OUR page seven (February issue) profile on a 89-year-old Gary Player has prompted this editorial, however at the same time, it is somewhat common when someone meets one of their idols, sporting or otherwise, when it doesn’t always work out how they may have hoped.
An old Tour colleague of mine, big cricket fan, once partnered an Australian player of note at a pro-am event. The cricketer, now deceased (and it’s not Shane Warne) spent his day in full competition mode, trying to ‘beat the pro’ when they weren’t even playing for the same prize. He was less than engaging and the experience ruined his perceptions of his sporting hero.
I’ve worked in rugby league for a long time, and while the majority of players are knock about types and engaging with the fans when away from the spotlight, there were a few who weren’t quite what their public profile would have you believe.
As for those golfing and sporting stars I looked up to as a young and impressionable youngster, a couple I was fortunate enough to come into contact later in life, I found engaging and personable. Others not so much.
An experience of playing with Tom Watson at an Australian Masters was something I’ll never forget. I was on ‘Team Tom’ when he was coming down the stretch against Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach, before holing that chip shot at 17 to win the 1982 US Open. As a youngster I was up late at night to see him beat Jack again in that legendary Open Championship shootout at Turnberry in 1977.
Paired up just days after the birth of my second son, Tom had done the research, found out who I was, including the fact that I had a brand new, three-day old son, and upon introducing himself – as if I didn’t know who he was – he congratulated me on the first tee.
As the saying goes, from whatever that movie was, from there he ‘had me at hello’. Despite not having his best day on the course, Tom was nothing but a gentleman.
In my days playing through Asia, often international stars would be attracted to the events with generous amounts of appearance money. I played either in competition or practice with a couple of major champions, with a European Order of Merit winner, and while I get it, on the course in a competitive environment the best of the best do put the game-face on, it costs nothing to be polite and respectful. Without naming names, that wasn’t always the case.
Following a good week in Dubai back in the late ‘90s, after which you tend to meet the right people, and I was upgraded to first class for a flight to London.
I turned left, proceeded to seat 2B and in 2A was Fred Couples. I’d watched Fred win the Masters, loved that sweet swing, from afar he appeared to be a ripper bloke and over the next five-six hours I was looking forward to hearing his golfing tales and words of wisdom. As I’d finished third in the tournament which wound up just a few hours before, Fred fourth, he had to know who I was.
While I’ve since given him the benefit of the doubt, he was probably a little weary after four days in the desert heat, probably bunkering down with a flight that was likely to continue long after arriving in London, he buried his head in a book, caught a little sleep and all I got was a nod of hello on sitting down, a goodbye and good luck after landing. I’m sure he is a lovely fella, maybe I just got him at the wrong time.
Then there was Gary Player. In this February issue David Newbery details a meeting with Player and has penned an editorial on how he continues to embrace and enjoy life at almost 90 years of age.
The story brought back fond memories of a chance meeting with the great South African. Early in the week of a tournament at The Vines in Perth, regular practice partner Steve Conran and I played the front nine and were wandering over to the 10th, when this little old bloke in black walked over and asked whether there was a chance of him joining us. We accepted very quickly.
While probably in his late 60’s, his game wasn’t quite where it was when he was winning his nine majors, more than 150 tournaments around the world or his seven Australian Opens, but as they say, class is permanent.
He talked, told a few tales, I can’t really recall but probably shamed the both of us in showing off his abs, at the same time boasting how many sit-ups he does every day, and he was brilliant company for two- and a-bit hours.
On occasion they don’t, but sometimes your sporting heroes deliver. Gary Player certainly did.
Get in touch
If you have an opinion on this or any other topic in the magazine, send your letter to the editor to rob@insidegolf.com.au and you’ll be in the running to win a gripping prize.
An amateur standout, winning the NSW Amateur and Australian Medal in 1988, before going down in the final of the 1990 Australian Amateur Championship, Rob Willis turned professional in 1992, playing the Australasian and Asian Tours, with his highlight being his victory in the 1995 Dubai Creek Open and third placing at the European Tour's Dubai Dessert Classic. A former Editor of Golf Australia Magazine, Willis, who ventured away from golf for a period to be the media manager for the NRL's Cronulla Sharks, has been a contributor to PGA Australia's PGA Magazine for over a decade and for Inside Golf since its first edition back in 2005. 
