Masters Special with 2 x MASTERS CHAMPION Bernhard Langer!

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[Music]
all right guys welcome back to the Rick
Shields Golf Show podcast a special
episode an austa National Master’s
special episode just sounds good it done
it I’m here with S car Michael Brown
we’ve been here at austa been invited by
our good friends at Mercedes-Benz and
what a hell of a week honestly it we’ve
been treated quite literally like
royalty yeah it’s incredible mate I mean
we saw a bit it last year didn’t we this
setup they have here not just at the
golf tour which oh wouldn’t I love to be
able to show the guys what it’s like
inside the ropes at the Mercedes cabin
maybe one day not this year but we can
tell you a little bit about it can’t we
we can we can in this podcast as well in
this very
chair ma Master’s winner Bernard Langer
joins us now his fellow um well he is a
Mercedes-Benz Ambassador and it’s just
great to chat to Bernard we’ve just
finished that interview and some of the
stories is telling of his time playing
in the Masters this was supposed to be
his final master ever he was supposed to
be walking around the Fairway either
tomorrow or Sunday and waving everyone
good by and that would have been his
last Master’s appearance but he’s been
out injured a kill his injury so he’s
now going to have to postone that to
next year so we’ve been talking a little
bit about that come on to that however
also we got a little cheeky giveaway if
you want to win three
signed uh titless proy one Mercedes-Benz
golf balls signed by Bernard Langer
you’ve got to leave a comment and
subscribe to the podcast Channel and
we’ll also throw in this wonderful
brochure this is an 88th Masters
tournament Journal a special edition
just for Mercedes Benz coffee table
special right there that’s going to look
so the colors the Masters green and the
blue on your coffee table with that
signature so be sure to like the video
leave a comment down below and be
subscribed to the podcast Channel and
we’ll pick a winner very very soon um
but just this this week be we went to
practice day yesterday yeah we got to
walk around the golf course at the same
golf course that listen you’ve all heard
of before that means I’ve got to play
last year don’t have to talk about it
and it was our first trip back on the
ground to be able to just walk around
the complex I mean it’s just it really
is it was really more I was the right
description for it I almost absorbed it
more yesterday been looking now luy
enough now to go this is my third visit
and almost the first few visits you
literally your mouth is just open and
you just can’t believe you’re there I
think this time for me going I was like
a appreciating things that i’ might not
seen before and going that’s new that’s
different i’ not spoted that before and
just be able to appreciate the The
Contours of the the facility to be able
to appreciate how friendly and nice the
patrons are and all the staff at at the
hospitality and just the grounds around
the the store we spent some money in the
store again which is too much probably
is ridiculous i’ got a giveaway of that
coming on Instagram as well um but yeah
you just I feel like you just absorb it
in you soak it in and it’s just such a
special place I think it might be is is
that you know we we’ve talked about the
same feeling I certainly have when you
step on those greens for the first time
when you got to hit on them and it’s of
course I was nervous of course it was
but equally I was just so excited
there’s so much adrenaline in your body
that you lose a little bit of control
and you’re not comfortable and I think
that when you first come I remember the
first time I came in 2013 with my dad I
ran around like a school boy like I was
so it must have driven him nuts to be I
was like Dad let’s go here got check
this like just panting so much and
obviously this is my fourth year now and
it it feels just as magical ever since
single time but the giddiness you get
more comfortable with it and you start
to feel a little bit more relaxed here
and that allows you I think to take in
the more Beauty you sit and you know you
you do take in the surroundings a little
bit more we that’s what it is you quite
literally smell the flowers smell the
aelas we also there as well we there’s a
drink oh my favorite there is a drink
that’s named after the wonderful aelia
I’m pointing at that plant which is not
an aelia but it’s pink in color it’s got
Vodka lemonade and grenadine in and here
at the Masters when you have it it’s a
very very special fruity um sweet drink
refh refreshing that’s the reason why we
drank them it is refreshing um hydration
yeah it’s the 100% reason uh we also got
to walk around the path recour yeah so
the path three course path Three
Tournament was on yesterday walked a
little bit around with the English group
of Tommy Fleetwood uh I say English
sorry UK group with Tommy Fleetwood and
Shane Lowry even that unfortunately UK
group and island group of Tommy with and
Shane Larry also got to see uh Matt
Fitzpatrick cck valdo trell Hatton we
didn’t witness any live hauling ones no
heard a few didn’t we we heard a few
orbe I think there was six yesterday and
I think Bryson who’s currently as we
film this lead in the tournament he had
the slam dunk calling one he had a slam
dunk Hing one for a three oh of course
it was he put his first in the in the
water and then slam dunked it for a
three that’s right friend of the show
however of the podcast and the main
Channel Ricky Fowler actually won the PA
Three Tournament now some of you
listening will probably know this fact
some of you won’t nobody has ever gone
from winning the PA Three Tournament to
then going winning the Masters that same
year someone’s going to do it eventually
and why not be Ricky why not Ricky why
not Ricky uh I would love him to win it
I would too now we’ve had a couple
little bets yeah should we talk about
those now yeah we can do cuz a couple of
mine aren’t doing great not going to lie
to you neither of mine to be honest but
there’s one I had there was a long I
always like that there’s people talk
about the Masters there’s so many
regular contenders it’s the most you
know talked about golf tournament in the
world probably especially for those that
are not you know super super into golf
all year round so everyone’s got an
opinion it’s always the same names that
come around what I quite like to do and
the betting markets reflect that you
know Scotty Sheffer was at three or four
to one in a huge tournament it’s
ridiculous no point betting on him I
like to find people that are like 30 40
50 upwards to one go each way one of my
guys Cory Connors I mean hopefully he
hasn’t thrown in the bin since since we
film this but as we film it he’s going a
couple under got him over 100 to
one my five p Mi are Max Homer and
there’s no Rhyme or Reason to these I’ve
not gone into stats I’ve not gone into
previous performance I’ve just gone on
almost likability Factor VI yeah could I
see Max Homer in a green jacket on
Sunday yes sure you know what I mean
that’s how I’ve gone with this Sergio
Garcia I’ve gone with a bit of
performance recently because his his
game since obviously film with myself
has massively improved and obviously
there’s got to be a good luck charm
