April 9, 2023 • 39 mins
Today is one of those pinch-me moments, as we get the privilege of sitting down with a true gent, legend and one of the greatest golfers and sportsmen to ever live, Gary Player.
Gary won a total of 165 professional golf tournaments worldwide, including 9 major championships, and was the only player to win the career Grand Slam in both the main and Seniors Tour - something that he talks in the podcast about being one of his defining achievements.
Gary’s energy and longevity in everything he’s done over the last 70 years in legendary, and his foundation alone has raised over $100m for the underprivileged.
He truly is the ultimate example of high performance.
We talk about:
- Growing up and Gary’s tough childhood
- What it take to be truly great
- Where the drive to sustain excellence comes from
- Modern day golfers
- Gary’s habits & advice for anyone wanting to be the best
Find out more and donate to the Foundation HERE
Follow Gary on Instagram & Twitter
And for more high-performance tools & insights join me over
- on Instagram HERE
- on LinkedIn HERE
We are so proud to have teamed up with 20:40, an opportunity community for decision-makers to develop the type of network, that tribe of like-minded legends going through the same challenges, in order to accelerate your business or career.
Find out more and apply HERE
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:02):
There are only 15 players in the history of golf
that have won six or more majorchampionships. What are these
people have that was differentfrom other people. It's a thing
called it. I played with manypeople when I was young, they
were much better than me. Butwhen it came down the line of
major championships or bigtournaments, or beat them, why?
(00:26):
When I started weight trainingin 1953, even on a farm and Jack
Nicklaus said, You can't doweight training, it'll ruin your
golf. But I'm the only manthat's won the grand slam on the
regular Turner senior to havewon more tournaments than any
man that's alive today have wonmore national championships than
(00:47):
on apama, Jack Nicklaus, TigerWoods and Rory put together but
my legacy is changing the livesof people due to the fact that I
experienced what it is like tohave nothing.
Scott Radford (01:01):
Gary, what were some of the biggest early
influences or moments from yourchildhood that would help us to
understand a young Gary Playerpre golf? Well, first
Unknown (01:11):
of all, I had a very, very difficult childhood because
my mother died when I was nine,my father worked at a gold mine
1000 feet underground. Mybrother went to war with the
British and the last World Warat the age of 17. He left high
school can you imagine my sisterwas at boarding school, but I
(01:34):
went to a very English school,which saved my life really, or
played a vital role. You dressedwe had the crown on our cap and
our jacket, you had to dresswith a tie every day stand up
and the teacher came in theclassroom. You said a prayer.
And they had libraries debatingholes, gymnasiums, the best
(01:56):
track, rugby fields, cricketfields, people spoke four
languages, incredible school,cool kid with the seventh, which
are visited just the other day,which was really remarkable. So
did my father, in spite of thefact he's working on a goldmine,
he gets to play golf for 25pounds a year? And he asked me
(02:20):
to play golf, and I'm playingrugby and cricket and the sports
at school. I said, not for methat success is game. I'm not
really interested.
Scott Radford (02:27):
How old are you here?
Unknown (02:29):
Probably 1415. So I said, No, not for me. But
anyway, I reluctantly went andthe basic I ever did, obviously.
And you know what an epicjourney I've had having
travelled more miles than anyhuman being ever in the history
of the planet. And the peopleI've met and the experiences
(02:51):
I've had, it's beenunbelievable. Unbelievable.
Scott Radford (02:55):
Going back to your early days, and it being
quite difficult, but yet havingthat contrast between the family
life, that was a challenge, adifficult but yet the school
that was the other side of thecoin, by the sounds of it quite
luxurious and privileged. Whatwas that? Like? How was that to
marry up?
Unknown (03:13):
Well, the school wasn't luxurious. In those days, it's a
public school. It's a publicschool. We went to school those
days was about 10 pounds a year.
Now, it could be, you know,something like 10,000 pounds a
year now, because obviously withinflation, and you're talking
about, you know, a long timeago, 70 years ago, more so? No,
(03:34):
but it's a Johannesburg, where Igrew up was a wonderful city,
not now, there's a lot of crime,not a crime and, you know, 45%
unemployment. Just not the sameplace anymore. There's no law
and order, which is a shame.
(03:54):
That was the greatest livingcountry that I've ever seen in
my life. But let's hoping we canget some new leaders coming up
and can possibly change things.
At the moment, it's not doing aswell as we'd like to see or do.
