Search ‘Ryder Cup’ on the internet and it won’t take long before you find an image of Sam Torrance, arms raised to the sky after holing the winning putt at The Belfry at the 1985 matches.
The Scot is the son of one of the game’s greatest coaches. Bob, but also a pivotal figure in both the Ryder Cup as we know it today and the European Tour.
On the eve of the 44th matches between Europe and the United States, Torrance sits down for a fascinating conversation with The Thing About Golf host John Huggan, to talk all things Ryder Cup as he reflects on a career spanning more than 40 years.
[Music] it’s not just a game it’s not just a grass lawn Solutions Australia is the exclusive home of Australia’s best sports turf varieties for the world’s best grasses like Tiff tff hybrid Bermuda and Sir gra zoa contact lawn Solutions Australia at lawn Solutions australia.com [Music] Au hello and welcome to episode 103 of the thing about Golf and another special episode in our Ridder Cup runup in European Rider Cup history there are a couple of names and moments synonymous with the event the biggest is of course sevy but not far behind will be the name of Scotland’s Sam torren torren is now best known as a TV commentator but he has a long history both with the game and the cup John Hogan joins me now and Huggy must be nice these past couple of weeks for you to chat with a few Scots s might be at least as well known for the profile of his father as his playing career but in certainly in Scotland golfing royalty Sam Torrance absolutely Sam Sam’s a bit of a legend certainly in Scotland um as you pointed out the uh he’s he’s had a couple of really iconic moments in the rider cup none bigger than of course than the the winning Putt in 1985 at the Belfy which was Europe’s first ever Victory um everybody’s seen the picture of him with his arms spread after he hold the putt um I think we make the point in the in the podcast somewhere I think I did um Andy North his opponent that day it was a really nice thing Andy North did cuz Sam to be honest had about four putts to win the whole match from there and it would have been easy for Andy North to walk forward and just shake his hand but he let Sam have his moment which I thought was a really nice touch and one that shouldn’t go shouldn’t be ignored no indeed indeed he’s a big character Sam torren isn’t he I think that’s part of the appeal he’s a very popular figure in golf he’s a big character perhaps a bigger character even than his golf game in some ways yeah I would say that he’s one of the one of the few that um well certainly in Scotland I mean most people in Scotland have got you know some kind of awareness of golf but um even those that that don’t have much in that department would would know the name Sam Torrance and and maybe even his father Bob who was um well one of the best teachers ever you’d have to say I mean a borderline genius I mean I don’t think there’s anybody whoever went to get lessons from Bob didn’t hit the ball better after those lessons and and Sam you know was born to play golf in that respect certainly yeah Harrington talked extensively about that with you Bob torren didn’t he if you know anything about golf you certainly you certainly know the name Bob Torrance and his and his uh his sort of specialist in the world of golf what would your take from Sam about the rder cup and its importance we’ve sort of discussed a couple of times over the unfolding of this series The Changing nature of the rder cup amongst fans and players as well what would you take from Sam about the the role that played for him and his career well it was it was huge because um Sam was one of a a group of players I’ve I’ve written about this a couple of times that him Sam Howard Clark Mark James Ken Brown that kind of group who were all perennial rer Cup players but kind of one step down from the the seevi F wam ly Langer group the kind of Superstar group but they were very important to the ryer cup and they the ryer cup was very important to them because that era and if those guys were around now they’d be playing in four majors every year they’d all comfortably be in the top 50 in the world back then though they didn’t get to play in the majors so the Ryder Cup became their major if you like and that’s where you know certainly Sam T made his reputation we forget how recent the structure of the game is that we see today isn’t it that’s only that’s less than a generation ago players who were successful and renowned rder cup players didn’t get STS images just from being a member of the rer cup it’s extraordinary to think about well the line I always use and I’ve overdone it maybe but um when sevy won the the Masters for the first time in 1980 he was playing in the tournament because only because he finished in the top one at the open the previous year been runner up in the open at lith them he wouldn’t necessarily have been in the Masters unbelievable isn’t it we argue about the world rankings and their Merit I know you’re one who’s in favor of perhaps just scrapping it but in some senses that’s one thing that it has done is it has ensured that most people belonging mes do get in which certainly wasn’t the case sort of uh sort of previous previously uh I think I’m going to enjoy listening to Sam’s voice as much as his stories in this one uh Huggy he’s had the had the Good Fortune to be bornn with an extraordinary voice which I think is probably part of the success of his TV commentary too it’s a delight to listen to isn’t it yeah he’s he’s um just as well he’s not his dad actually because his dad had a almost impenetrable Scottish accent that if you weren’t Scottish you weren’t you were having a hard time understanding Bob but yeah but yeah Sam does sound great on television he does indeed well it’s going to be a trait for us to listen to him I’m sure that you enjoyed having a chat thanks for joining us to uh to uh mate Sam Torrance my pleasure okay uh Welcome to the latest edition of the thing about golf podcast um my guest this time around is um I have to say something of a legend where I come from Sam Torrance what was and is the thing about golf for you a way of life John to be honest it’s uh I started when I was five my father taught me all my life uh turned pro at 17 and spent the next 44 years traveling the world playing golf down to Australia quite a few times too loved it down there yeah yeah yes we anybody was born to play golf it must be you though given who your father was yeah well that was definitely in the blood MH yeah he was a great teacher my father he was a bit of a player as well but he never took that any further he was a Greenkeeper and Brickler to begin with mhm but he was