MY MEMORIES ARE MY REAL TROPHIES
1. How’s your golf?
I’m not playing much, and that’s not because of lack of love of the game but because for the last year I have a little arthritis in my right hand, and I can’t close one of my fingers fully. I also have a lack of flexibility in another finger on my right hand, but I am working to get that back.
2. How did you get started in the game?
I went to Vilanova University in Philadephia on a full scholarship and ran on the track team and one of my main sources of income was caddying. There are several clubs near the university — Aronimink, Merion, Radnor Valley, Philadelphia Country Club and Overbook, where my coach Jumbo Elliott played off scratch. So I’d run out to the clubs, mostly to Aronimink, and carry two bags, which was an enormous help in building up body strength. In that day, you were paid $6 for two bags and you got a hamburger or a hot dog at the ninth. So while I was never a good golfer, I was good at judging distance, which helped with my caddying.
3. When did you start playing seriously?
I couldn’t play much during my athletics career, so it wasn’t until I was in my mid50s when I joined Kilternan, which I adored. With my bad technique, the hills made no difference to me either way.
4. Choose your weapon. Driver or putter?
The putter. With the driver, I could end up anywhere bar the fairway. So the par threes were always my favourites.
5. What’s your favourite par three?
The fifth at Foxrock a lovely hole. Another hole I love is the par-four seventh there, though I could never master it. I have a love-hate relationship with that one.
4. Links or parkland?
I prefer parkland golf because I had the opportunity to play all those lovely courses such as Foxrock, Milltown, Elm Park and Castle. It’s just a pity they have so many trees, though aesthetically the trees in my home club, Foxrock, must be the most beautiful trees of any club I’ve played. I have fond memories of playing with Bill O’Herlihy, who was a great member and former President, Lord rest his soul.
5. Who would make your dream fourball?
Justin Rose for his US Open win at Merion and his Olympic win and Pádraig Harrington, who I’ve always admired because he went for everything. I admired his positivity and his absolute concentration. I also love the way he embraced the joy of participating in Rio. The fourth member of the foursome would be Jimmy Connors, who I had the pleasure of playing with at Royal Dublin. He was a left-handed tennis player and right-handed golfer and he had the most incredibly strong left arm. He played off 14 and he was out in two-over because he was wonderful at listening to advice. Coming home into the wind, reality kicked in, and he came back in 12 over. But what a joy to play with him.
6. What would he add to the day?
I think he’d have a great time competing with Harrington and the craic would be mighty. And Justin, with his win in Rio, that would bring him into my arena. Once an Olympian always an Olympian. That’s what I loved about Pádraig — the delightful way he spoke about the Olympics. He knew it was something special.
7. All three are winners. You admire that, clearly.
I was a consummate winner as well. I ran indoors in every arena in America for five years without losing a race. I won 43 races in succession — 33 of them miles — and set the world record for the mile indoors on three occasions. So I like to couple myself with winners, and Jimmy was a consummate winner.
8. What defines a winner?
It’s focus and that competitive streak. Not wanting to lose. Many of the great athletes I have known don’t remember their victories. They remember their losses and those losses are indelible. I am sure Jimmy Connors remembers losing to Arthur Ashe in 1975. I remember every time I lost. I can hardly remember the times I won.
9. Who did you admire in your sport?
The era was different. You didn’t so much look up as look across. You looked across at friends you made and I am still in touch with many of them. I was on to John Landy’s home just today. And I had great affection for Brian Hewson, who raced me in Dublin. I can go through that Olympic field and most of us are still above ground and in communication. It wasn’t that I admired them; I wanted to beat them. And then we’d be friends afterwards.
10. It a lovely era for writers too.
Absolutely. There was Tom Cryan and then Peter Byrne later on. And AP McWeeney was at the Olympics. David Guiney was a lovely man too, a shot putter and a ’48 Olympian. We were close friends all our lives.
11. If I gave you a mulligan in your career, what would it be?
That would be unfair because any time I was beaten, I was beaten fair and square. I am not into looking for excuses. I knew why I lost and why I won.
12. Which race taught you the most about winning?
I was a winner and the essence of it was to win the race. You learned from your mistakes, but winning was something innate in you.
13. As a champion, who do you admire in golf now?
The guy I really admired and still admire was Phil Mickelson. He is still a great athlete and enormously competitive.
14. What’s your most treasured possession?
I once had a hole in one at Kilternan. But I also remember playing the 15th at Portmarnock with Joe Leyden and on the 15th I had a two on what they say is the shortest parfive in the world. I remember getting a special prize on the day. I’m proud of those two. My memories are my real trophies.
15. If you could change something about your golf, what would it be?
I wish I had taken it up in my 20s and not my 50s and I would like Jumbo Elliott to have been my coach. As a scratch golfer, he might have made me a contender.
17. What’s your greatest pleasure in golf?
Being honoured to be invited to become an honorary member of Foxrock Golf Club. I am very proud indeed to be a member.
18. What’s your abiding memory of winning the Olympic gold in Melbourne?
I was with a coach called Brutus Hamilton at the University of California for a week, breaking up the journey to Australia. Brutus put a string across the track and told me to practice run through the tape. Afterwards, he put his arms around my shoulders and said, ‘Now son, we have practised everything.’ So that’s my abiding memory of Melbourne, breasting the tape and throwing my arms out wide in absolute ecstasy. I had won the Olympics.