It's his 80th birthday. golf legend Tony Jacklin CBE spoke to Lucy Capaldo, Head of Communications at Champions (UK) plc, promoters of the upcoming Farmfoods British Par 3 at Warwickshire's Nailcote Hall which they have hosted for over two decades.
In this engaging interview, he looks back on his career and discusses winning captain's memories of the Open, the Ryder Cup and his (not always positive) thoughts on the modern game of golf.
“Time is everything in life. You see that as you get older. If the timing is wrong, bad luck. But I think I came at the right time. Think big and you will grow”
World Golf Hall of Famer Tony Jacklin CBE has reflected on turning 80 and says he feels blessed to have enjoyed such a great career.
World famous for his two major championship wins and Ryder Cup captaincy, Jacklin is regarded by many as Britain's most talented player of all time.
Reflecting on reaching his milestone age, he told Champions (UK) plc: “Timing is everything in life. You see that as you get older. Most of the things you do, which you may think deserve recognition, you don't necessarily always get it. If the timing is wrong, bad luck. But I think I came at the right time.”
The Englishman's birthday coincided with the 55th anniversary of his infamous 1969 Open Championship victory. He was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, and put together a junior career that included an appearance in the Boys Amateur Championship at Dalmahoy, and winning the Lincolnshire Open in 1961 aged just 17. This local victory gave Jacklin the experience to enter the professional game.
“That's why I was ambitious,” he explained. “I went where I had to go to improve. I first went down to South Africa in the winter. One of the things that is not widely known is that I became the first British player to make a living entirely from golf. Some of my mates, Peter Aliss and the guys from that era, all had jobs in the winter – they just played golf from April to October on the British circuit.
“I met amazing people. I got my American Tourist Card in 1967, so I was in deep at the time when I was only 23 years old.
“You suck at such a young age. I didn't really have time to think, I was just a Lincolnshire boy. I was not afraid of anyone especially because I knew that I would set my goals very high and I wanted to be the best player in the world.
“When I faced the Nicklaus and the Palmers, I knew I had to beat them somehow, so that was the idea. Think big and you will grow.”
Reflecting on winning the 1969 Open, a career highlight that Jacklin often discussed as the after-dinner keynote speaker, he said: “I knew even then that the big tournaments were what it was all about. It was a good week, lots of satisfaction in it. I was so engrossed in the American tour where all the top players were. And I became one of them.
“That's why I was able to withstand the pressure of winning. I was able to win in America the year before the Open, which had a big impact on me being able to handle the pressure as it continued throughout the week. I was young, strong. I was ambitious. All in all, I was a show.
“That's who you really are. You are an actor on a stage, on the biggest stage. It was a great memory and it was a great memory for me, it was something I wanted to do since I was a child.”
Jacklin continued: “One of the things I'm proud of, I'm the only non-American who has held the British and US Open tournaments together. No one in the history of the game has done it other than five Americans.
“I only had them for about a month but I had them together, that's something I think a lot of people don't know.”
Jacklin was made captain of Team Europe's Ryder Cup in 1983. His tenure lasted until 1989, a very successful period for the team in which they won the championship twice and kept it at home with a draw.
Recalling this period of his career, he said: “When I became captain of the Ryder Cup in 1983, my playing days were the best of them. I had played in seven Ryder Cups and played in America, I knew the American mentality. I think at that time I was the right guy for the job, but it wasn't clear to most of the people making the rules in Europe. They take a long time to decide if they want to risk me doing it or not. So I had only six months to prepare.
“I didn't get the captain's players for the first time, I had to take them because the plan was already in place when they chose me. But we changed some things that I thought needed to be changed, and we had great team unity. I was very close to all the players; I would encourage them to come to me with any questions or anything they need. I had a good personal relationship with all of them.
“We almost made it that first time, losing by just one point at Palm Beach Gardens in 1983. I went back after 1983 and after looking at the things we had done, I didn't see anything wrong. I thought everything was fine. It just didn't happen to us that week.”
Under Jacklin's captaincy, Europe would go on to overturn this one-point loss to the US, emerging victorious in the next two tournaments in 1985-87.
“So we just went into '85 with that same mindset and we did it in front of the home crowd,” he continued. “Yes, the first time on American soil in '87. Then we kept it in '89 which was also important. But the team had real confidence now, they had real belief that they could beat the Americans.”
Fast forward 35 years, and the golf landscape has changed rapidly. Jacklin has watched and experienced changes in sports throughout his life, and he believes that changes must be made.
When asked if he enjoys watching golf as much as he used to, Jacklin replied: “No, I don't. I think it's a mess. We have been in a state of chaos for several years. I'm tired of watching guys hit nine irons and wedges every hole, shooting 62s and 61s on what should be great courses.
“It's a mess. Technology never helped the experts, it was always helping the novices, but they took the experts as an example and now all the experts are playing what the novices were supposed to do.
“For example, in baseball they use wooden bats, professionals. We should still be using the same wood in my opinion. These guys, guys who are giving their lives to be better, don't need help. But they got it whether they liked it or not, and of course, on top of that, they were paid a terrible price. Shit, hundreds of millions of dollars playing golf, kidding!
“So, it's all out of context and you should live long enough to see all sides of you. I remember the days of Peter Allis and Christy O'Connor Snr, we used to play an exhibition game on Sunday on the way home from the 40 pounder, and I think we're going to have a good day. Now, caddies make 10 times what they used to!
“The last thing I want to be seen as is anger, it's not the fault of the players. I don't blame them at all. They all do what they do best. Give Tiger another 100 million dollars for doing something and it will be fine. Just throw money at everything and the world will be a better place. It's amazing!”
Jacklin was speaking ahead of the Farmfoods British Par 3, a 90+ year old golf tournament at Warwickshire's Nailcote Hall which he has hosted for more than two decades.
Commenting on the event that will take place on August 6-9, he said: “I always enjoy my week at Nailcote. It's a gathering of people who love golf, and we've been fortunate to have Farmfoods as a long-time sponsor.
“It's an amazing experience all together in a historic place.”
To find out more about the event and how to claim free tickets, visit:
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