a fascinating coach he had a great eye for teaching you know he would never teach a method you know you don’t can’t teach Nick F the same as he wood he would look at you and see what you can do to improve it yeah yeah everybody I’ve ever talked to and I knew your dad’s you know reasonably well he made everybody hit the ball better I don’t did he ever have a failure I mean he obviously well he never looked at you did he no could could have been the first no yeah he was he was a great list of my father he knew what was going on in people’s heads and bit of psychologist in way as well as a teacher yeah knew the swing inside out he read every book known to man Hogan he always said Hogan was his hero yeah and he went visited Hogan twice which was very special but deep down Sam sne really that was the S interesting was the swing that he liked the best but uh he never let that one in the bik no he never told me that that’s for sure certainly wouldn’t tell any journalist know um did did he teach you any differently than he taught everybody else given the well as father as I said well I mean what a bonus to have someone that loves you teaching you he not he never heard from anyone no uh no no well it’s difficult to say uh he certainly gave me everything would you have spoken to him differently had he just been your coach do you think I’d probably have been a bit more respectful which is a sad thing to say but you boys and their dads we used to have such arguments uh uh the best one or the worst one was you know he always told me if you don’t take it with you you won’t find it there MH meaning and I so believe this meaning you do all your work at home then you go to a tour with a free mind yeah so that was magnificent for me You’ never seen me very very rarely on the Range after I finished the around up out of there b to the hotel really watch TV go to the movies yeah something but I would not be beating balls all afternoon you know cuz if you got a fault in your swing you’re only endorsing into your swing but then of course the years past my father started teaching a lot more golfers and then he eventually came on tour and you know finish around you say like need to go to the range and I looked and said dad what for next week you know I’m not going to find it Dad I’m not going to I’m not going to bring it I’m not going to find it here so no all the arguments but I was right at least I think it was right well for you maybe yeah yeah did your understanding of the golf swing the the GOL general or just your own swing AB not even my own really I just did as I was told never ask why it came to bear me trouble with my son I love my son so much but I can’t teach him you know he’s a really good golfer Daniel but I couldn’t teach him I just didn’t I don’t have the teaching knowledge you know it’s just not there you know I can tell little things little swing thoughts but not Basics not right in deep yeah and make things work for it’s isn’t it teaching of course it is it’s as much an art form as playing yeah maybe even more yeah you know I just you know did what I was told and to say why dad he wasn’t the kind of man you’d want to question any when he told you something you listened and I did you know I worked very hard with I it was wonderful that way but uh no I’m s I’m sad I was never able to teach and he would stay out there as long as it took from D to DUS my mother s well I know my poor mother she loved them dearly and she sat there cing coffee so basically so she keep bloody eye on them yeah there was a bit of a drinker in his time with that and you know one’s too many and 100 is not enough was quite a true story well I know I know what he did well with that in the end didn’t he oh yeah yes yes yeah he was an alcoholic but he he cured it sort of yeah yeah yeah yeah I had a lot of admiration for your dad as much for that as I did for the fact that what a great teacher he was I don’t think America ever knew what a great teacher he was because half the time they couldn’t understand what he was saying very strong accent he had to be Scottish to understand some of it yeah yeah uh a few of them Tom Watson and uh I’m trying to remember he’s a good impersonator of Craig stad used to be golf balls up his Shir what’s his name Jacobs Peter Jacobson he had some wonderful stories about my dad and others you know they got to in the St I talking to you that for 20 minutes and had no idea what he said but you know they would know when he’s talking about the swing yeah yeah yeah I mean I remember seeing your um the This is Your Life program on the Telly and I think they they sued quite early on that your mom better do the talking rather than your dad for the audience interpreter require I know which was a shame because he he did that much great stuff to say he yeah he did you could understand well one of his best lines when the when the uh when the the press the open the the Press award what was it called yeah the the golf writers golf writers award and he stood up and you know I knew he was nervous I knew he was nervous I was frightened he was going to drink but he didn’t MH and he got up and he kind of he was almost looking out the back instead of looking at the crowd and he says you know I’m not very good at this speaking and he says and I don’t think this is a place to practice yeah he had a great sense of humor I oh yeah and was uh he said some nice things about your mom that night I remember and I remember him heard telling me afterwards it was the most dramatic thing he’s ever said exactly exactly I don’t know what he was after no anyway um let’s get back to you this is more to the point um you turned for very early what was that was that a conscious decision or I mean it was before the American college thing would I don’t think I’ve ever played in an amateur event I think I played there was one in trun the TR open amateur I won that M uh as a 15 year old or something but I never never played in the British amateur or Scottish amateur anything like that but I turned Pro it 16 or 17 right I left school at 13 just it’s what I wanted to do it was what was best at and uh I just loved it you know I mean I got my card in my first year I never lost it for 45 years so I mean it was my life it is my life it’s uh a wonderful life to try travel the world and he did a lot more traveling in those days you know our two we didn’t play uh I think it was week after the Masters before the first tournament was in Europe and I don’t know when we finished September maybe and then we we would go to South Africa for four or five weeks then uh East Africa which I love Nigeria Kenya and Zambia some stories from there my God but it was a fascinating place yes