‘It would have been difficult for me to compete if I’d been born in this era’
PAUL McGinley was home for business this week, catching up on things at the Paul McGinley Golf Academy at the stunning Mount Juliet Estate in Kilkenny. He’s hands on with every aspect of its design and plans for the future but he took time out for a Quick 18 to talk about his game, his loves, his regrets and his dreams.
1 .How’s your golf? Well, I still love to play. I’ve been in the top ten in pretty much every event I’ve played in Europe for the last two years but I just don’t play enough. I wish I could dedicate more time to it. It’s fun to play Seniors golf but five days out of every week is a big commitment. I have other priorities and family and business come before it.
2. How did you get started
in the game? My Dad was a good player who played in all the amateur events and I caddied for him. I have pictures of me caddying for him in Lahinch when I was 10 or 11. I’d go to Rosses Point too and all the Scratch Cups – Carlow, Mullingar, Donabate, Tullamore... That’s how I learned the game. Being around guys like Pauric O’Rourke and Mick Morris, listening to the wiliness of those guys stood to me so much. I tried to get Paraic’s name into the Sky commentary last week. I saw a player hit a par three and said: “That’s smart, look what he’s done there. He’s hit it on the green and he’s taken out the putter and he’s leaning on it as if to say, Ok buddy, I’m on the green, follow me. I learned that from a wily old Irish amateur, Pauric O’Rourke’.” 3. So if I was to ask you to name a golfer who wasn’t a
superstar, but you always
admired... It would be Pauric O’Rourke. He had the mindset to be a very successful pro. He was wily, he had great course management, he was clever, he saw things. He read situations. I learned so much listening to him. He might not have had the greatest game but of all the guys I’ve played with in my career, he had those essential qualities you need to be a really successful pro.
4. Links or parkland? Why?
I’d have to say links. As much as I am a member in Grange, I started in Dunfahaghy and all my amateur success came on links courses. My first memories are of links courses too, caddying for Dad.
5. Choose your weapon.
Driver or putter? I’ve always been solid with both but I guess driving was one of the strengths of my game. Consistency and decent distance, though not in the modern game. It would have been very difficult for me to compete if I’d been born in this era. I don’t have the speed. I’d have had to be a different kind of player. I was an average hitter – 40th or 50th in driving distance – not short but not considered long. The difference was I was only 15 yards behind the big hitters. In that exhibition we played in Adare in April, I was 50 yards behind Rory McIlroy. And I’m hitting it further than I did when I was on tour.
6. The Americans love to play that big hitting game. You had a different upbringing,
right? What I was trying to say during the Ryder Cup is that the Americans love to play front foot, aggressive golf. And we forced them onto the back foot. I was a product of Grange, where you have to plot your way around. My forte as a player was my ability to move the ball both ways. And
I was statistically the best par three player in the world for a number of years. I didn’t even know but the stats guys told me that. And Grange has six par threes. Then I look at Pádraig. Even Tiger Woods at his best would have struggled to hit 12 greens around Stackstown when it was new.
7. When were you happiest
on the golf course? Being with Pádraig at Oakland Hills for the 2004 Ryder Cup when we beat Tiger and Davis Love when they were number 1 and 3 in the world. We were the last foursomes game on the course on Saturday afternoon and after being two down after two, heading for the dog license, we took them down 4&3. That was the proudest I’ve ever been as an Irishman with all the fans in their GAA jerseys, singing Irish songs. They wouldn’t let us out of that arena at the 15th. You don’t get happier than that.
8. Who were your sporting
heroes growing up? Trevor Brooking in football, Tom Watson in golf and Kevin Moran. If there’s a professional athlete I envy, it’s Kevin Moran. Played for Dublin, won an All Ireland and went over to England and had a successful career with Man. United and with Ireland. He ticked three boxes for me in terms of dreams I had.
9. Niall Quinn said he played you in Dublin final shortly before he went to Arsenal.
Do you recall that? I played soccer, hurling and Gaelic against him. Of all three sports, he was best at hurling. In that match Niall talks about, Colaiste Eanna played Drimnagh Castle in the final, Under 18s. I was right half forward. They were favourites but it was close with 15 minutes to go, the ball is popped through to me. Couple of solos, past the defender and from the 21-yard line, I don’t know why but I just saw the net, the goal looked a mile wide and just hit it like a bullet into the corner. I just wish it was on video. I jumped up like I did holing the putt in the Ryder Cup. In my mind, it was the greatest goal ever scored! (Laughs). 10. What’s your golfing ambition? Do you have one? My ambition is to compete and not just have top tens. Monty beat me by four shots in Denmark this year and I had six three-putts that week. I’m not far off getting that job done. But I’ve had a crammed schedule this year with the Ryder Cup.
11. Name your dream fourball.
Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan, all colliding at the height of their powers. I’d just like to observe, watch, listen and compare. My partner? I’d pick Woods. It’s only my hunch, but I think he’d be the strongest.
12. If I gave you a mulligan in your golfing career, what
would it be? I’d change my approach to the game and stay closer to my DNA instead of trying to be something I wasn’t. I was never going to be a big hitter. My game was based on consistency and a simplicity of rotation. I should have stuck to that and not tried to get high hands or increase my arc. Not going down the road of thinking the next level is down to technique and distance. When the technology explosion happened, I’d have stopped chasing that and concentrated on just hitting more fairways. That’s my mulligan. 13. If you had just one more game of golf to play, where would you go? Rosapenna in Donegal. It’s epitomises everything about home.
14. What’s your favourite par
three? The second at Grange. I had my first ever hole-inone there playing a fourball with Brian Shaw, Ray Roche and Dave Walker. I remember Brian wanted to go straight into the bar to celebrate. (Laughs) We wouldn’t have gotten past the third tee! 15. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I have family and business and golf and I love every one of them. I just wish I had more time to enjoy all of them. If I could split myself into three or four that would be ideal.
16. What’s your most treasured possession? I am not sentimental in that regard. If you visited my house, you’d know I was an Irishman but you wouldn’t know I was a golfer.
17. Who’s your favourite
golfer of all time? Tom Watson. He stood for everything I admire in a golfer – guile, briskness, integrity, ambition and poise under pressure. He had it all.
18. What’s your idea of perfect happiness? Being in Donegal on a sunny day with a warm breeze blowing.