we’ve seen that before with players that
have been on the channel Tom Kim only
because I liked him on the full swing I
get the leard they guys see the Le yeah
it’ll be out a date by time Tom Kim who
I just like him on the on the Netflix
show yeah he’s a nice guy big fan of him
MIM Lee friend of the channel he has
broke his finger however and he started
this today terribly so I think that’s a
terrible bet and then Shane Larry again
Shane a a lot of people picking Shane a
lot of people picking Shane I feel
like on form and people probably correct
me I don’t think he’s quite trend in the
right direction but again could I see
him in a green jacket on Sunday
absolutely I could why not I mean look
the guys watching this now either the
end of round one or the start of round
two there’s a couple of stats there like
I mean for example the last uh each of
the last 18 winners have been tied 11 or
better after round one and it’s
something very very similar to that not
quite as prolific but very very similar
to that that were in the top 10 after
round two by the time you guys are
watching this you look at that
leaderboard you’re going to sort of know
it’s probably based on history going to
be in that top 10ish that are going to
win it that is that is honestly
mindblowing that that is even a stat we
got here um well these I said some of
these are going to be postdated by the
time this goes out but it’s few G stats
I love watching I have to shout him out
Justin Ray on X or Twitter I get a lot
of the stats I like to talk about from
him so shout out to Justin a few of
those are from him if you don’t follow
him on Twitter you should do because he
gives some absolute pearlers every
tournament but especially this week and
how are you pal have you had you had a
good year since I last spoke to you last
last time we filmed was in Germany yeah
it was was did the podcast in the mered
Ben’s Museum you had a good year as your
golf trending well um I had a bit of a I
had some great filming early part of the
year I went out to Hawaii with Adidas a
film with marawa and oberg which was
incredible had a few trips out to deai
I’ve done a few little bits a couple of
little projects I’m working on in the
background with a few people that might
be coming out soon to keep an eye out
for um but yeah my game is starting to
ramp back up again we had a little game
last night you’re the mo I actually hate
playing against you I’m pleased with
that I think you saw in the last podcast
podcast episode I take that as a
compliment I think you are the most
frustrating golfer in the world to play
against there’s a golf course down the
road from here that we’ve been to um we
went a couple of times last year we’ve
been so far once this year West West
Lake Golf and Country Club it’s gorgeous
if that was in pristine condition you
would be uh you wouldn’t be a fool if
you could you would mistake it for for
austa well we can talk about that
because we are fortunate enough to by
the way have played Augusta and you know
also talked a little bit about the
hospitality cabin called Firethorn which
is where we’re based for Mercedes of the
week just down the side of the 10th
where Rory sort of famously hit that
drive the year he didn’t quite get the
job Dro down when he maybe should have
and they have a replica of 18 outside it
so we’ve actually been putting on
Augusta greens this week and you know
what at Westlake they’re not twoo
different are they not quite as fast the
surface is very comparable beautiful
place and uh we had a little match
Little nine-hole Match and uh
Seb missed every single
green for the first four or five holes
and go up and down from everywhere to
stay level par you finished the nine
holes with nine consecutive passs so
boring in it I didn’t do that I’m going
for speed and distance at the moment I
hit a pitching wedge into a par five I’m
bombing driver as hard as I can at the
moment I feel like I’m hitting the ball
further than I ever have done the last
10 years and I going shoot three over so
Seb beats me over nine holes and he’s
one up in the series of the the matches
this week Lot B to come though however
we also played with a little kid you say
name he’s called Connor I don’t know his
second name we could find out maybe put
it in here this little boy we played
with he’s he’s seven years old he’s
called Connor he looks like a mini mini
Tor proo yeah but also he got to play a
part he made a part on the par three
yesterday yeah he got invited by Grayson
Murray graur was hitting balls at west
lake Connor is just this like really
charismatic seveny oldold the stuff he
was coming out with was incredible sorry
the uh the camera just stopped recording
there so we just had to pick that back
up yeah I mean the kid was Sensational
he really was um and it wouldn’t
surprise me in 10 years we see him being
announced on the first te Augusta local
Connor I have to get her name 17 year
old making his debut and he goes and
wins the M we have sign balls from him
got a sign ball from him at the end what
a life he’s living and yeah it’s gonna
be fun to if we keep going back to the m
keep playing with him be a to document
his progress exactly year on year right
guys without further Ado let’s listen to
this wonderful interview we had they sit
down chat very brief very relaxed uh
chat with Bernard Langer thanks for
Mercedes-Benz for setting this up thanks
to the mercedesbenz for the whole week
and again if you want to sign the
Mercedes ben if you want to win the
Bernard Langer signed golf balls which
actually just been vanished off this
desk um all you need to do is like this
video subscribe to the podcast Channel
and leave a comment down below without
further Ado this is Bernard Langer the
legend
himself Bernard thanks for joining us on
the podcast this is really exciting yeah
thank you um obviously we’re here in
austa the week of the Masters the 88th
Masters um how first off how are you
enjoying your week well I’d rather be
out they’re playing I can
imagine we know I got an A Torn ailles
tendon so I’m out of action and uh have
to postpone till next year but it’s
still fun being here just to be a part
of the tournament to be a past Champion
here is really something special They
treat us very well and there’s lots of
Privileges and uh you know having lunch
with my whole family they’re all here my
four kids and two of the grandkids are
here uh so we’re having a good time
thank you cuz this was this was going to
be your final Masters this year it was y
mhm it’s uh I finally committed that the
course is too long for me getting love
all the time as well uh yeah and I’m not
enjoying hitting three woods and two
hybrids into these PA fours but uh we’ll
do it next year one more time and say
farewell how how are you mentally
prepared to go in for this being your
final Masters and obviously now you’ve
got to you’ve almost got to start that
whole process again yeah uh I’m not sure
I can and actually mentally prepare
myself to tell you the truth I’ve never
done anything like that I’ve never said
farewell anywhere and uh this year was
going to be farewell from austa and
farewell from the European tour uh in
July so um I don’t know I’m going to see
what emotions that brings up and I’m
sure it’s going to be
Bittersweet but always said I don’t want