and then Asia for 6 weeks that was just magnificent going to Hong Kong Singapore all these wonderful white eyes were and well in Nigeria all I ate was tomato sandwiches a place in a lovely lovely house with a bar Barkley’s bank manager uh the Y used to stay with the next Patriots and uh had this chef and all I would have was toat SES even I couldn’t get near any other F I was just terrified yeah and then when I went to Asia I ended up having a dish called Nasty gang for breakfast with a we bowl of chilies in it I mean it was I’m just magnificent I just and it gave me a great Zess for Life the food is has been a lot big part of my life you know and I absolutely adored that yeah you you touched on that the the travel part of it that inter me I did um I did a we bit of research can you believe before we did this interview Sam that’s a novelty and I tell you what impressed me almost more than anything um obviously great record and but you won all over the place yeah yeah you must be proud of that Colombian open yeah watch I watch all these narcos things I love those uh the narcos movies and box sets and I was there at the time I mean it really was I was right there up in medine yeah yeah and all this stuff’s going on around the country was we had no idea no idea but magnificent places um and Colombia f fabulous place I beat trino there he was second which was a real fell in my C Zambia won Zambia Tunisia course that was on European too by then I was that simp was that part of the because you were so comfortable with the travel I mean I loved it it’s difficult to play when you’re not quite comfortable happy very happy I was very happy I was a great morning company you know I didn’t mind I was a great Aid reader uh reading was just huge to me you know as soon as i s an airplane book would be out and I’ve seen me walking in the aisle still reading it right to get off the plane so fiction basically a few autobiographies I mean Wilbur Smith in the old days used to love his books and Tom Clancy even even The Carpet Baggers Harold Robbins he even some great books once and I love finding the new author right you know was excited and know with uh with the iPad that he just I mean I take a 100 books from me everywhere to go cuz it’s just in your iPad it’s a much easier way to read yeah but that helped me a lot what what was the strength of your game that that enabled you I was a great driver I was a good dri of the ball my long Armon play was average I hit it very low almost one of my earliest tournaments was at uh wils slow in the Manchester open and I was playing with I’ll never forget this playing with nialo and on the second hole the pin’s front left and it’s like a 2hour sh you had this two way up in the sky and it just landed like an old dog in front of the fire beside the flag and I just looked I’m in the wrong game I mean I could still be standing there I couldn’t hit that shot until I me I got a seven wood and then and then I could I would just hit it right of it chip up it just wasn’t something I had my game I was very good from 150 yards in I loved that I was a good short game really good short game yeah and driving the the best of those wins though I would tough to think would be the Australian PJ in 1980 yes is that the best oh yeah by far individual win yeah I mean I played with Greg and sevy the last two rounds and I think they were one and two in the world at the time it would be yeah and sevy actually changed my life when I come off the last scen uh and had won and if his arm says he son he also call me son he say son you’re very tough to beat her and coming from yeah this was 1980 he was already a God yeah that was huge to me but he would be uh Masters champion at the time he won Masters that year yeah yeah so I mean I’d gone I’d won twice in 76 I won the Zambian open in 75 I actually won twice in my first year 72 the under 25 match play and uh the r open which was the week after the Italian Open but it wasn’t on the tour but that was but I only no rer cups no no nothing no and when sey told me I got so much self-belief uh one they at the Irish open at Port Mar in 81 to get me into my first rer cup yeah then played the next day it fell in love with that that was just the best mhm but yeah no sey Chang for there I think he did the same to himz really but when himz was Vice Captain in valderama he was an okay player even he wasn’t that great no he really wasn’t Christ can he play now and and right after that I mean only won 21 events in Europe yeah it’s true oldest winner three times I think he broke play better when he grew his hair but yeah no no he’s a hell of a player when he played in the rer cup he was really tough he was great to watch and I’m sure a lot of that came from B be he just been in his company you’ve seged nicely into the rer cup I think if somebody if you say to somebody Sam torren that’s the first thing that comes to mind I mean wasn’t that great no but you’re but I was a great team man yeah you’ve been symbolic I mean everybody remembers that puty hole to win the thing and you know all the rest of it but take me back to the beginning I mean when when did the Raider cup become a priority for you 69 as early as that yeah yeah oh definitely when Nicholas gave uh Tony the p on 18 and Brian hog hold the p on 17 thinking he’d won the rer company hadn’t and that gesture from Nicholas was very special and uh I just I wanted in and there was the I think called the Hennessy cognac cup which became the servy trophy eventually uh I think it was the only player to play in the all in the in the 70s whenever it was that was when sevie famously drove the green at the Belfy that was a Hennessy KAC cup I think he was playing falo that day believe it or not he was okay SE the I’ve seen the pict okay okay he wasn’t first to drive though no no Francisco Brew all right yeah he knocked it on and I knocked it on but SE is much both of us put together yeah and I actually played sey there that was that was prior to Australia and uh on one day two play and 17th power five both just off the green and a Duff M chip 6 feet in front of me just duffed it right in front of me and S chipped up to a foot so I had to hold this to stay in the match I ch in right to get to the last te yeah that would pleas so I’ve marched over marched over and I’ve teed up and I’m just I’m looking at the B and you know the corner my I can’t see any feet so look there’s NE there I’d gone to the ninth te I was standing on the ninth and in those days this was 76 yeah when it was quite Barren and I loved the course from day one I really did love the course great layout great halls and sey was over there he’s on the on the te I think he would let me