Roger Maltbie on playing hungover during his rookie year on tour in 1975:
ROGER MALTBIE, ON PLAYING WITH A HANGOVER
MAY 2003As far as I was concerned, you had to play hurt. I remember one time, my rookie year in ’75, playing the Greater Jacksonville Open. They had something they called the swingers’ tent. A great big tent, and when the rounds were over, they had bands in there, parties, a pretty lively place. Went in there one night and got hammered, really hammered. I wasn’t playing well in the tournament and was one of the first ones out on Sunday.
A buddy of mine, David Larson — we’d grown up together — was caddieing for me. I got to the practice tee and hit a couple of wedges, and the first one I hit right in the middle of the ball. I’m trying to hit it 25 yards, and I hit it about 100. The next one, I hit about six inches behind it. I said, “This ain’t gonna work.” So I just went over, propped myself under a tree and slept. That was my warmup. “Wake me up when it’s my time to tee off.”
We get to the first hole, I’m paired with Joe Porter, who was a character, and David Graham, who was very serious on the golf course, always. I get up and just squibbed the ball into the lake off the tee. I looked up and I started laughing. I couldn’t believe I hit the ball. I didn’t think I was going to hit it. I really didn’t.
Now I’m on the green, third hole. It’s March. It’s a cold, windy, damp morning and I’m sweating profusely. I’ve got a towel around my neck — I’ve got the cold sweats. I got up over a putt and raised up and said, “Excuse me,” and I ran back into the woods and got sick. We’re off early, there’s nobody out there at this time anyway. I come back, Porter is laughing his head off. I get up and hole the putt, about a 12-footer. I chip and one-putt my way around the golf course.
At the end of the day, I shoot 72, even par. David Graham shoots 74. And David had one of those days where he hit the ball very well but could not get it to go in from any distance. As he signed his card, he said, “That’s it. I’m quitting this bloody game when a man can come out completely drunk and beat me.” Oh, was he hot! Oh, was he mad! Porter screaming in laughter. That was the only one like that.
Apparently I’ve been taking golf way too seriously and just need to start getting blitzed on Friday and Saturday nights. And yes, I did categorize this under “Inspiration”.
Golf Digest (via Avid Golfer)
[Image Flickr/isogood]
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Roger,
Hope you remember me. I once played against you, and Barry Jaekle off the top of a hotel in Vegas to a coffee can placed in the desert behind the hotel. I was the one that DIDN’T thin my tee shot into the wall and almost kill us all. And, I made that 30 footer through the dirt to win with a “5″ against you guys. You were very nice, and I enjoyed having a Michelob with you in the sports book afterward. It was all part of raising money for Jerry’s kids and muscular dystrophy. Anyway, just wanted to say hello to you again. Have a nice day!
Sincerely,
Steve Kern
I don’t know if this will reach you,but here goes.
My wife and I saw you on Tv monday night. I too have come down with type2 diabetes. I noticed how well you have done on the weight issue and was wondering , what did you do in your eating habits to make such a drastick cnange?