to just be a number out there you know
if I’m not competing anymore I don’t
want to be seen shooting 80 and and 79
and missed the cut by 10 and uh just
just be you know near the end of the
field How is how’s recovery going very
well thanks for asking yeah I’ve uh I’m
nine weeks two months basically um after
surgery and uh I’m fully weightbearing I
I got rid of the boot wow I can walk and
I’ve actually started practicing 10 days
ago so I’m very excited to hopefully be
back in Action within uh you know one or
two months maybe three at the most it’s
quite rare Seb comes from the world of
football it’s quite often that
footballers get injuries it’s quite rare
that golfers do get an injury that puts
them out of play really well especially
with ailles that doesn’t happen very
often and it didn’t happen during golf
it happened a pickle ball
but uh but it’s a very common injury
amongst basketball players and football
players and you know anywhere where you
even the bob sled teams they have these
on a regular basis because they have to
push off uh or squash players when I had
rehab I I saw a
23-year-old professional woman’s uh
squash player and she says yeah it’s my
second one I had one two years ago over
here now it’s this one so it happens a
lot and is the drive still there to
practice you it is you know I I was
wondering because um I I’ve had well
nine weeks off already and I was laying
on the couch basically for a number of
weeks and uh the drive is there I’m
working very hard for comeback and I’m
convinced I can do it and I I still love
it and I I miss competing and I still
think I have several years on the
champion you know what rck I can see I
can see next year walking up 18 a wol
for Wall Street moment I ain’t leaving I
ain’t going anywhere it’s going to be a
hard thing to let go of I’m sure it
probably wasn’t an easy decision you
know that’s what Gary Player told me
many years when it was his last uh
tournament at aasta he announced it and
then he went out out and shut 78 or
something he comes into the locker and I
had a late tea time I’m just eating
lunch and he goes burn it burn it I made
the worst mistake in my life and I’m
thinking oh my goodness what what’s this
serious thing because you know I’ve
announced my last Masters and I shot 78
today I I think I should have gone
another year or
two if a few puts could have dropped I
would have shot 7ly if and when and
could and should right do do have you
really noticed the length in length
thing of the golf course obviously
you’ve played it how many how many
Masters have you actually played in I
well it’s my going to be my 43rd year
next year and I’ve played 41 of them I
think at that point or 40 I’m not sure
we’ll have to check that out but they I
saw something on television last night
how they lengthened the course so up
until
2001 or five the course was under 7,000
yard 69
something now it’s 7
550 and the unique thing about austa is
where they measure from the plates
there’s room behind the plates so the
chairman said you know we’re playing
7550 we can easily go to 76 or even more
wow any day we want to because we have
10 12 yards on every t- box we could go
further back which most CES are measured
from the very course they the very back
Blass I think he said in an interview
this week that he can foresee him self a
year not too far away where he plays
8,000 yards yeah he’s trying he said
that he could see where they don’t want
to go more than 8,000 so that’s you know
they’re talking about draw bringing the
ball back or you know make their players
hit shorter but I found it very strange
the announcement they made last night on
TV I don’t know if it’s true or not was
in 2028 they’re trying to bring the ball
back 7 to 12 yards now that’s four years
from now in those four years the players
are going to gain easily those seven or
12 yards from now till then so then
we’re just back where we are right now
uh and what what does that do does that
help a great deal to to draw back 10
yards it’s not going to make a big
difference 14 holes because the pass
threes it doesn’t matter
anyways I think if they do something
they got to do it drastically otherwise
they’re going to have to continuously do
something every three years yeah so
would you agree with what Mr player said
this week about trying to bring the ball
back 60 60 to 50 yards absolutely I
think if you do something it’s got to be
at least 30 to 50 yards at least to have
an impact otherwise you’re just at at
zero again in a couple of years cuz the
players get stronger bigger more
athletic they you know they’re on a diet
they have trainers they have all these
gadgets that shows them what’s ideal
spin rate launch angle where the weight
should be this and that and I mean we
would have never thought that tour
players should hit the ball 350 60 yards
out there and it’s happening it’s
happening right in front of us I think
Rory’s first t- shot today was 350 yards
on the first round he had W right it
rained this morning so uh imagine when
it’s firm and the ball bounces like in
at an Open Championship or something on
firm ground it’s gone 400 yards the
first H austa become a drive ball Par
Four could you believe well yeah I mean
you look you look at uh at St Andrews
right there’s five holes they can drive
mhm I know they can and and they do it
every time they go there and so I can
see the problem is where certain courses
are not relevant anymore unless you just
accept that par is 68 instead of 72 and
it’s the same for everybody so it really
shouldn’t matter you know if you look at
it that way uh but the major
championships try to you know at least
the US Open they Pride themselves well
you know even par is should be more or
less the winning score it’s a good score
and it’s always been but um that’s going
to change um interesting question
okay next year your final Masters and
the chairman As a treat to a past
Champion says Bernard you can go and set
the te positions this year okay you can
go out there and you can put the length
of the golf course to whatever you wish
it to be
what length would you put it at where
you feel like you could compete where I
could compete we would have to go way up
there and then I probably still couldn’t
compete because everybody’s going to be
up there you know what I’m saying now
now they’re going to be driving it near
the green or onto the green a couple of
times it already happens on number three
MH few years ago I played with Bry and
the Shambo he drove the green yeah uh
what’s the swet one of the the tall no
the anyway little older guy he drove it
past the green I played with him I saw
it he drove it onto the fourth T box and
uh so so it really wouldn’t do a great
deal you know would help me maybe a
little bit because I’d be
hitting five iron instead of two hybrid
or three wood into some of these holes
and I might reach some pu fivs but they
would still have that same Advantage you
know instead of them hitting Adar and
they be hitting wedge or driving the
green or or hitting what ever that much
less into the P five so in your words
what what does make austa so
special oh it’s it’s a lot of things I
mean it’s do you have enough time for
this I think people would love to hear
your take on it they will do 100% well
first of all it’s the only major that’s
played at the same course year after