out cuz if you think of the t- shot down n the t- shot down 18 it’s not dissimilar no that’s right you know yeah I didn’t hit it and I won the last to get all square with him and I think that was part of the your very tough debate yeah yeah going to chip in at 17 win in the last but uh is it is it possible to I mean he’s he he legend in the Ryder Cup I mean is it possible to overestimate his contribution no I mean he changed everything no no he no no he was he was a king yeah he was a king can I swear in this you can say us whatever you want Sam we can bleep I’ll tell you I’ll tell you a great story one of the great things about being the rer cup is been in the team room with these Legends and I was very lucky and the ones I played in the big boys were there falo Langer Lyle woy seevi to be joined by alab ball and you can in the team room you can ask them anything about the game anything yeah and they would do anything for you would help because they R yeah so 83 West Palm Beach and that thick rough round the green I wasn’t sure about it we’ never really had it in Europe and ask S can please s can you see S no problem let’s go go come on so he take me at the chi and green and I don’t know long were there for but it was magnificent so the tournament finishes we lost by our Point swore on the Sunday night we will be back yes and we will beat them so but two weeks later I don’t know where we were playing but I’m down on the chipping green behind the range and this thick stuff and who walks past for the king oh s sey please poor one moment one moment please just have a little look in this beautiful smile now for smile come across his face and he looked at me and say Z off I’ll see I’ll see you in two years yeah yeah that’s brilliant yeah you arrived at the right I mean 81 was the kind of obviously no sevy that year but that was really the the Great American team but it was only two years after that that we lost it suddenly dawned on you that you could win this thing yeah we were very unlucky in West palal Beach no need to gripe no need for any reasons for anything but we knew we knew everyone in that team room that night Sunday night we knew we can we can beat these guys no matter where it is and of course from 85 on I mean I think I I know the med was outstanding magnificent but to me the best victory was uh mfield Village 87 when you know captained by the king yeah can’t really call him the king that was that was that was that was Arnold but God yeah you know my hero Mr Nicholas and designed the course Captain the team that was a tough one to win and we hammered them absolutely yeah I mean that was the first week with Savi and Holly yeah Langer and Lyle W and falo yeah those three groups yeah they won it themselves MH I played the first day with our Clark and I didn’t play till singles and I didn’t want to cuz these boys just had it and they played golf that you wouldn’t believe well that was kind of the way of things back then I mean Jacqueline was the captain he he kind of had to ride the those six guys that you mentioned as much as he could you know we didn’t we were getting there we were getting there but we didn’t quite have the strength and depth MH that obviously we have now yeah uh but not even close to what we have now I was always that second I well you said that I mean and I’ve written this and I think i’ maybe said this to you before in the past but I think I include you in the group I mean yourself and Mark James and Ken Brown Howard Clark that one step down from those top guys but you never got to play in America you never got to play in the majors hardly ever no you know it was you were discriminated that point I know but it’s changed now I if you were playing that time to send the money let’s get a card over there exctly you know no we can’t great we had a great time you know I have no complaints whatsoever I mean I think I finished third in order Merit and didn’t get in the Masters yeah yeah you know the PGA were great they let us play quite a few times I don’t know how many of played eight PGA mhm um you played 28 times in the open four times in the Masters three times in the US Open and six times in the PGA only six oh well they were miserable people yeah yeah that’s you know American would would with my career would have played about 28 times four whatever the hell that is 40 32 72 they’ have played 72 Majors I would have played 72 Majors my contention always was that that group I just mentioned of which you were part one of you would have popped up and won one possibly because that’s what happens now you tell me that Jeff sluman and Larry m and Bob TW are any better than you were not having that kind don’t kind no no but they they took the chances we just as you say and there was so much emphasis on the open because it was your one major every year and I know I know if it too much pressure on myself I really do cuz it was just everything it was just everything to win the open I never it came close the right I did one of these with Bernard we keep bouncing off the we come back to cup is you know it’s coming up there’s a reason why we’re doing this the Bernard gaker I spoke to him recently doing the same kind of podcast and he made the point that in a wrer cup year qualifying he played more golf in an attempt to qualify it was a that big a priority for him did that affect your scheduling in terms when you were in the qualifying my first 10 years you know many tournaments I missed well yeah well that’s true I know you 706 I missed one event in my first 10 years on tour is that and I actually missed two but one of them was a sum better ball right and the other one I missed because I broke my toe right I was my suitcase was on the my suitcase was on the floor right and I was going to the toilet during the night to leave the next morning got in a kicked it accident broke my toe wasn’t sleep walking in any way shape don’t know where those St stories came from but no I I played everything I loved it right I just loved it so it didn’t matter no I remember Jacqueline saying something uh early on in my career he said I hope he doesn’t burn himself out and I no idea what he was talking about I just no idea I don’t now yeah but I know I don’t know maybe I did B but I don’t think so well you were young enough to get well my best year was 95 you know when I was 42 years of age I won five times M and that includes the Danel cup in the rer cup I won three times on Europe and and we won the r of Captain in America so no uh I did have longevity there’s no question about that I think it was just love for the game and not really knocking yourself out at every event and there were certain events I went to and I had uh