PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT’S THE MOST RELIABLE WEAPON IN MY BAG AND I ALWAYS TELL THEM PAINKILLERS
Bernard Flynn still misses the high octane buzz of the glory days with his band of brothers in Meath. But if golf has taught him anything, it’s the importance of appreciating the simple things in life and remembering to smell the flowers along the way.
1. How’s your golf?
It’s a bit in-between – so I get a shot every second hole. But I love it, and Mullingar is a wonderful track.
2. Do you have a favourite hole?
The second has to be one of the best par-threes in Ireland. Anyone who plays Mullingar loves that hole.
3. Have you ever aced it?
No, but I did have a hole-inone on the fifth in the Captain’s Prize a few years ago. It’s 194 yards off the back tee, and I hit a five-iron downwind that went straight into the hole. We had some craic in the clubhouse afterwards.
4. You might not have been too friendly with many of your inter-county rivals back in the day, but I’ m sure it’ s all fun and games when you meet up now.
(Laughs) Yes, it’s great to meeting up with some of the Dubs now for a bit of fun.
5. Do you meet up often?
Well, I organised the GAA Legends golf event for four years, and we raised €300,000 for charity, and we will start it again next year again. It’s a four-man intercounty team event, and you bring home some money for your chosen charity. It’s great fun.
6. How did you get started in the game?
When I gave up football through injury, I joined Mullingar around 24 years ago and played quite a lot for a few years. People ask me what’s the most reliable weapon in my bag and I always say painkillers.
6. Driver or putter?
Putter. Definitely. Putting is one of my strongest points. If I am driving well, I am playing well, but if not, it really affects my game. No matter how long the putt, I always feel I have a chance.
7. Links or parkland?
Parkland. I’ve played Royal County Down, Baltray and Portmarnock and while I like and respect them, I prefer the greenery and the lush fairways of a good parkland course.
8. When were you happiest on the golf course?
For the past 15 years, I’ve gone abroad for a fourball with my buddy Sean Finnegan, and we take on the two Carrs – Tommy Carr who played for Dublin and Declan Carr, who captained the Tipp hurling team in ’91. It’s an unbelievable week.
9. I’m guessing there are no prisoners taken.
I can’t explain to you how competitive it is. It is warfare on the golf course. Beating the Carrs away in Spain is when I am happiest on the golf course. There is nothing like taking money off the two Carrs. We live for that moment.
10. Who is your sporting hero?
My hero was Jack O’Shea, but my favourite player growing up was Mikey Sheehy. I idolised Mikey, but Jack O’Shea was the greatest footballer I have ever seen. In later years, Tiger Woods became my hero. I’d rush home at night to watch him play.
11. Name your dream fourball?
Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Messi with my buddy Michael Duignan caddying for me and commentating on it all. That would be a great laugh.
12. What do you miss most about your playing days?
The buzz of trying to achieve something with your teammates. I am organising a 30th-anniversary reunion of the 1988 team on 13 July this year, and when you look those guys in the eye, we know we achieved that together. I miss being on the field with the ball in my hand. I used to love trying to score and get the better of my opponent.
Do I miss the hard training? No. But the buzz of the dressing room on the day of big games and going out the door of that dressing room to meet family and friends after a win, it filled you with pride and passion.
13. If I gave you a mulligan in your career, what would it be?
There is not one week I don’t think of the 1991 All-Ireland Final against Down. Somebody said to me recently it was one of my best days – six points from play, three off the left and three off the right – but I had a goal chance when we were a few points down and I missed it. If I had a mulligan, I’d have buried that chance. It pains me to this day. Honestly.
14. If you had just one more game of golf to play, where would you tee it up?
I’d love to play Augusta. If I ever had a chance, there’s where I’d love to go, the week after the Masters and play it off the back sticks, just to see what the pros face.
15. If you could change one thing about your golf what would it be?
I’d avoid lapsing into my bad habits. You get a lesson and before you know it, you are back in those old habits again.
16. And if you could change one thing about yourself as a person, what would it be?
Now that I have slowed down and taken a step back – I’m 53 later this week – I realise that I didn’t have to go as hard as I did in my 30s and 40s. I now realise that the best things in life are free and they are often right in front of you. I was perhaps too driven and I now live for the moment and enjoy the simple things in life.
17. Do you have a treasured possession?
I am actually standing here in front of it. I have no football pictures or any of that stuff in my house. But I have a framed jersey that the late Jim Stynes gave me. He was a very close friend of mine.
And I went over to see him just a few months before he died and when I was leaving for the airport and we embraced each other for the last time, he gave me a jersey with a special private note to me. I look at that and it gives me huge inspiration at times. It means a lot to me. If I am ever having a bad day, it makes me smile
18. What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
I got to know Wayne Westner quite well when he moved to Mullingar. As we all know, Wayne had his issues and I try to help people when I can. But he stopped me one day. ‘Flynny’, he said. ‘What’s the definition of freedom?’ And then he said, ‘It’s the ability to say no.’
That struck a chord with me. So I am happiest when I am with my family. With family on a holiday.