Written by Stephen Moloney (www.twitter.com/TheCheeky9)
As I suffered through the weekly trawl through the channels for something to watch during the perennial dead zone that is ‘Sunday Night’ this past weekend, I eventually settled on a Euro ‘96 documentary where Alan Shearer discussed his memories of that magical summer over shots with the cast of the ‘Geordie Shore’ house. Wait, I think I’ve gotten that wrong. No, Shearer was looking back on the tournament by talking to Terry Venables and some of his teammates from that squad, and then I watched ‘Geordie Shore’ afterward – yeah, that sounds right.
The part of the documentary that particularly stuck with me, however, is when Shearer met with fellow Geordie, Paul Gascoigne, at a ‘Q&A’ the former Spurs talisman was doing at a small, Newcastle theatre. And as they were speaking, Alan asked Gascoigne if, on the occasions when he speaks to some of their former teammates from that ‘96 squad, they ever talk about that summer when they seemed all but destined to win the European Championship and fulfill the destiny that the prophets, Baddiel and Skinner, had envisioned of them bringing football home – my phrasing, not Alan’s.
And whilst he admitted that they did, indeed, talk about them, Gascoigne, with a subtle hint of sadness in his voice, said that he tries not to think or talk too much about “the great days” because he can’t get them back.
Now, I think the reason why that sentiment stayed with me is that it played into a thought I’d been having over the weekend about whether or not we’ll see a change post-lockdown in how often the elite golfers at the very top of the game actually tee it up on tour? I mean, take this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge as an example. If you go down through the field who’ll be duking it out in Fort Worth come Thursday, it reads more like the kind ‘who’s who’ of professional golf you’d see at a World Golf Championship or flagship tour event, rather than what, in recent years, has become more of a “regular” tour event that doesn’t necessarily always attract the game’s biggest stars.
Of course, we all know the role the COVID-19 pandemic has had in why so many of the world’s top players have suddenly added a stop at Colonial to their schedules this year, as they’re all looking to get back up to speed and tournament-sharp for what remains of the 2019/20 season – a season, remember, that at this stage still includes the rescheduled PGA Championship, the Masters and perhaps even a Ryder Cup. What I find intriguing, though, is seeing how many of the game’s top stars – the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka to name but a few – have mentioned how their eagerness to get back has been driven by how much they miss being out on the road and competing in tournaments. And why is this interesting? Well, because when you think about it, how much have we become accustomed to seeing those players at the very top of the game having very streamlined schedules that, when compared to their peers further down the rankings who are trying to get to where they are, appear somewhat ‘sparse’?
And, look, it’s perfectly understandable that those single digit-ranked golfers might want to play a very limited schedule as, when you achieve that level of stardom, rocking up to a tournament on any given week doesn’t just involve playing 72 holes of golf. It means signing a lot of autographs. It means press conferences and television requests. It means fulfilling sponsor obligations. Basically, it means a whole lot of ‘schmoozing’ on top of the four or five hours of intense concentration you’ve put in that day in order to try and win the actual golf tournament itself. Like, to even try and comprehend how mentally draining that must be makes me feel like I need a few weeks off.
And yet I wonder.
I wonder if when the gates were suddenly shut at the Players and the novelty of being at home with nothing to do for a few weeks bar losing eight litres of sweat a day on a Peloton bike wore off, did the thought ever cross their minds that they were getting a glimpse of what life will possibly be like when they eventually retire? And, most importantly, did they find it somewhat jarring? Because, realistically, the experiences these guys have between the ropes at this stage of their careers, when they’re still young enough that they’re at the peak of their powers and not beset with injuries, are going to be their “great days”. The days of playing golf on some of the best courses in the world in front of thousands of people. The days of trying to pull off shots under the utmost pressure and hearing that addictive roar of approval if they do. The days of being in contention coming down the stretch on a Sunday and experiencing every exhilarating, nerve-wracking second that comes with trying to get their hands on another trophy.
The kind of days that when they’re gone, they are gone; and no matter how much money you’ve managed to amass in your career, there’s no getting them back when you’re sat at home with nothing but time on your increasingly wrinkled hands.
So does this mean in the new reality we now find ourselves in that we might see those same elite players emerging from lockdown with a renewed love for the game and looking to make the most of their – in the grand scheme of things – short time at the top by getting out on tour a bit more throughout the season? I, for one, think it should. Because if this pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that our time on this planet is achingly short and that, regardless of who you are, it can be snatched away at any given moment. Therefore, if you’re one of the few people on this earth capable of actually playing golf to a tour-level, then I think you owe it to yourself – and, if you’re lucky, your 80+-year old self – to make sure you make the very most of your ability while you can. Because, yes, I can imagine that it’s easy for golf to feel like a job … well, once it becomes just that, but getting to play golf for a living, lest we forget, is a pretty cool way to make a living – I mean, when compared to just writing about golf, I’d say it’s a comprehensive 9&8 win for ‘playing’.
So get out there more. Go to those “smaller” events you wouldn’t normally think of playing. Because you’ll have plenty of time to sit around thirty years from now once your swing speed drops back down to mere mortal levels, but what you don’t want is that time spoiled by having a niggling voice in the back of your mind going, “Man, those really were the great days … it’s just a pity I didn’t try to have more of them.”
Title Image Credit: PGA Tour