I I wasn’t going to play golf right I was I wasn’t doing anything wrong in any way shaking form no but I’d just relax and I’d have a few beers every night and just chill out and I might play well might not play well but when you play as much as I did you kind of had to do that M just to give yourself a break from the the pressure of playing now you mentioned 87 am I right in thinking that you you and your lovely wife got engaged on Concord champagne and altitude up or down to no me I don’t hope you don’t mind me saying this but there was Tony Jaclyn used to tell this story about yeah it’s true it’s true he told me on the Thursday night yeah go on then sorry Sam I’m resting you tomorrow and my head just went down oh God he says you’re playing cuz suzan and I were having a bit of fun well in did yes as you should as you should yeah what would be I remember the while the opening ceremony we to go along the cart path in front of the clubhouse right up to the top where the opening ceremony was and the reception we got you know all the Europeans everybody that went up there and it was just out of this world and the two of us were like school kids we got to the where the ceremony was and we looked at each other that’s it we do it again and we ran around the back of the clubhouse right around and did the whole thing again it was just magnificent it just magnificent yeah Tiff T Harbor B means less work and more Play Tough by name and by Nature this Turf variety supplied exclusively by lawn Solutions Australia is the perfect choice for your home lawn with Superior drought tolerance speedy recovery and toughness Tiff tff really is the Smart grass for more information and to find your nearest accredited supplier head to lawn Solutions australia.com Au so what I mean this is a long list but I mean can you do your sort of top three four highlights in Ridder Cup in Ridder cups well captaincy by a mile right that’s interesting not the oh Jesus no no no uh no the captaincy was way bigger than anything I’ve ever done in golf uh it was such an Accolade or such a an honor to be given that job and to win it’s just a even if we’ lost it still would have been the best week of My Life by far and you got an extra year as Captain yeah that that was sad that was sad in a good way yeah no no but uh all in the winner part was fantastic uh that was that was very special and and the other for if you wanted three it was definitely 95 whole kill that was the best golf I played in the rer cup the whole way played Larry m in the singles beat him in the in the singles I told you you were as good as lar we not like was Bost of the most sorry BOS oh um it wasn’t Larry m what’s his name I did play Larry m Lauren Roberts Lauren Roberts I think mind was that uh mville Village but boss of the M it was quite a funny thing happened it was a 12 ho and he he dumped his second shot into the water and I Fallen him in like an idiot and we go and I wanted I took mine a bit further back cuz I wanted to hit a full shot into the pin maybe 20 Ys behind him and I’ve had my prti I’m over the ball in the referee I’m sorry sorry it’s not your shot and I looked down I said what you mean it’s still my shot he’s 20 yards near me how could it not be my shot yeah and the rule was and I never knew this rule the ball that furthest away from the pin in the hazard is whose shot it was oh right so it didn’t really matter where you dropped at that no it’s still the rule it’s still the rule right okay never knew that rule I wouldn’t have known that either so he gets to go first and he holds it he bloody holded it and I didn’t but I managed to beat him two and one yeah yeah but that was my best playing Rider cup and i’ had 93 was a nightmare for me um Wednesday Wednesday or Wednesday Wednesday night yeah I got we blister on my little toe on my left foot and it was fine it was just a we blister I didn’t burst it in I just left it and then Thursday it was getting really bad and by Thursday night what the hell is this and I played with Mark James on on the Friday and I wasn’t good at all I couldn’t get through the ball and once you once you can’t swing freely especially in the right of cup you’re really in trouble so I had basically I had the toenail taken off that night went to hospital got a toenail taken off but I couldn’t play that was the last I played and I really didn’t want that to be my last Rider cut my last sort of go at it but then 95 was just magnificent yeah I mean it’s interesting you say that you know at the age of 42 you were still getting better yeah you know that’s a tribute to your dad as much as anything else your Technique oh your Technique which was built by your dad obviously yeah what what um what sort of things did he say to you in a lesson I mean what everybody’s got Tendencies 40 bleeps right and then i’ have to say you we are soul so uh he he he liked to work from the ground up MH Feet Work were very important uh shoulder he told me very early in my career just as a boy actually before I was on to a big shoulder turn hit it as far as you can and we’ll straighten it up later right I’m still waiting and he’s not here now going to straighten out now but that was huge for me because the big shoulder turn was really my best asset cuz length became effortless once it’s in there you almost had that pause at the top for a while I always had a pause not for a while my whole career yeah had a we pause at the top and that was because the transition from back swing to down swing was so important to my dad and if you rushed it you was he was not going to swing consistently yeah and he used to just have a we pause at the top just and it just lets everything fall Noti and then back in way it went yeah I haven’t you got it now by the way no I don’t think I’ve got back s any well I never did so it’s another story um I’m going to drag you back to the rider cup surprise no problem there no no need to drag me I know yeah the the captaincy um what did you what was your philosophy coming into that was it a bit of pieces of the guys that you’d worked under before you learn you learn you learn everything about captaincy and by the C you played on I mean John John Jacobs was a sweetheart a darling uh Tony was magnificent transformed everything and Berard was a great Captain you do your own thing in the end it’s your decision had wonderful help I was at the Centenary dinner for Sunningdale and uh the guest speaker was a CH called David pery I know him yeah guy in ecologist funly enough yes and he was such a great orator I couldn’t believe I was here he was just magnificent so up to him after he’ finished I said excuse me s t he looked at me said I know exactly I said well you know