year after year so whoever is watching
on TV or the players it’s the same place
it’s the same spot you know what to
expect you’ve seen it before even if
you’ve never been here you’ve seen it on
televis you know it exactly and that’s
very unique okay compared to all the
other Majors then the changes they have
made over the years are just phenomenal
everything they have done around the
tournament there’s no tent not one all
the structures are permanent buildings
for one week of the year it’s it’s crazy
it’s unheard of the uh Media Center
State of the
Yeah we actually got to go around it
last year it’s the driving range is
phenomenal on the chipping area the
burkman’s place nobody has anything like
that uh you know what bergman’s place is
have not not quite been accessed to
there yet but is that invitation Bernard
they they replicated three of the greens
identical to on the golf course I don’t
recall which greens I think it’s 18 and
maybe five and then one other one and
then they have four or five restaurant
version smaller version I guess uh I
think it it’s a replica I think it’s the
same wow and they you’re allowed to Chip
and Putt and you do whatever all day
long and and it’s free alcohol free food
and well not free it cost $5,000 to get
in there but but just you know just to
have that uh then they bought all the
land around the whole Golf Course free
parking okay where do you get free
parking for an event usually very seldom
um then a Perimeter Road around the
whole place so they control they have
cameras in the trees and all sorts of
things the food that the patrons The
Spectators buy a sandwich costs
a1501 or 250 I mean where do you find
that you go to any spec you know
spectator uh thing yeah you pay 10 15 20
for a drink and for a you know hamburger
or sandwich or any of that and you’re
you know you $100 are gone in no time
yeah and so they treat everybody very
very very well and they try to make it a
wonderful experience whether it’s for
the players for the spectators even for
the members of the club yeah then you
know the cross Nest right the four amers
of five that are make it into the field
they get to stay in the clubhouse up on
top right there on the premises for free
you know get eat and drink for free and
have free
accommodations amazing you know
experience um when I first came here
they had no rough it was the only golf
course I remember in the
80s that I played on tournament golf was
no rough it was Fairway from tree line
to tree line no way yeah and it was I I
loved it and that I think that’s what
made me fall in love with Augusta right
away that I didn’t have to hit out of
the you know cabbage like at the Uso
open or the PJ or something and uh that
it was either on The Fairway or you were
in the pine needles and driving was not
the most important thing because the
fairways were wide you did get a a
benefit you know if the green is angled
like number five or several others
you’re better off on one side or the
other for the angle of it for the second
approach shot but it wasn’t you know
narrow and tight you just hit it
somewhere and then it was more about the
second shot and and Innovation and you
know if you missed the green you could
chip with a I used four irons I used a
six iron I used a lob wedge literally
six eight clubs of putter you can’t do
that in many other major tournaments
because you’re in the rough well you
can’t put it out of the rough you can’t
use a six9 out of the rough or 4 you
take your l w a sandwich and flop it out
of there and and that made it really a
very unique EXP experience with many
many other experiences I mean the trees
I don’t know if you ever noticed the
trees left and right they all lean in
they how come do they lean in well I’m
guessing to make it look more
intimidating absolutely but they made
the grease to grow that way so when you
take a closer look if if you take 18 and
I’m hitting down 18 the right side leans
in the left side Lans and you take a
close look at these trees they cut off
the branches on the outside so now the
branches are only on the inside and it’s
heavy a branch is heavy and it pulls the
tree naturally wow in and I’ve never
seen that anywhere in the world either
so they’re very smart up here and they
you know they look at they don’t leave a
stone on turn or leave well we we were
very lucky we were very very lucky this
time last year we actually got to play
the Monday after that’s amazing after
the Masters I got a couple questions
about some pin positions actually before
we get onto that cu we talked about the
course setup and you talked about all
these different things and obviously
every golf course it’s a very very
different transition from Thursday the
cut throughs the weekend but it seems as
though some people specifically that
there’s like some players who do so well
on round one but then sort of fall away
and then there’s incredible stats that I
think from I’ve got it right here
actually it’s that um of the last uh
where is it let’s have a look here each
of the last 18 winners have been tied 11
or better after round one and you look
at some other stats like talking about
someone like Roy mroy the difference
between his scoring in rounds 1 2 3 and
four is enormous my two questions for
you on that is what was your favorite
pin location I know they sort of
different from year to year but did you
do you love the Sunday pins Etc but then
also what is it about the Masters as
well that gets into the psychology it’s
not just about different pins suiting
different players but is there a
psychology and a type of player that
will suit a Sunday setup versus a
Thursday setup no the setup is really
not different tell you the truth they
generally on tour we have six very hard
pins six six medium and six easier and
they rotate them around every you know
and here especially it’s kind of the
same pins year after year so even in
practice rounds which helps you know
when you play a practice round you know
from watching TV or playing in the past
well the pin’s going to be somewhere
here somewhere there over here and you
can Putt and CHP toward these areas and
get a bit of local knowledge what the
ball how it reacts and where you might
get it up and down and where not so
that’s a big Advantage where experience
comes in right for if you played here a
few times and I think that’s the one
reason uh only a one first time winner
here which was Fuzzy Z nobody else has
won besides him the very first time they
played because it this type of course
takes some experience but now you know
the Cades get better they prepare better
they they ask other CES and pick their
brains and the players pick other play
players brains so it’s their first time
they’re going to play practice round
with some guys that have been here a
long time and and find out all those uh
you know nuances been a lot of players
that specifically asked to tap into your
knowledge is anyone that you’ve sort of
Taken under your wing and G some many
many times where you know the first
timers or amateur or somebody that
hasn’t been here would ask for a
practice round you know they call me up
two or 3 months in advance and say can
can we play you know 18 holes or 19 hes
on Monday Tuesday whatever Wednesday
that that’s a very common thing around
here so unique to golf isn’t it can you
