I love the ups and downs of this game
SEAMUS Power retained his PGA Tour card this year, going on to play in the first event of the FedEx Cup playoffs. It’s a remarkable achievement, but while he’s looking forward to starting his second full season next month, he took time out to chew the fat at his beloved West Waterford Golf Club this week and take a Quick 18.
1. How did you get started in the game?
Friends of my dad were babysitting my brothers and I after my mother passed away – John and Celia Walsh – who probably played once a week at the time. So they brought us out to play. We played every sport, but I loved it a little more than my brothers. I played a ton of racquetball but even at that age, I knew there wasn’t a big future in it. For instance, I took a year off and came back and won the All Ireland the next year. And part of the fun of winning is remembering what it feels like to lose. It isn’t the same when you are not worrying about losing, so that’s what I love about golf.
2. Golf is never-ending ups and downs.
That’s it. Any given day, anything can happen. There are days when you feel you have no chance of going out and doing anything and you can do well. I love the ups and downs and I had good handeye co-ordination. I’d be down here in West Waterford all day because you couldn’t get a spin back home. Hours and hours and hours.
3. Who were the people who made it all possible?
Well, Justin Spratt and Pat Spratt. Justin was unbelievable. I was around 10 or 11 and didn’t get into it fully for a few years. But Justin would drive us around all the junior scratch cups and there was always a massive crowd from West Waterford going. We’d pay our €4 and off we’d go and play whatever course.
4. The atmosphere must have been great?
It was fantastic. There was some amount of juniors here and Justin had just retired, so he could put hours into it.
5. Choose your weapon. Driver or putter?
Putter. It doesn’t happen in stroke play as much, but I love making a putt and seeing the look on the other person’s face when you make one they are not expecting you to make. I’ve always loved putting. I made a 25-footer on one hole at Fota Island the other day and the abuse I was getting from the other three fellas was gas. If you hit a good drive, it’s great for a few seconds but doesn’t matter a lot. But if you hole a 20-footer for birdie, it’s on the card, it’s down.
6. Links or parkland?
Links. I don’t play much of it any more and I don’t have a great record, but on a nice day a links is one of the nicest places in the world to be. I remember playing the Interpros in Lahinch one year and I loved it.
7. Will you be back for the Irish Open? Now that your card is secure, you might be a good bet for an invitation.
Well, it would be unbelievable to play in it and I’ve mentioned it to Paul McGinley. I will do everything I can to see if it’s possible. I’d love to play Lahinch. I had no success in the South but I’d say the crowds will be fantastic. It’s a great course. It’ll be great.
8. When were you happiest on the golf course?
I’ve had so many great times but I’ll never forget winning the Irish Junior Foursomes in the Munster final against Mahon. We were down and won in extra holes. That was fun. We knew if we got out of Munster, we’d have a serious chance of winning the All Ireland final because it was going to be in Dungarvan and we’d played there a load of times.
9. I thought you might say the day you got your PGA Tour card or winning three Irish Youths titles.
The putt I holed to win the first Irish Youths, I’ll always remember that one. A 20-footer on the last green, the par-three. It had four or five inches of break. I can’t remember anything else. 10. Happy memories. Yeah, it’s gas. I remember I was going to drive back in my dad’s jeep and it wouldn’t start. I had the trophy in the front seat with a seat belt on it and I couldn’t start the jeep. 11. Name an opponent or rival you especially admire and why. It might seem like I am jumping on the bandwagon but I played with Tommy Fleetwood shortly before turning pro in 2010 in the St Andrews Links. He was only about 18 or 19 and I was blown away. Very impressed. I introduced myself again recently.
12. What was it about him?
It was the ball-striking, but he was also very mature for his age. He seemed to know what was going on far beyond what he should have known. He had everything together and knew what he was doing. I had no clue what I was doing.
13. Was it a tough decision to turn pro?
Well, it wasn’t a no-brainer for me but I was always improving. I’d be at an Irish panel at 15 and up against guys off scratch and I’d be thinking these guys are going to be world-beaters. Then they’d go away and a different crew would appear. It’s a funny sport. You have no idea what’s going to happen.
14. Name your dream fourball.
I’d have Tiger Woods, definitely. And I’d have Bill Clinton, who has always been very interesting to me. And the fourth… I’d have to have a historical figure. I read a lot on the road and I love reading about history. I’m blown away by it. Maybe Winston Churchill. I read a book about him recently.
15. What surprised you?
Well, I knew about the disaster of the Dardanelles in World War I but I didn’t know he became Prime Minister again years after World War II when he was in his late eighties. Amazing life. And he was always stuck for money. He led about six lives. He was incredible. He did everything.
16. If I gave you a mulligan in your professional career, what would it be?
I’d have a few. But I’ve been lucky enough. There has been a shot here and there, but that’s part of golf. I’ll save my mulligan for now.
17. Is there a course you’d love to play before you shuffle off this mortal coil?
Augusta National. But I’m also playing the Old Head this week, so I’m looking forward to that.
18. What’s your most treasured possession?
I have pictures of my mum who got sick when I was very young. She’s in her 20s or early 30s in the photo, looking very healthy.
I’ve always saved that picture and tried to remember her that way. That will always come with me.