I’m captain of the r of cup I know he said well I’d love you to help me and he looked at me he says sir I’m an amateur I said I don’t want speak I don’t want you to play there but he was magnificent he I went up to his house a few times he came to my house uh spent a lot of time with him and he didn’t he didn’t write my speeches he he he just helped me timing into it and patience he he said to me uh just before you go uh to the opening centy of a large one of whatever your your wishes so in the in the team room at the B up the stairs I’ve gone over to the B I like a large whiskey please nothing in it and I gave my treble whiskey and I just downed it yeah and I was magnificent not saying I did a magnificent job I remember you I was so calm yeah I was so with it yeah well that’s what he taught me that’s what he taught me so then of course we’ve won we we did two speeches uh with had an opening uh opening speech a winning speech yeah and a losing speech right and the winning speech the week before the rer cup I had the podium delivered to my house that I was going to be standing at the actual P Podium and went out into my garage every day and maybe for 2 hours 2 and a half hours had a recordered and I just kept doing my speech just saying my speech I could have done it backwards and the the losing speech I never looked at I never opened it once really I’ve still got it it’s still unlooked at that’s interesting and uh so it’s now it’s Sunday night and we’ve won so I’ve G up to the bman and he’s keeping the same again the large whiskey I’ve downed it no it’s not enough I need another one please really give me another one no I three wow three because the the closing ceremony was probably more important than the opening ceremony because we won and you don’t want to be up there gloating or whatever it’s got to be absolutely right absolutely and Curtis was a great friend uh always has been and he was magnificent he said something very nice about he brought up my mom and dad in this in his speech and then he said we came here and we wanted to do the right thing and be able to stand together and have a drink on Sunday night I think we achieved that that was brilliant I really liked that but the the three doubles of travels whatever was I had I was fine I drank all night I was sober as a judge so weird adrenaline so weird and I was honestly sober mhm I really was yeah I believe you which was Fred around it again got to sleep now especially in match play I always think that um respect for the opponent is so important and the first thing I hate it when people at the end of even at stroke play tournaments or and certainly in match play when they isn’t the first thing they do is shake hands with the opponent they’re off doing something else and there’s jumping shake hands first straight up look him in the ey shake his hands no fear make me sound old I didn’t have respect for him either no I was aware of him but I didn’t want to respect him yeah not in the least yeah not in the least I wanted to kick his ass that’s what I wanted to do and no no look him in the eye and I mean it’s all it’s all [ __ ] because you you Fe you’re shaking of V Leaf really but he he never showed it you tried not to show that M it was fun yeah I always thought um Andy North your famous P he did you a favor that day cuz he could he could walked over absolutely absolutely unless he thought it was going to forp well yeah uh it could happened it’s funny with his t-shir i f mine and I’m not sure it’s carried I’ve nailed it it’s a wee bit low and it’s drawing yeah and the last hole of the B the further left you go the longer the carriers but the roar when it landed I knew it was perfect yeah and now I’m standing next and I’m watching the skyed it and all I’m doing is shouting go go cuz I thought it might not reach the water it was that mad a sky right and it plumped right into the middle of the waters Z immediately they was in there one out and two three up beside me he’s giv me two shots from a 9 hour in it’s not going to happen but still to really I was crying my eyes out going down the Fairway but I to held myself together and then of course you you’re right he G gave me my moment I had three parts to win from 25 ft probably and uh how much did that do for your kind know public profile if you like well I haven’t brought a drink since right yeah no it was magnificent people still come up to me so uh I’ll never forget it you know if it wasn’t captain that would have been the greatest move of my career but you know the the thing that it’s that it’s not the greatest thing with was because you’re part of a team that’s the important thing you’re just in the right place right time just the right place at the right time how Clark had a four-footer on 17 M and he missed it and the directors told me if he’d hold it they weren’t going to show it until after because of the scenario around the 18th right you know the the final green Victory which Howard would probably well pissed unfortunately we missed it but uh no it’s very incredibly special but it’s just part of a team yeah what was your um your thinking on um when you came to be captain on pairings order of play who plays withfor I had it done mhm I had it done before I went there I had Friday mornings fors Friday afternoon I no Friday morning it’s my choice and I put four balls out first I because I wanted them to be a bit more relaxed open the morning for is a much harder game to play so it was four ball for four ball forom I had all everything there out mhm everyone that was playing and I had my singles order mhm done and I was happy as Larry one day I just ripped it up I didn’t actually rip it up cuz I found it I found it uh years later and cleaning up my desk and there it was and my singles order it was exactly the same as what I did a year later right cuz as you mentioned because of 9/11 was it was canceled the year so I’m talking about I had it done in a year later was still still the same order and basically the the other thing that happened at that cery din for sale Bugsy Holland the member sale said to me you know in your singles you could do a lot worse than putting your best player out first and your worst player out last which is exactly what I did and it was always in my head because I thought every scenario if you’re level you want to go ahead if you’re behind you want to catch up if and if you’re ahead you want want to go further ahead stamp on them get them beaten and uh the the morning of the singles was just extraordin well when the draw came out the Saturday night it it was just it was just extraordinary I think Sam did both of these I actually said that well we we there was a huge Roar in our