you know imagine you’re compeed against
people and then you’re asking to give
help the same way I don’t think there’s
another sport like that probably not you
know if if you’re in tennis or somewhere
on soccer I don’t think that happens
very often but all no it’s like say it’s
incredible and it kind of following
question do you think almost all majors
should follow that same pattern like is
the Masters so unique because it is it
the same venue every single year should
the open for argument sake be at St
Andrews every single year could they
could they build a kind of similar esque
to Masters of what they’ve achieved
there it probably could but they have a
different philosophy they say we have a
tradition of using seven courses for the
open for instance right yeah and we
rotate those seven and we bring it to
different parts of the country and
different challenges different uh
conditions of course uh so they just
have a different philosophy and they’re
doing very well with that too course
they are it’s just different no and and
for me you know being able to access the
open courses because obviously we’re
from the UK to be able to access those
open courses always really special you
almost get that little bit of like we’re
walking down the same Fairways of these
Legends of players and and it is very
very special and that’s the same feeling
we got last year when we walking around
the grounds of auster and been able to
play the golf course you’re in or and
you’re thinking we’re walking down the
fairways of all the greats and just
being able to think this is this is the
place this feels like almost St Andrews
and August are almost the mecer of golf
really true um and we got to experience
some Sunday pins there’s some very
interesting ones some very challenging
ones um some more friendly ones like you
say 16 You’ consider as a friendly pin
position on Sunday where six the path
three down the hill when it’s on that
little top Plateau it’s a Crows Nest on
its own it is it’s a tough one you don’t
miss that one can’t at all um but like I
feel like the golf course is relatively
Fair like it’s not super but you know
they keep in unbelievable records of
every shot and every bird he made and
every bogy made and why so they’re
continuously tweaking the golf course
even this year I don’t know if you heard
but they changed number number two four
and six green they made adjustments and
uh they lengthened number two by 15
yards they didn’t like some guy is going
over the bunker and down the hill and
hitting five iron or six iron into a par
five so they lengthened it now they’re
not going to carry the bunker so now you
have to take on the left side which
trees and it runs into the down that
Hill into the creek yeah a much harder
t-shot now from a little bit further
back uh but they’re they’re continuously
I mean the 11th screen was probably just
in the 40 years I’ve been here they
changed it six times I guarantee you
where it’s become
more challenging more challeng you know
they they rais the green then they
little more tilt and then if Miss the
green it’s more of a apple chip instead
of a flat chip like the chip Larry mice
made years ago anyone that wouldn’t
happen anymore but but you don’t as a
player you don’t you know those changes
have happened but you can’t see any work
that’s been done no no it looks like
it’s been there forever I mean even when
they built the 13 tea box there couple
years ago it look I mean you went back
there and you go wow this trees are tall
it looks like it’s been here for 15
years you know you look at the turf and
it looks no different than 20 yards that
way you know it’s just that’s what they
do talking about your your chipping with
the six iron and the four iron is that
something you’ve done at a lot of golf
courses or you know having played it
before we talk about the lack of rough
or the lack of longer grass around the
greens we had um we’ve been playing a
little bit at a local golf course you
even notice it there like the type of
grass and that grain around the greens
makes it I mean I was Chunk in a lot of
chips for example is that one of the
reasons you use those clubs absolutely
because the grain is always into you and
and there’s a wonderful so every Green
here or most greens are elevated right
so the Grass Grows down the hill so when
you chip you’re chipping into the grain
so it’s very hard to bounce it or do
anything it’s hard to putt it so that’s
why a four iron or six iron is better
because it elevates the ball initially
and then it scuttles on top or hybrid
for instance so you see that a lot more
and you can’t do that at a US Open or
used to not now they have runoff areas
where you can do it as well but there’s
a true story about how it happened that
they mowed the fairways from the T to
the green you have you heard that one
all right then I don’t have to tell
it well it’s uh we were at a Champions
dinner maybe 20 years ago roughly and uh
the chairman always says a few words
he’s only non-player in the in at the
dinner and welcomes us and S you know
says something like the course looks
meticulously fantastic this year as
usual and and we’ made this change and
that change and I hope you like it and
you know if you have any comment let us
know and you know good luck and and as
he said if you have comments Mr Palmer
gets up Ary and he goes Mr chairman you
know we’ve uh we’ve been playing here
for many years and half of the Fairway
is mowed away from us if you look at old
films you see the shiny part of the
Fairway and the dark part because half
the fairy was mowed this way so the
grass is laying that way the other half
is mowed into you so the grass is laying
this way so if you hit it down grain the
ball skits and runs 40 50 yards if you
hit it into the grain of the tea it
stops within 10 or 20 so Arie said you
know there’s a huge difference
difference we’re we’re good we’re good
but we’re not that good that we can
always hit the down grain side and just
a foot here or a foot there gives you an
advantage of 30 or losing 30
yards chairman agreed nodded the very
next day they lined up all the mowers by
the green at 12 of them or whatever it
takes and they mow it into us and it’s
been that way both sides but you know
another thing they they used to get a
lot of mud balls the the commentators
weren’t allowed to talk about it but it
was really not ideal okay it was a
problem here whenever it rained you have
Clay underneath and the now the Fairway
is mowed into it so the ball digs in
picks up mud and that’s luck I mean
that’s that’s not skill we all know the
professionals know if you have mud left
the ball will go right but we don’t know
we go 10 yards or 50 yards right or vice
versa and I think it shouldn’t be about
luck it should be about skill course it
shot especially in the Fairway yeah so
what they did the last two years they uh
all the whole Golf Course all the
fairways they put sand underneath they
filled up three or four maybe five Ines
of sand you wouldn’t know it you go out
you don’t see any you know where where
they cut and rolled the grass off put
sand and then put the grass on top they
quite L underlaid the whole golf course
I would think so because that’s the best
way you know they take the whole Fairway
up every every year don’t they you see
