Beef talks golf
The bearded one recalls 2016 and reveals his plans for the PGA Tour.
Dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and high-top trainers, Andrew “Beef” Johnston wanders through the doors of North Middlesex Golf Club looking like a man who has gatecrashed the stage of a rock tribute act. With a beard like a lumberjack and a personality like your typical class-clown, he appears anything but the world-class golfer he is.
This is a man who teed up a burger during the Open week, and just weeks ago blended his Christmas dinner and downed it in one in front of the Sky Sports cameras. His antics have made him a hero on Tour, and he’s now looking to crack America. Not that he seems overly concerned about testing himself on the biggest stage. He’s already finished one beer and is now knocking back an ale while laughing and joking with members. “I’m just happy being me,” he says. “I’m never going to change who I am.”
But behind the jokes, pranks and high-fives lies a fiercely determined individual, who has ambitions of scaling the game’s dizziest of heights. Here, we uncover the real Beef, what makes him tick and how the average club golfer can improve their game by doing it the Beef way.
Sum up the 2016 season for us?
It was crazy man! Everything went mad. I had loads of fun bouncing off the fans and the crowds. So much fun.
Fun seems the way you approach the game.
What have I got to lose? Whether I hit it OB or down the fairway, inwardly I tell myself there’s nothing else I could have done in that situation. So you might
as well try and relax, stand up and hit it and if it goes OB reflect “ok, it’s not my week”. You’ve got to trust yourself and your ability and I think this philosophy builds trust – and there’s no reason I shouldn’t trust this approach because that’s what we’ve done in practice and preparation. Never be too hard on yourself. You’ve got to give everything and that’s the best you can do.
Do you have any problems with nerves?
I like to switch off. So I’ll hit the shot and then switch off. As I’m walking down the fairway, I’m pretty relaxed and not thinking about stuff too much because it gets so tiring. You’re out there for five hours concentrating and in the zone for so long. Once I get to my ball, I look at the lie and see what needs to be done, including getting the yardage, briefly discuss it with my caddie, take a few practice swings while saying to myself “play and hit”. If I’m hitting a 7-iron, I’ll say to myself “How many straight 7-irons have you hit in your lifetime?” Thousands... so why should this be any different?
Are you looking forward to making your first appearances on the
PGA Tour? Yeah man! It’s a combination of excitement and nerves, but there were nerves throughout the second half of last season. I was called a clown constantly for months on Twitter, people calling me a joke. But I backed it up at The Open (he finished 8th at Troon). I backed it up in Switzerland (3rd in European Masters). And I will do the best I can do. It’s always nice to silence the critics, prove them wrong. But it’s more about proving to yourself that you can do it, rather than worrying about other people.
What’s your plan over there?
I’ve played three events in America, but not a regular PGA Tour event, so the plan is to go over there and get more experience which will hopefully stand me in good stead for the Majors, too. I want to continue to prove myself in Europe as well and hopefully win more events. But I have to go and learn... it’s like somebody working in TV over here and getting a chance to go to Hollywood. You’re going to go, aren’t you?
What would be a success?
I’ve had a top 10 in The Open, with one of the strongest fields you can play in. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to do it on the PGA Tour.
You’ve already got the galleries on your side... I’ve had a great reaction so far. It was crazy at last year’s US PGA. It was the maddest thing I’ve ever seen. One of the lads carrying the scorecard said: “Beef, I wanted to be in your group, I asked for it,” before adding: “You’re the closest thing to Happy Gilmour I’ve ever seen!”
What did you learn most on Tour in 2016? I’m picking up stuff all the time from different players. I go and watch Rory – that geezer is class, he makes it look easy, man. I get on well with him, he’s a good lad. You realise the more you play with the top players, the more normal they are. But Rory is one of the best ball-strikers you’ll ever see, while Padraig Harrington’s course management and short game are unbelievable. So you’re always looking and thinking “I could do this a bit better, I could do that a bit better”.