team room and that’s very unusual yeah yeah you know to look at the draw Think Jesus yeah cuz every every match looked like we can win every match and then you know tiger and and melson last two matches which bless him I think was a mistake you got if you’re number one and two in the world out there yeah you know leading your team put them out three and four or three and five or somewhere like that you don’t even put them out first but getting them on the course but when eight matches were on the course we were up in seven you know and we started level so it was it was just a race for the line and we got there I mean Paul Paul made a magnificent up and down 18 to win it for us but he’ missed that but we still had I think Pier foli was in the bunker on 18 all square with love it was there the part of it was part of it finished all square with Woods M so that was brilliant did you get anything wrong yes yes there was one instance it was uh fair foli and Philip price I thought were fabulous forams team both had similar games and I told them when they’re playing uh Saturday afternoon you you I’m not put you out first two days but you’re definitely playing first match out Saturday afternoon and on 17 be just bu just his Drive Into the Bunker and uh it was 190 200 yards to Carri the bur MH and and and just a wedge in from over the burn or or you lay up and it’s a seven iron Maybe and he’s got the wood in his hand and I should have gone in and stopped him and said cuz there were one down yeah if you had a bad shot here you just given them the match M put it in play I didn’t I didn’t I didn’t and I should have done then the next day were on 18 and it was uh I think it was Darren and was it Darren and westw maybe or anyway Darren was in the bunker on the right of of a te and I think might have been McGinley was in the middle of the Fairway and Vernard Langer not to me Sam Sam I think I think that maybe Paul should hit first take the pressure off down and show you dead right and I went straight in I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice although I should have thought about it before Mr Lang I was thinking about it but I went in it to and uh and it worked they had a great shot in and the won the hole you get emotional talking about this stuff of course I do yeah yeah I’m hold I’m holding myself together well I hav’t need a drink that’s probably why anyway there are a couple of other things I wanted to mention before we’re done here um the broom handle putter you were one of the first exponents of that um was one of the first first yeah wasn’t a dark art wasn’t a dark art why why why did you feel well I had a part I remember where it was and on a Greenland I think it was Sweden and what the hell was that it just went off my hands I had no idea what it was and it was a twitch and this this plagued me and I ended up in France in 86 maybe and best golf I played of my life I could have won the two of my 10 shots comfortably and I I 15t on the last screen to finish second I should have been teally I this twitch and I puted it up to a foot and I I knew I wasn’t going to hold I just knew I couldn’t get it in the hole for a foot and it just the right hand just takes over and there’s nothing you could do nothing I could do I went to see a hypnotist uh I tried everything to get rid of it and then a few years earlier i’ been in America and I saw this big thing in the in the putting rack and it was huge thing I said was that and it was uh the sergeant uh or mood or Moody it was his he had a long butter I don’t think he ever used it but it was there yeah yeah and and I picked it up and I thought Christ that’s not bad and what it did was it was one-handed putting I just putt it with my right hand and it became so simple the twitch was gone in seconds yeah and I know the story’s been out there and I really did get on the soer table and and I used to put it on the blue spot and I could hit it as hard as I wanted into the corner Pockets right just slam B right in the middle every single time and that me quite a relief cuz I mean that would that would have finished you if you had well I don’t know I don’t know no no I think I I have found a way I would definitely have found a way right you know there many different grips how they know you I might have found one of them that’s true pencil pistol grip whatever CLW yeah but uh it was beautiful it was a thing of beauty it was a lovely weighted part I was sad when they band it it’s uh anchoring uh I can still use it I still use it now but I don’t anchor mhm I just hold it beside my left cheek you know like they hold it out here now and it’s it’s it was nice for me you know and I felt sorry for a lot of uh amateur golfers and that in their 50s had found us yeah gone along with me and found this way of putting and when the band it they couldn’t do it and it’s it just didn’t seem right to me I want to take you back to the um 1983 Southern Open yeah Ronnie black Ronnie black Ron how much did that could that have changed your life or would it have changed your life you w the play off to wi% 100% I mean I had a 10 foot on the last screen to win and everything was shaking uh it was funny i’ not really been that there us and I missed it so we done the playoff and I said to him stupidly said jez I could barely get the putter back there but was the three-wood that would have helped him a lot I’m sure well we both both hit three Woods down it’s just a way Ed in and he caught his a we with fat and plugged it in the front bunker and the pin’s only on to 6 seven yards so I’ve here it 35 ft past the hole cuz he’s he’s no shot really uh and he come out the bunker to 34 ft a foot in front of my ball and uh it’s my part and I put it I stopped like an in short of going in I didn’t care I didn’t care I up and to to in I’m sing the side of Green Jesus Christ I’m going to win in America I’m going to win in America America I’m going of winning America and he hold it dirty tour I hold it and he beat me on I think the Fifth Fifth extra hole uh which was sad I would have gone to America no question I mean we couldn’t as we’re talking to about early we couldn’t get into America the tour school was too too difficult cuz you had to miss the last three or four events in Europe which would screw up your chances are doing really well in that order Merit to go over there and maybe get your car had to you would had to go Regional qualifying then final qualified so I I never gave it I never even tried so if I’d won if that hadn’t been that way I would have had three years exemption in America but then I come back I come back to Europe and won three times the next year in Europe in ‘ 84 going a second in the money list