INTERVIEW | RETIEF GOOSEN
The
Goose Alex Jenkins talks to two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen, who returned to competitive action in Asia at the Indonesia Open this month after finally recovering from a series of debilitating back injuries.
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Given your injuries over the past two seasons, how is your confidence and is your passion for the game still there?
Goosen, possessor of one of golf’s most purest swings, has had to make small changes to his action to keep the stress off his back and minimise the chance of injury recurrence
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Yeah, really since the PGA [Championship] in 2011, that week there I got really ill, picked up strep throat, so that last bit of the year wasn’t good. And then the beginning of the last year I tried these PRP injections, the ones Vijay [Singh] and Fred Couples had done, but after 50 or 60 injections of them in my back that didn’t help. All those chemicals made me pretty depressed and sad, so I struggled for the rest of the year. But my injury in my back was really to a point where no injection could help, so I went into surgery in August last year in London. I had a full disc replacement. Two weeks after that my back felt the best it had in years. I recovered and rehabilitated very well and starting hitting balls again in December. Played in South Africa in January and felt great for the first four months of the year. And then suddenly out of nowhere I picked up a stress fracture and sat out another four months. It was very frustrating, it wears you down because you want to get out and play well again. But I’m back now. I’ve had to make a few swing changes. I’ve been working with my coach Gregor [Jamieson] in Lake Nona and we’ve had to make quite a few changes to take stress off my back and see if that helps. I’m swinging pretty good. It’s just a question of getting my feel back.
“I’m back now. I’ve had to make a few changes to my swing to take the stress off my back but I’m swinging pretty good. It’s just a question of getting my feel back.” With your time away from the game have you been able to further your interest in your wine business? Yes. The wine industry isn’t easy – it’s a tough market – but I did spent a bit of my off time – I didn’t touch a club for four months – on the wine front. We’re trying to get the wine a bit more on the international market. We’re going to start exporting to America and Hong Kong; China, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. All those areas. So we’re trying to break into the market a little bit with good wine. But I’m happy to be back playing now. The focus is definitely on golf. How about your course design work? I know you had a project in China that has been put on hold because of the land issues there, but are there any more in the pipeline? Yeah, that was unfortunate. At one stage I had about seven golf courses that looked like they were going to happen. We had one in Ireland, in 2009, then the crash came and all that stuff
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“Cars were my biggest indulgence before the kids came along … the thing I enjoy the most now is wine, although I don’t have a lot in my cellar because I drink a lot of it!” and it came to a complete halt just as were about to plant the grass. Then there was China with the land issues, South Africa – there were some land issues there too. We’ve got a project in Johor [Malaysia] that’s going to happen pretty soon – the old Royal Johor Golf Club there. But generally everything is a bit on hold. People don’t know how to proceed with golf courses. It’s a very tough market. You must have been disappointed to miss the Presidents Cup, but what did you make of the match at Muirfield Village– and what do the International Team have to do to start winning?
Are you a man that sets goals – especially after spending a period away from the game – and if so, is one of those goals to make the Presidents Cup side again? Yeah. I mean that’s a long way away for me at the moment. My goal is just to play consistently again. That will come by itself. But I would love to play another Presidents Cup. Time will tell on that front. What are your favourite courses? I always say the courses I win on – they’re my favourites. But if I only had a couple of rounds left in my lifetime I’d definitely pick St Andrews and Augusta. Those are my two real favourites. Shinnecock obviously too … the US Open courses where I won. But there’s something special about Augusta, the feel of the place. It’s the same with St Andrews and its history. Those two stand out for me.
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The South African highlights Augusta National (above) as one of his two favourite courses in the world, the other being the Old Course at St Andrews
Yeah, the Presidents Cup was very disappointing I must say. I don’t know what it is. The years I played, based on the world rankings the International side was the stronger side but didn’t manage to win. I think in a way the Americans have the mentality that the Europeans currently have over the Americans – they think they’re going to win and it’s going to happen. And we as the International side, we’re probably thinking
we’re not going to win. Yeah, I’m hoping that will change soon, that the next one will go the other way. I hope the Presidents Cup won’t lose any of its gold because it’s become one sided. But the Ryder Cup used to be like that – the Americans always use to win and suddenly it changed and look where it is now. Hopefully the Presidents Cup can go the same way.
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What is your biggest indulgence?
What’s your favourite hotel?
[Laughs]. Cars were the thing before the kids come along – now I drive 4x4s. I have a few watches. I’m very lucky to have been associated with Rolex for a long time, so I have a few of those. I would say the wine. I like tasting different wines from around the world. That’s the thing I enjoy the most.
Well, we stay in a lot of them! The one group that stands out, especially in the Far East, is the Mandarin Oriental. They do put on a smart and special service in their hotels.
Aside from your own label, what do you have in your cellar?
[Laughs]. I do travel private a bit when I’m in the States. I must say I fly British Airways most of the time when I can between America and Europe. From Europe to the Far East I like Cathay Pacific and then obviously Emirates is very good when flying to the Middle East.
Well I don’t generally have a lot of wine in my cellar because I drink a lot of it! I do enjoy a glass of wine. I rarely drink spirits and stick with water and wine with my meal. Travelling around the world and eating in restaurants most nights – I like to have a nice glass of wine. When you’re in a restaurant do you stay true to your roots and pick South African wine?
What about airlines? Do you have a favourite – or is a private jet the only way to go?
What do you always take with you on a trip? Family is number one. If they can come – if the kids are on holiday – then they travel with us. But one thing I always travel with is my pillow. I have a pillow of certain firmness. I just don’t like those soft pillows.
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Whenever I’m in a restaurant that has South African wine on the list I’ll go with that. I try and support the South African market. But there’s a lot of Chilean wine that has come a long way. I enjoy them too.
With the US Open trophy in 2004 after putting one of the best putting displays ever seen in a Major championship at Shinnecock Hills
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