“Time goes by, but people still love him”
Javier Ballesteros shares his memories of his father with the help of some images from Seve: His Life Through The Lens
At home with Seve
I used to wake up with my brother and sister every morning and go to his room, and we’d ask him to tell us stories from when he was young. He had a very normal childhood. He left school when he was 15 because he needed to work and get some money for a house.
He used to caddie in Pedrena. As you can see from the pictures, dad used to hug us all the time and he was very affectionate. From the outside you might think he was a cold person, because he was a superstar in golf, but he was completely the opposite.
He was very affectionate and he wanted to spend loads of time with us. I think I’m kind of the same as him. I’m also very affectionate because I saw it when I was young.
Obviously he had to practise, but he always had time for us when we wanted to spend time with him. We used to go and play golf, we’d watch Racing Santander football matches and we used to go to the beach and go cycling.
Every July we would watch the Tour de France after lunch. He was a huge fan of Spanish cycling and those were the years Lance Armstrong was winning. We would do some one- or two-hour bike rides on the road here in Pedrena, which is where that picture (page 56) was taken. He really, really liked it and went cycling many days during the week.
He played football as well. He was a sportsman so obviously he had some skills, but he was definitely better at golf. We used to go and watch my brother Miguel play soccer, and we all enjoyed spending time on the beach. It was really nice because the views are amazing. We did the normal things any family does.
He really loved being here in Pedrena. It’s the same for me. I live in Madrid, but I come here every time I can. I’ve been very lucky because I’ve been to many wonderful places in the world, but if I could only stay in one place forever, it would be Pedrena, for sure. For me, Pedrena is the best place in the world.
Learning from my father
He always told me to work very hard. Obviously he was very talented, but he always told me that he worked very hard throughout his career. Even at the end, when he wasn’t playing good golf, he was still working and working. I remember going to school at 7.30am and there were some times that I used to wake up at 6.00am and go to the gym with him.
Since I was young, I’ve always seen my dad work very hard. He always said to me, ‘You can be very talented, but if you don’t work then nothing is going to come of it.’ It’s always difficult that relationship between father and son (when learning golf). We did get along with each other very well, but we had our tough times on the course.
A few times we were on the range and things weren’t going well and he just walked off because he was saying one thing and I was saying the opposite. I was very lucky. As I always say, I learned from the best. I obviously don’t play like him and I never tried to be or play like him because I really think he
“He would always have time for us whenever we wanted to spend time with him”
was unique and special. But I learned a lot of things as well as hard work.
I always saw him chipping and when we were playing, he would tell me I had to do this or that if I got into trouble. It didn’t matter if we were doing a putting or chipping contest or playing some holes, I wanted to beat him, and he wanted to beat me. Any time I got to beat him, it wasn’t because he let me win – it was because I played better than him those few times.
On tour with Seve
I remember going to Dubai and Crans in Switzerland every year. It was really, really nice to be in Dubai with the good weather – Dubai was different back in the day. We stayed at the Jebel Ali Hotel that was about half an hour from the course and right by the beach. Seeing the picture of my dad in that traditional outfit (page 56) brings back all the memories.
We used to go to Switzerland every September. It was usually my brother Miguel’s birthday and we’d celebrate there in the same hotel by the 3rd tee. It was fantastic. Both places were very nice and to have all five of us there together was very special. There’s a picture where my father, my brother and I are on the chipping green in Switzerland (page 57). We used to spend hours there either chipping with my dad or waiting for him.
He lived for the Ryder Cup and The Open. He really enjoyed beating US players and he found it special when he went to the UK. The people in the UK really loved him and he was so comfortable with them. It’s my opinion, but I would link my dad more to The Open than the Ryder Cup.
He said in a few interviews that the happiest moment of his career was winning The Open in St Andrews. He always used to say that the putt on 18 was going right and he sometimes thinks he got it in with his mind. It was his favourite tournament and he always used to say that winning The Open was special and winning it at St Andrews, the Home of Golf, was even more special.
The last time I went to The Masters with him was in 2003, but I don’t remember much other than it rained a lot and Augusta is much more undulating than it looks on TV. He used to do sophrology and he told me that at the 1980 Masters he visualised winning in his head many times before he did it.
My brother and sister don’t play golf, but I do and I’m a professional, so every time I was on the course with him was really special. You could always see something different or spectacular.
When I got to caddie for him at The Open in 2006, that was amazing. He wasn’t playing anymore, just practising a little bit, but I was 16 and said, ‘Why don’t you play The Open? I want to caddie for you.’ Straight away he said, ‘Yes, of course.’
It was a fantastic week. It was the first time I was inside the ropes and to feel how much people loved him was incredible. There were so many people watching him. I was kind of thinking, ‘I know he’s Seve Ballesteros, he’s my dad, he’s won three Opens, but he’s not playing very good now,’ and there were still so many people watching him.
“Every day I’m thankful he said ‘yes’ and allowed me to caddie for him in The Open”
I still remember the first day on the 1st tee and walking down 18 on Thursday and Friday – people were clapping so hard. I have goosebumps even thinking about it now. Every day I’m thankful that he said ‘yes’ and allowed me to caddie for him in The Open. That was special.
My father’s legacy
When you get older and you go to golf courses, they say, ‘You’re Seve’s son.’ I’ve always realised who he was because he made me fall in love with the game of golf since I was very young. I like to see how much people love him, especially in the UK, and to think he’s done something important.
It’s ten years since he passed away, but every time I go to a golf course there are always people who come to me and share stories or tell me they’ve got something signed by my dad. Between five and ten people have messaged me on social media and said, ‘This is my child and his name is Seve.’ I always think, ‘Wow, my dad was somebody important.’
Just last week I was playing a small tournament in Spain and an Irish guy in his 50s came to me and said he was a big fan of my dad. He was there because he was coaching some elite amateurs who were probably aged between 18 and 25. When I finished the round, they came up to me and asked to take a photo with me. I was like, ‘How can you admire a guy who you’ve never seen live, who passed away ten years ago and whose biggest wins were 40 years ago?’ It really impresses me. Time goes by, but people still love him, remember him and share stories.
Of course, the last ten years have obviously not been easy because we miss him a lot every day. But to have people share stories or say their child is named after my dad, it makes us very happy and very proud. We are very thankful for his fans, because they are the best.
The all-round
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