooms in the new Children’s Hospital.
The day includes a golf tournament at the Willows, “Dinner with the Goose” at Prairieland Park, and a Q and A.
Goosen — who won his U.S. Open titles in 2001 and 2004 — settled in this week for his own Q and A with the Starphoenix, touching on advice he gave to Tiger Woods, how he stays so cool on the course, and why he’s not particularly scared of lightning, even though he was struck as a teenager.
Q: You’re headed to Saskatoon Aug. 28 for what I expect will be your first trip to Saskatchewan. What led to your decision to come out here?
A: Yes, it will be my first trip. I was approached at the beginning of the year about this charity event. I felt it was something worthwhile doing, and there’s been some great other names that supported this event. It’s a really good thing to do.
Q: You’re known for your calm demeanour on the course; you’ve been called “The Iceman.” So having said that, what’s the most excited you’ve ever been while playing golf ?
A: Well, you’re always excited when you’ve just tapped in on the 72nd hole and you’ve won a tournament, that’s for sure. That’s about as exciting as it gets. I’ve always been somebody who really gets into a zone on a golf course, and in a way I was a little scared of letting down on my concentration. That’s why it’s come across that I don’t show much emotion.
But on the inside, you’re definitely excited. You’re also upset when you make silly mistakes. The most exciting parts of my career were winning the two U.S. Opens, but I think the first time I won a professional tournament ... that was my highlight, starting off my career.
Q: You’ve won two U.S. Opens. Is there any one of the other three majors you would particularly like to win?
A: I started my career playing in Europe. I never even really thought about coming to America. I played in Europe for a long time, and the British Open was always for me the one I want to win. The history of the event ... for me, the British Open is the one I want. I’ve had my chances to win it over the years, but I ended up winning the U.S. Open twice, which I’m not going to complain about, that’s for sure. But it would have been nice to have added the British Open to the list.
Q: What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the game from the time you broke in to now?
A: The biggest change is how much younger and fitter the Tour has become. Especially in Europe — the average-aged guy was probably 34, 35, and the guys definitely didn’t go to the gym often; they went to the bar and had a couple of beers and a meal. Now, the kids come straight off school and they turn pro; they’re not even going to college these days. And they come out as athletes.
The kids are strong, fit, mentally strong. They just get out there and hit it as far as they can, and fight away. For me, that’s the biggest change, is how much younger the sport is, and how much more athletic it’s become.
Q: You suffered from serious back issues, and made the decision in 2012 to have discreplacement surgery. Can you contrast your swing before you had that surgery to after?
A: The difference is not really the golf swing. The difference is quality of life. I pulled out of the British Open around that time, after the first round, because I couldn’t bend over to hit a putt. I couldn’t reach my feet to put socks on in the morning. I went back to the hotel, did some stretching, and I couldn’t get off the floor. My wife had to pick me up. I was almost paralyzed.
That’s when I knew something was badly wrong, and it took me about six months to finally find the right person to have a look at my back. He said to me, “I guarantee you 90 per cent your back’s going to be better.” At that stage, with where my back was, my golf career was over. There was just no swing. I couldn’t sleep at night. I was constantly in pain. In hotel rooms, I slept on the floor because the beds were too soft.
For me, it was if the surgery’s a success, great. If it’s not, I’m still in the same boat. For me, literally three weeks after the operation, it was day and night. I’ve had zero back pain for the last five years.
Q: And this is something you recommend to other golfers who might be going through something similar?
A: Yeah, I recommended it to Tiger, definitely. Tiger’s decision for his back surgery was after our conversations, and I’m very happy he went for the similar procedure as me, and it’s turned out great for him, too.
Q: You own your own vineyard, and your wine is labelled “The Goose.” Graham Delaet, who is from Saskatchewan, has tastes that run a different direction, and he has his own brand of craft beer. Have the two of you ever discussed beverages?
A: No, we haven’t actually. I didn’t know he was involved with that.
Growing up, I didn’t drink at all; I only started drinking alcohol when I was 21, when I came out of the military, and I started with just a glass of wine. I didn’t drink spirits and beer. So for me, wine is something I always enjoyed with a meal.
About 2003, a friend and I started talking about it, and we ended up buying a small winery. It’s just outside a small town called George, and it’s the coolest-climate vineyard in South Africa. We do quite a different grape than what they do in Stellenbosch, which is a much warmer climate.
Q: You were struck by lightning while golfing as a teenager. Do storms, or the possibility of storms, create any extra anxiety for you when you’re playing a PGA event?
A: No. The thing is, on a PGA Tour event, they blow the horn and you think to yourself, “Why are we going off the course? It’s a blue sky.” Literally 20, 30 minutes after you’re in the clubhouse, the storm comes. They’ve got it so well worked out now that everybody’s under cover before the storms get there.
I actually enjoy looking at lightning. It’s an interesting nature thing to look at, and how storms develop. I won’t say I’m comfortable with lightning around — I don’t think anybody is comfortable with lightning — but luckily, I don’t have any phobias where I have to crawl under a bed or something like that when there’s a storm around.