Matt Adams interviews Tom Watson about his Watson Links program, a unique initiative that provides mentorship to young golfers to encourage learning and loving the game of golf. #GolfChannel #GolfToday #TomWatson
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PGA Tour winner Tom Watson details his mentorship program: Watson Links | Golf Today | Golf Channel
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>> WE ARE BACK ON GOLF TODAY. DAMON, WHAT A CAREER TOM WATSON PUT TOGETHER. 39 TOUR WINS, 8 MAJOR VICTORIES, PLAYED ON 4 RYDER CUP TEAMS AND CAPTAINED THE AMERICAN SIDE IN 1993, THE LAST TIME THE AMERICANS WON IN EUROPE. >> STILL? ALL RIGHT. JUST CHECKING.
WATSON MAKING IT HIS MISSION TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO LEARN AND LOVE GOLF BECOMING LIFELONG PLAYERS. CREATE A LIFELONG PASSION FOR THE GAME WITH TAKING THEM BEYOND LESSONS ON THE RANGE TO SOCIAL ROUNDS OF GOLF WITH MENTORS. FOR MORE OUT TO MATT ADAMS WHO
IS WITH THE EIGHT-TIME MAJOR CHAMP. >> HANGING OUT WITH A LEGEND HERE. TOM, BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR WE WERE TALKING. I WAS SAYING WHEN IS THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE AT THE SHOW. YOU THOUGHT — >> I THOUGHT EARLY 1980s.
>> IT WOULDN’T BE UNUSUAL TO SEE BYRON NELSON OR SAM SNEAD. YOU WERE REMINDED OF A STORY ABOUT YOUR FIRST MASTERS DINNER. >> AFTER I WON THE MASTERS I WALKED INTO THE CHAMPIONS’ LOCKER ROOM AND IN THE CORNER IN THE GREEN JACKET WAS THE COUNTRY SQUIRE. WOW.
HE WON THE 1922 US OPEN. THE GREAT DOUBLE EAGLE IN 1935 MASTERS. HOW IS LIFE FOR TOM WATSON? >> YOU ARE MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. WHAT WERE THE INSPIRATION FOR SAYING THAT I WANT TOP GIVE BACK THIS WAY? >> WHEN I BECAME A PROFESSIONAL,
I SAW THE CARTS WERE TAKING OVER THE CADDIE PROGRAM. THE KIDS DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND BE ON A GOLF COURSE AND LEARN AND MAYBE THEY WOULD LOVE THE GAME OR NOT. MAYBE I WOULD JUST TRY TO MAKE A BUCK.
A LOT OF THE CADDIES LEARNED HOW TO PLAY GOLF. YOU KNOW, CLUBS FOR KIDS. IT REALLY DID NOT HELP MUCH. I WANTED TO TRY TO INSPIRE KIDS TO PLAY GOLF. WE WOULD HAVE KIDS GO TO THE PRACTICE RANGE AND THEY WOULD PLAY THREE HOLES.
I WAS A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THE FIRST TEE. YOU HAVE PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE. YOU HAVE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT REALLY TRY TO INSPIRE THE KIDS NOT ONLY TO PLAY GOLF BUT TO PLAY GOLF FOR A LIFETIME. I HAVE THREE FOUNDATIONS. ALL THREE FOUNDATIONS, THE
MISSION STATEMENT SAYS THIS. THIS FOUNDATION IS CREATED TO CREATE LIFETIME GOLFERS. THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. >> VERY COOL INDEED. WE PAIR KIDS WITH MENTORS. MY DAD WAS A MENTOR. HE TOOK ME ON THE GOLF COURSE TO PLAY REAL GOLF WITH ME. A LOT OF THE TIME THE KIDS DON’T
HAVE THE ACCESS OR A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT TO DO THAT. MAYBE A PROGRAM THAT WILL TEACH THEM HOW TO SWING, BUT WHERE DO THEY GO. WHY NOT CREATE A PROGRAM WHERE YOU GET THE KIDS ON THE GOLF COURSE WHEN SOMEONE HAS A PASSION FOR THE GAME.
THE MENTOR IS NOT THERE TO TEACH THE KID, BUT KIND OF HARD NOT TO HELP THE KID. LET ME SEE YOUR PRACTICE STROKE. MAKE A HARDER PRACTICE STROKE. TEACH THEM. ALL OF A SUDDEN BINGO. THEY GET IT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
TRYING TO GET THE KIDS TO LOVE THE GAME. >> I LOVE THE FACT IT IS A MENTOR PROGRAM. >> MENTORS IN EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, IN EVERY FACET OF LIFE. YOU KNOW, GOLF IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. YOU HAD MENTORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. A TEACHER IS A MENTOR.
HEY, THIS IS THE WAY THAT YOU DO THINGS. GOLF IS PRETTY SIMPLE. I HAD MY FATHER. SAM TERSE WAS A GREAT MENTOR. A PRO AT THE CLUB WHERE MY DAD BELONGED. BYRON NELSON WAS A GREAT MENTOR. IT WAS NOT JUST THE GOLF AND BYRON, BUT IT WAS HIS STORIES.
HIS STORIES ABOUT THE WAY THAT HE LIVED HIS LIFE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN’T GET FROM READING A BOOK. YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO TELL YOU THESE THINGS. >> WE ALL HAVE THE IMAGES OF YOU WITH JACK NICKLAUS AND THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH ARNOLD PALMER.
YOU SUROROUNDED YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE TO LOOK UP TO. >> SOME DAY I WOULD LIKE TO BE A JACK NICKLAUS OR ARNOLD PALMER. >> HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM FOR 2024 AND HOW HAS IT BEEN RECEIVED SO FAR? >> WELL, OUR PROGRAM, WE HAD 40 MEMBERS.
WE HAD SO MUCH INTEREST IN THIS. WE HAVE FIVE LOCATIONS THAT ARE LOCAL PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN, OPERATIONS PLAN. WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA. MENTORS CAN SIGN UP FOR A TEE TIME AT THE GOLF COURSE. THE APP REMINDS YOU THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE AND ONE DAY IN
ADVANCE THAT IS THE TEE TIME TO SHOW UP. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. IT IS A LIGHT LIFTER. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO START A PROGRAM ANYWHERE THIS APP CAN MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU. >> TOM WATSON, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE GAME AND THE FACT
YOU ARE GIVING BACK TO THE GAME. >> IT HAS GIVE
