The World According To Lee Trevino

When I remembered it was Lee Trevino’s 81st birthday (Dec. 1), I thought of this Dr. Seuss poem:

It really shouldn’t have surprised me that Trevino was 81 any more than I find it absolutely incredible that I will be 69 later this month. After all, it has been 36 years (1984 PGA) since he won the last of his six Major titles. His five other Majors were: U.S. Open 1968, 1971; British Open 1971, 1972 & PGA 1974.

I don’t remember a lot of dates, but I have always been a big sports fan and Trevino has always been my second favorite golfer. My favorite, of course, is KC’s, Pem-Day’s and KCCC’s own eight-time Major winner Tom Watson, who was 71 on Sept. 4. Even before Watson joined the PGA Tour in 1971, I would watch the Majors on TV and Trevino always got my attention with his unusual, fader’s swing, quick wit and big smile. He was fun as well as great, plus he never shied away from a reporter or a camera.

Trevino was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981 and if a World Quote Hall of Fame is ever established, Lee Buck Trevino will certainly be in the first class. Below are some of my favorites, some of which might help your golf game while others may either make you laugh or think.

• A driver is the key to the golf round – the key that starts your car, the key that opens your house.
• Caddies are a breed of their own. If you shoot 66, they say, “Man, we shot 66!” but go out and shoot 77 and they say, “Hell, he shot 77!”
• Golf is an individual sport. You’re the judge, the jury, and you’re the one going to prison. You’re the one who has to make all the decisions.
• Golf is the most human game of all. You have the same highs and lows – sometimes in the same round.
• I’ve never had a coach in my life. When I find one who can beat me, then I’ll listen.
• Only bad golfers are lucky. They're the ones bouncing balls off trees, curbs, turtles and cars. Good golfers have bad luck. When you hit the ball straight, a funny bounce is bound to be unlucky.
• Putts get real difficult the day they hand out the money.
• Rough should have high grass. When you go bowling, they don’t give you anything for landing in the gutter, do they?
• The game isn’t fair, but then life isn’t fair either.
• The hardest thing to teach an amateur is to slow down their swing.
• There is no such thing as natural touch. Touch is something you create by hitting millions of golf balls.
• I played the Tour in 1967 and told jokes and nobody laughed. Then I won the (U.S.) Open the next year, told the same jokes, and everybody laughed like hell.
• You can't teach passion. You can teach everything else.

Some people, like Mr. Trevino, simply know how to put great thoughts into words worth remembering.

Play Away!

Allan Stark