the photographs from the earth there’s a
local company that has a drone that
flies over I think it’s either that or
they don’t do that usually they did I
think it goes dorm and okay but it looks
like a brown go dor it’s too hot and
certain types of grasses don’t like the
100° or 92° heat they get here in the
summer that’s why it’s closed anyways
they did all the fairways uh the last
two years and now there’s less mud
involved because there’s a bit more sand
underneath well do you remember last
year the the practice day we were still
behind the 12th T and the last group had
just gone through crazy and we and there
was a obviously the the T had been hit
all day divs all the way across 10
minutes after the last group went
through a team of greenkeepers came in
with the machine and they got this
machine on the back of the tea and they
quite
literally lifted up the whole Turf of
where they hit from really and then
relay brand new Turf and and within 10
minutes you wouldn’t have thought a
single golfer had hit from that spot
that’s that’s un but you know that’s
that’s what they do you need money and
you need manpower to do that right you
get to go to the Champions dinner every
single year y I mean what an what an
incredible honor it must be you must
hear some outrageous stories funny
stories where abouts I’ve spoke to cic
falo and he he’s telling me where he
kind of normally sits where do you kind
of gravitate towards you have a regular
spot on the at the table and how was
this year’s championship dinner yeah
they I usually sit near the head of the
table just so happen many years ago I’m
very close friends with Larry mice and
uh so they have a three at the head of
the table Ben khaw right now used to be
Byron Nelson he’s our representative
sort of speaker he says a few words then
in the middle of the three is the
defending champion this year John rum
and then the chairman and then you have
a very long table very long table and
three at the other end and it’s 34 of us
this year uh so I’m usually second it’s
like the head table lar my and myself
and then it was Scotty sheer and Zack
Johnson so just yeah I love those guys
Scotty is a fellow believer so is Larry
mice and we just feel like we have
something in common there uh and that’s
why I usually said uh the the dinner was
phenomenal the food was really
outstanding as it usually is really
really tasty uh the camaraderie was
terrific what the special thing about
this year’s dinner was it was would have
been seevi by’s 67th birthday and John
Ram brought that up and obviously we had
Sergio Garcia and olazabal in the room
and so when the dinner was officially
over we usually tell stories or jokes
you know a few of us get up and share
something either from the past I mean
imagine being a fly on the wall in that
room I mean so we talked a bit about sey
B stas you know so alabel got up and
told one or two writer cup stories
because he was paired with him a lot and
then I know several sevy stories that
are quite funny so I shared a few with
many of them hadn’t heard yet and you
know and then Tom Watson said something
about uh the LIF tour and the PJ tour
and and how you know how good it is to
have everybody together yeah how did
that go down it was very quick and he
just got up and says it’s great to have
everyone here again that and he sat down
again and we all said yeah but you know
there’s there’s a problem I mean you
know how is that going to look in in the
future I mean he’s right but but it’s
only happening four times a year yeah
and and it’s caused a lot of strife and
a lot of issues so uh anyway so we had a
a great evening you know good food good
camaraderie and nice stories did he he a
private Chef in this year John R is that
uh yeah he’s he had his own guy that uh
yeah did it I think so which is unusual
but they you know generally I didn’t do
it when I served the two diners because
they’re so good the chefs they look up
recipes and they make it extremely
authentic it’s hard to make very good
German food the way I was used to it but
it was fantastic you know the sple they
made and the dumplings and the red
cabbage it was just like my mom made it
at home which was just that’s hard to do
I’ve tried lots of German restaurants in
America and
England that just doesn’t do it when uh
when Sunday comes round and the the new
Champion is crowned there’s a little bit
you think oh what’s going to be for food
next year do you think what’s going to
be on the menu it’s not necessarily the
first song but sooner or later becomes
part of the talk yeah yeah what wonder
what we going to yet is it going to be
hamburger or is it some something better
you uh you mentioned that you sit next
to Scott Sheffer mhm his Run for the
last two or three years has been nothing
short of remarkable oh it’s it’s just
incredible and it’s so down to earth you
know such a likable guy no ego
whatsoever no I’m number one in the
world or whatever nothing whatsoever and
and uh so we talked obviously several
times amongst during that that two hours
and the conversation came up and and
like how many wedges do you have four
wedges in your bag or three because it’s
a you know it’s common thing amongst
Pros some have three some have four and
go I have four so I’m going so if you
have four which iron are you throwing
out right because you can only have 14
clubs yeah and he goes well I go driver
Three Wood three iron I’m going really
so you don’t have a two iron or fivewood
or no one iron so my big gap yeah so my
first thought was big gap so I said how
far do you hit your three with
265 265 in carry oh yeah yeah and I got
so you must have a huge gap from your 3w
to your three iron how far is your three
iron go
245 what he said yeah I made it a little
stronger all right so it’s like like a
two or two and a half but I’m thinking
three iron 245 yeah I hit my three 200
so that just tells you the the
difference right there and then I go so
what’s your forine
225 I’m well you’re playing a different
game that I’m you might need five wedges
you might have enough down the other
side of the so he you know in the the
old school was you have 10 to 12 yards
between each Club he’s got 20 yards in
those longer clubs and then it goes to
15 and then it goes to 13 so very you
know very well thought out because many
of us would love to have 15 clubs or 16
but we’re only allowed 14 CES wouldn’t
love it but the players would who do you
uh who do you think’s got a chance a
real chance this this week I know it’s
really hard I know it’s a difficult
question you know I get asked that
constantly even 30 years ago who’s your
favorite and I said 40 of them and I
meant it there’s there’s 40 of them yeah
right now Bryson is s under he wouldn’t
have been been one of the favorites no
right not necessarily but I heard he’s
actually been playing pretty good he’s
got the third best scoring average on
the LIF tour this year I think number
one was uh what’s his name there it have
probably been wack nean y nean was first
was second I think Sergio’s done well on
that tour as well this year probably Ram
was second and he was Serge so that
tells me he’s been playing good you know
even though they may
play different golf courses or whatever
you still got to do it doesn’t matter
the set up is uh so anyways you know