and never looked back and was never happier cuz I’m a very much a home bird when I when I got my card for the champions tour even then still had to go through Regional qualifying and final qualifying for seven cards over a thousand entrance and I got my card and when I got my card I went R the back of the club house and I just sat and cried really oh it meant so much to me this is my future yeah yeah you know this is this is nirvana this is America where you know all happens yeah you have been known to on yeah it’s all right that made me a bad person but I hated it I never played one round even remotely close to how well I could play even at that time just couldn’t stand been away from home I mean you finish the Sunday night and you’re not starting till the next Friday what are you going to do I was I mean I I ended up getting into Barnes & Noble The Big Book Shop I’d been there every day having coffees and that you couldn’t go on on the toot you know and just couldn’t not not at that age and uh never lasted 6 months and then come back and won the money L three times uh on on the senior tour in Europe and had a great great time getting home every weekend MH I know you don’t play competitively now what do you miss about it nothing nothing nothing at all everything no God no ad I had a wonderful time you no you don’t miss the the camaraderie part of it no not at all not at all I’ve got plenty of friends you know yeah I mean I’ve got yeah Scotsman again no but I was Sunningdale I love Sunningdale I was assistant there in 71 and I’ve got some great friends out there play golf three times a week uh very comfortable being at home I’ve got three beautiful kids four dogs now three one passed away sadly but I just love my home life so don’t miss a thing yeah and you know we all said of certainly not my line but it was me that I thought it up for me anyway that in the end all we will have is memories MH and just for God’s sake don’t get dementia I that’s because I’ve got some great memories you know great stuff to know sit back and just think about yeah you enjoy the commentary as well I mean I love the commentary yeah yeah I love it yeah it’s good fun kind of know what I’m doing so it’s not what’s your philosophy on that what’s your role do you think like well David M who’s who’s a uh director producer I never know was the right word which is direct but anyway he told me a few years ago cuz I’m always writing these notes and and doing all this homework Sam stop you don’t need all that stuff you we have a lead commentator yeah who does all that does all the starts and everything like that your job is to be the color right oh just just lit up with that just magnificent so basically it’s always been always been I’m at home watching the golf and just don’t swear yeah yeah and that’s exactly what it is the BBC were great I worked with Peter for for a number of years he was just magnificent what I mean what a man to learn off well I used to go to his house and interview him and just sit there and listen you know it was hours he was a great companion and a great teacher remember G me a bol get up when they got up the last at the open not even the the last group just maybe the second last group in the crowd of Ro and that start to say something go yeah just let it happen just listen yeah listen to what again he was so right so right yeah and and uh oh what was is great M it used to be anyway uh if you can’t improve the picture shut up yeah and it was so right you know silence is sometimes loud enough yeah yeah and I enjoyed I enjoyed it I enjoyed the camera rry more there I remember the first night first day I was going to commentate and I’m heading back to my room about half 104 to 11: and I stopped at the left I only got to talk tomorrow went back to the bar had a few more yeah it’s a very relaxed yeah uh form of well you just I mean it’s not an easy thing to do but it’s easy in the sense that it’s all your head when you you just have to say what you know does when you have the knowledge that I’ve got or the experience that I’ve had 43 years 44 years out there exactly it’s very easy you know you just you know what they’re going through you know what they’re doing you can see them about to make a mistake there’s not much happening that you haven’t seen before no exactly exactly anyway I’m going to finish up with I should have introduced you as this Sam you’re you’re now doctor Torrance of course since your honory degree from the University of St Andrew of law doctor of law of law it was magnificent a wonderful honor MH uh some wonderful people I met some wonderful people L they uh they Mary she she’s just an amazing lady the main lady there at Sand univers with the history the we cap that the do on the head it’s been like 300 years old and they’ve been using it for 300 years M quite I’ve always loved St Andrews my favorite Town one of my favorite times in the world you know and I’d never been there apart from an open or a dill cup or a Scottish open where it’s busy but I built a the course there up at the Fairmont and I spent three months there in the winter and the town is just magnificent all the way nuks and cranes little restaurants and coffee shops and just such a lovely Place yeah did you look good in the gwn I can’t I’ve only seen pictures but did the go fit I mean did you you oh I I felt very good yes yes it was certainly above my station yes left scho at 13 you know I was going to get doctor of law but I understood what they were doing it really it was nothing to do with being a professor of law or anything it was just a recognition of what and ding Golf and it was lovely yeah good it’s a great day well that is the perfect way to finish um Sam thank you for your time it’s been enjoyable as ever pleasure pleasure well hopefully we’ll do it again sometime yes well if I’m still kicking yeah thanks again cheers right T yeah Sam Torrance there certainly one of the Stalls of a pivotal period in the rder cup and indeed in the development of the European tour itself as always big thanks to Sam and Huggy for taking the time to sit down and have that chat well that’s our last interview before the cup gets underway but make sure to come back next time when Huggy catches up with with another former team member England’s Oliver Wilson I think I think Nick tried to do his best I genu I actually genuinely do um I just don’t think he was suited for the job personally um you know that he’s not really much of a man manager and you know you got different personalities on the team all kind of needing a little bit of something different um and I don’t think he was able to give everyone that that’s next time on the thing about golf [Music]