Who else do you admire? I’ve played with Sergio, one of the best ball-strikers, and I love the way he plays. Such players act as my inspiration – you can improve in every department from the mental aspect to every part of the swing. Someone is going to be better than everybody else in each aspect, but the key is to put it all together in one big, consistent package.
What are you working on with coach Alan Thompson?
When I got better and started getting the club in front and more in sync with my body, then we worked on lie angle and getting the left wrist a lot
One of the lads carrying the scorecard said: ‘You’re the closest thing to Happy Gilmour’
stronger and stuff like that, slowly trying to improve that week in, week out. To be honest, I prefer to keep it simple rather than too technical…
Any specific range drills you’re working on?
I should definitely do range drills more often – I’m guilty of standing up and just smashing a load of balls! I’m always trying to improve, but sometimes you can’t resist whacking a few down there. However, one good drill is to place a stick on the ground at a 45-degree angle and your ball outside it, enabling me to get more on top of the ball... I’m a bit too shallow at the moment so need to get on top of it and get a bit steeper into it. Sometimes it’s a matter of simply hitting shots with my legs far apart which slows down my body, giving my arms time to catch up. You can achieve that with a wide stance and by slowing everything down and just hitting it 60-70%, holding the finish and getting the feeling of what’s going on.
How can average club golfers improve their game?
100% play your own game and play to your strengths and, if you can, learn from playing with scratch players or single-digit handicappers. You should know your game more, that’s the key. It’s all about managing your game and managing your expectations. Course management is so big for amateur players who, let’s face it, will often try to hit the miracle shot – out of the rough with a 3-wood and over water when they should be knocking it out with a 9-iron or wedge and taking their punishment. I’m not even going to try and hit a 3-iron out of light rough with a big high cut 240 yards like Rory Mcilroy – I can’t hit a 3-iron that far or as high as him, so it’s a matter of managing that. I’m going to try and knock it down the fairway, leaving a wedge in to create a possible birdie chance.
You’re not the typical “flat belly” tour pro; is fitness something you need to work on?
I went through a good phase a couple of
‘I should do range drills more often. I’m guilty of just smashing a load of balls!’
years ago, training four or five times a week and getting down to about 14 stone, being really powerful – I can remember pulling off a 201kg dead lift – and there was serious clubhead speed there. But I just couldn’t maintain it, and last year I got out of the routine, playing more events and I just got fat! I struggle with routine, but understand you’ve got to try and make gains everywhere you can.
And what about dieting?
The trouble is I love all food, especially ribs, burgers, brisket... the lot. It’s a tricky one. I don’t want to be anti-social when I’m hanging out with my friends and they come down to the club or we head out somewhere. There’s a good circle, bad circle where you think I’ve trained really hard this week and I am going to chill out and eat better... or have a burger and a pint or two. It’s about getting back onto the right side. It’s one of the things I struggle with and I don’t enjoy it... but, deep down, I know I’ve got to do it.
So what are your aims for 2017? Another win, regardless of whether it’s on the PGA Tour or in Europe. The goal is always to win along with hitting my target of being disciplined, and I think they go hand-in-hand. If I can work hard and be disciplined and I win on the back of that, job done. I try and keep it as simple as that.
Do you think you’ve got a Major in you? I’d definitely love a crack at them, including the Masters, and the Ryder Cup – Paris will be a great course for it. It’s the perfect matchplay and I want to get into that team on merit.
Do you see yourself as golf’s great entertainer? I just like to have fun. As far as I’m concerned, the more people who get involved and play the game, the better. And if I can help to achieve that, it’s an added bonus. But I’m not trying to do anything special – there’s a good chance I’ll be out there doing something stupid, whether I’m with three of my mates or with thousands of people watching at a big event. I was recently playing at North Middlesex with my mates and noticed there was quite a crowd watching on the terrace, so I decided to top my first shot to see how they reacted. I hit the most pure top you’ve ever seen! It made a pitch mark and then hopped up and went about 20 yards! They were gobsmacked... then I started laughing and the penny dropped. That’s what I do. I just enjoy having a bit of a giggle. You’ve got to have fun, haven’t you?
‘Last year I got out of the fitness routine, playing more events and I just got fat!’