favorite are probably Sher you have to
mention him Ram has the best scoring
average around here for the last 15
rounds or something all right and well
for everybody that’s played at least 15
so Sheffer may not have played 15 his
may his may be lower than Rams once he
gets to 15 and then you you know you
have dark horses like Jordan be who
always pops up here even though he’s not
playing great but he likes this golf
course and and you like to throw Rory in
there even though it hasn’t been his
best year yet um so let’s just quickly
talk about that Rory because that’s that
I mentioned to earlier so Rory M scoring
average for the four rounds the first
round he’s giving almost a shot back to
the field then he gains half a shot then
he gains nearly three and then nearly
five in round four and it tends to be
that that could be just as much
psychologically as you said that you
know rotates how difficult it is the
pins very similar here you know I don’t
I don’t pay attention to all that sorry
uh-uh okay because it’s it can be
totally coincidential you know you could
have a two Sundays with a 30 mph wind
yeah in three years and the scoring
scoring is five shots higher than no
wind and it’s not Rory it’s just the
conditions uh so but it could be every
once in a while it could be the player
but then you would think well if Rory
can’t stand the
pressure how come he is one of the best
in the world I don’t think it’s the
pressure I think it’s the psychology
maybe like you know the fact well that
is the pressure I’m sorry to me it is
you know either you you embrace the
pressure yeah and you thrive in it like
Nicholas and tiger and some others or
you cringe and falter and fall away you
know there’s been many players you can
look at the history of the game uh you
know pay Stewart was one of them he was
second second third second fifth
couldn’t win couldn’t win for five years
or something then he won his first and
then he kept winning so there is
psychological pressure I call it
pressure you call it psychological that
there is tremendous pressure Tiger Woods
was interviewed a couple days ago and
said he always felt pressure I people
come to me and say you’re not nervous
anymore right I mean you’ve been doing I
say are you kidding me I’m nervous every
shot I’m out there I’m nervous but how
nervous of course how’ you deal with it
yeah exactly and if you’re a little
nervous it actually helps because it en
heightens your awareness it slows things
down but if you get too nervous
everything is too quick too speedy and
and you just make bad decisions and and
you know your knees are literally
shaking you’re just it’s an out of body
experience and you turn around and you
shut 76 or something how did that happen
you know yesterday I shot 66 now I’m
shooting 76 I wonder whether there to do
an aggressiveness like did you find that
you know tiger had the same thing that
famous year where he was like five or
six over after nine holes and then went
on a crazy tear for the rest of the week
with Rory could it be that you know he’s
playing conservatively and then all of a
sudden he’s a long way back he has no
choice but to get aggressive it could be
that or the opposite so could be both so
either he is not aggressive enough or he
feels like oh I’m six behind I I better
be more aggressive and if you don’t play
really well aggressiveness will bite you
because you’re gonna hit some shots
where you just didn’t hit a good shot
and you shorts side yourself put it in
the water you put it in the trees and
then you’re making a double or triple by
being aggressive but I totally agree you
have to play aggressive if you want to
win because you got 89 players out there
some of them will play aggressive and
play well and they’re going to do it and
if you just play you know for safety
middle of the green that’s not going to
that’s not going to do it I I could
imagine a future where If he if he gets
one he’ll have multiple jackets Rory and
I think he get past that point point
What’s
um what what’s your career goals now
what what do you you set goals yeah I I
do and my biggest goal and has been for
many years is to be the best that I can
be because I know when Bernard Langer
plays at his best he has a chance on
most courses and so some say unbeatable
not necessary there’s some courses you
know like the only tournament I played
this year was in our first one on the
champions tour it was wide open the
fairways were wide open no rough it was
a bombers Paradise what I call it so
doesn’t suit your game no it doesn’t
that course used to suit me when it had
narrow Fairways and rough and they
changed it and now I have to play
brilliant to finish fourth or third you
know so there’s some courses that are
just not suitable but in general if I
play 25 tournaments a year I think I can
win on 20 of them you know if I play
really really good but I can’t afford to
make a lot of mistakes with my lengths
because even on the champions tour I’m
60 years in driving distance now when I
used to be top 10 and it’s age you know
I’m I’m 66 playing against 50 51 year
olds do you think the uh when who who
you excited but also somewhat
apprehensive about hitting that
Milestone and being able to join the
champions tour is there any golfers that
are soon to hit it maybe these next
couple of years you think oh they’re
going to be a big competitor for me you
know I haven’t looked at it but we’ve
we’ve had some big names joiners like
Ernie Els for instance uh R gon Jim
furic you know really solid major
winners proven winners for many years
Hall of Famers uh you know when they
come out yeah you pay attention you know
you know they’re going to do well or
they should do well but
surprisingly uh there has been a few
that I would have thought would make a
huge impact and do well how many do you
think Ben creno has won on the champions
tour not as many as he should have done
I’m guessing zero wow the best poter one
of the best poters and you know won a 20
tournaments on the tour two two masters
zero how about Cory paven again not as
many as he should have done one wow you
know credible short game right credible
competitor never lost his card
throughout his life played in many rer
cups won the US Open and you know so it
tells you how tough it is to to win out
there it’s not given is it as one but
it’s it’s also you know I I just saw
those two in particular because they are
fantastic poters and good short game uh
and and when you have that all you got
to do is kind of find it you know hit it
somewhere where you can find it but it
was a bit like sevy you know sevy in the
later days he lost his his swing with
the driver right he was still brilliant
from 100 yards 150 yards in but he had
to get there and he couldn’t it’s it’s
painful to say sometimes it is yeah it
good played with David dval here one
time and he was number one in the world
I think it was 2001 or something the
open chion and and beat tiger and beat
everybody for months in a row and he was
number one and and shortly after that I
was paired with him here he had no idea
where that driver went they went left
they went right he was in the trees
constantly and shot a really high number
and just lost this game would you would
you put it down to almost Yips it’s yeah
you can have The Yips driving the ball I
suppose uh thank goodness I never had
that I had plenty of Yips with a putter
but not with a long game and how did you
get over that I feel like I’ve got
catching and C somewh got rid it say
don’t say the word on my short chipped
around round the green but like how do
you how is it practice is it complete
change of technique do you have to do
something quite radical that you know
you see I I did radical change in
putting just totally different grip to
maybe you know trick my mind or my brain
or something and and make make it feel
different and then once you find
something where you feel more
comfortable then you gain confidence
again and then you’re it’s all good
again you know but in my case it came
back several times uh and same with
chipping now you see a few guys play
[ __ ]
handed yeah VJ Zing’s been doing it for
years um you know and you you wonder
what why is that you know what’s going
on there years ago Tiger Woods was
supposed to have the Y chipping or
something and and he’s back to normal so
um I’m not sure if there’s a you know
something for everybody or if if
everybody needs something different to
get out of it to get over it uh what if
it all works for this with the same
remedy let’s put it that way so in my in
my case it was just changing grips and
get a different feel Al together you do
need to do something almost quite
revolutionary and quite shocking really
potentially we we actually um talked a
little bit about driving be remiss of us
not to talk a little bit about
Mercedes-Benz who we’re here with this
week had an absolutely phenomenal time
I’d love to know what car you’re
currently driving Rick and I recently
got our first Mercedes-Benz uh which
we’re absolutely loving tell us a bit
about the vehicle you’re in right now
well I’ve driven a lot of them
throughout the years and I was fortunate
enough to go from you know two Seer
sports cars to the big SUV and uh right
now we have grandkids we need space and
room you need a big one so I need a big
one and I like a strong engine so I’m
with with the 53 AMG and uh love that
car you know just put a a roof thing on
top if we built a house in North
Carolina as well so I can throw a bunch
of luggage in there and it’s got plenty
of Power Road handling everything I want
you know just safety I said a little
higher because it’s uh and and I feel I
like a high rise
I get that seat straight up there all
the way my wife sometimes comes in gets
a little bit too near the front but I
like that one you talked a bit about
grandchildren there how old are your
grandchildren uh we have four of them
they’re all under the age of four so one
is the oldest four two threey olds and
one 2-year old so my children are a
similar age for the first time last
weekend my son who’s three out of
absolutely nowhere just said to me Daddy
can we go to the golf course and show me
how to hit and it was like cupid zarrow
hit me straight in the heart you like
waiting so long exactly but I’d love to
know from someone you know who knows as
much as you do about the game of golf
what would be your strategy for helping
a young child develop the same passion
without being a little bit too you know
coercive should we say right well
there’s different approaches but I
always thought the best approach would
be make sure they have fun because if
you force them and push them they’re
going to just turn away from it
eventually and a a three four fiveyear
old they’re attention span is generally
very short so you know You’ be unique if
he want wants to hit balls for an hour
on the driving range then go play 18
holes that that would be unique right
but uh so make it fun you know let him
hit out of the bunker or whatever and
pot because that’s something a
three-year-old can do yeah okay and they
and they can get a reward from putting
getting the ball in the hole is is
satisfying let them kick it let let them
throw it let them do whatever you know
tee the ball up on the driving range and
let him hit it but key is maybe they
have the right equipment too they
there’s a company called us kids or
something they fantastic clubs for you
know 3year olds 5year olds 7 year olds
and all the way up and they’re all very
light small grips short all of that so
the the the kids have fun and they can
hit the ball fine with my daughter if I
just get it then it’s pink she’s quite
happy so we got pink golf balls pink
butter then she’s all in so the GOL bag
and and the head covers everything’s
going to work get new shoes or a little
outfit or a cap or something we went
shopping in the uh in the Master’s store
yesterday got some nice bits with the
kids yeah each year you can’t you can’t
we’ve been a couple of years now again
very thankful to Mercedes-Benz we’ve
raided the gift shop you think you did
just just stand there for 10 minutes and
see how the people come out with
enormous bags and nowadays they all many
of them just ship it but uh it it was
fun I I would just watch them you know
at the end of the they come out in the
old days when the shipping wasn’t so
easily accessible they They Carried all
these heavy bags one over the shoulder
and three here and five over there and
you know thousands of dollars but that’s
what happens everybody has friends and
know would you bring me this would you
bring me that you know and you end up
buying you feel like you’re buying the
store but you don’t they have truckloads
coming every night and replenishing I
believe they’re doing $10 million a day
in the store yes crazy that’s how they
can make all those nice changes on the
golf course part of it yeah yeah part of
the funding definitely um it’s been a
pleasure talking to you really has
enjoyed um good luck with your recovery
thank you hopefully you’re back properly
hitting balls and have you got a time
frame for that is that in the near
future I’m already chipping and and
pitching and putting and I’ve actually
hdden a few full 9 the other day so it
felt okay good nice first hament is I
know yet to be what the doctor
allows but are you pushing that as well
are you trying I am pushing and they’re
holding me back and when I say they it’s
the surgeon and the PT you know they and
and somebody said the other day nobody
has come back too late and I’m thinking
about it maybe some truth to that a lot
of guys came back too soon and re
reinjured themselves I don’t want to be
in that category so maybe it’s better to
wait another two weeks and then come
back or four weeks whatever it is well
good luck with your tournaments this
year absolutely good luck we have
preparation for actually hanging up the
Augusta emotional preparation the
Masters yeah I’m not thinking about that
L but uh it’s tough enough not being out
there right now so trying to stay
positive and andjoy what I have well
what this year you lost out on and what
Augusta lost out on we gained on because
you could sit down here chat to our
wonderful audience and share you
incredible stories and I’m sure they all
really appreciate it so again Bern
thanks for your time good luck you
recover it and I can’t wait to see
you’re walking down the
18th next year on Sunday with a tear my
eye waving goodbye hopefully
Sunday suay who knows I hopefully there
clapping you and waving you off in style
it be very emotional I know that but U
it’ll be a good day thank you very much
for your time you for thank you
[Music]