Scott Radford (04:10):
You mentioned a statement somewhere you said I
always wanted to be differentfrom other athletes and that you
were interested in trying toincrease your vocabulary and
improve your speaking and begood at speaking like where did
that come from? Because that'sprobably not on the minds of
lots of budding sports stars andathletes out there.
Unknown (04:26):
Exactly. I mean, I think the command of the English
language is not very prevalentas athletes, they renowned as
poor speakers, but I played themanagers, the managers should
be, you know, even my father whowas poor, and left school at 15
years of age to support hisfamily. He always said to be
(04:49):
read, and try and speak well,and then obviously, my all time
hero was so Winston Churchill,and I We're so fascinated by his
command of the English language,his word. Besides his leadership
must be the greatest leader.
Certainly in the last 150 years,maybe all time. I don't know
(05:09):
about Caesar, then about theTrojans. And then about William
the great. I don't know aboutNapoleon, I've read about him.
But I've experienced woods andChurchill. So that makes a vast
difference in one's life. Butit's very important for young
athletes to speak well, if youwant to endorse, well, if you
want to be representingdifferent companies, you've got
(05:32):
to dress well. You got to yougotta shave every day. And you
got to be able to have goodmanners Manners maketh a man. So
and but there's today there's somuch money in athletics, that
people don't worry about thatthey spent on the field this but
everywhere, they don't shave,they don't worry about dress
code. You see some of them geton aeroplanes, it's disgusting.
(05:54):
But to change the world, it's avastly change world now. You see
the things I teach in schools ascompared? When I was young, I'm
so pleased that I lived in thetime that I lived in. But when
in Rome do as the Romans do,that's what we got to live with.
Now,
Scott Radford (06:13):
how were you able in the early stages of picking
up golf to differentiateyourself? Because it was it was
quite a quick trajectory fromwhat I hear
Unknown (06:21):
Scott, you know, there's a little thing called it
and it's indefinable. And I'vealways said to be a superstar in
golf, everybody uses the wordsuperstar and great so loosely,
to be a superstar. You gotta winsix total of six majors or more.
And we were doing some debatingand search the other day, there
(06:45):
are only 15 players in thehistory of golf, that have won
six or more major championships.
What did these people have thatwas different from other people.
It's a thing called itindefinable without being
repetitive. We have manydebates, we have not come to the
conclusion. I played with manypeople when I was young, they
were much better than me. Butwhen it came down the line of
(07:07):
major championships or bigtournaments, I beat them. Why?
Why in my life, I'm very calm.
I'm full of love. Very much likeChurchill, very much a cry baby.
Tears are a good message fromGod. So I'm not ashamed to cry.
(07:27):
I've been, as I say, verypatient. But the minute I got on
the golf course, was like,something just switched on. And
I became irritable, tense. Andall the sports that I've seen
Excel, most of them have beenirritable. If you look at Tiger
Woods, he's the best example. Imean, he didn't know didn't
(07:50):
know, he and I were verysimilar. We didn't know our
wives, we didn't know ourchildren. And when you play four
days of competitive golf, andyou wouldn't buy one shot,
that's a quarter of a shorterday. So you better be focused.
So what it does for you gets youfocused, and I'd come off the
golf course. And I was adifferent person. Now, why is
(08:10):
that? There's so many thingsabout the human, we haven't
scratched the surface of thehuman being. For example,
there's somebody is born rightnow in the last year that will
live to be 150 years of age. Youyoung people will see things
there'll be extrasensoryperception. If I'm in South
Africa, and I want to speak tomy daughter here in America, you
(08:30):
won't need a phone, there'll bea chip in your body. Or you'll
just speak to her. And peoplesay, Well, you're talking
nonsense. Well, there was a manwho had elephants in South
Africa, sent them to Iraq, Iraq,had their wall, he got in a boat
and brought them back to SouthAfrica, put them in their
natural habitat. And theyabsolutely adored this man part
of his family, he died, theywalked 30 miles to his house,
(08:54):
walked around his house for twodays, and then went back to
their natural habitat. Theydidn't know anything about SMS.
So that's a very good example ofthe kind of thing that's going
to happen with the human being.
So it's just as there's beensuch a change, and changes the
price of survival. If you lookat how golf for example, you
know, I've been saying I said onBBC Two, Peter Ellis 2530 years
(09:16):
ago, I said, Peter, one daythere's gonna be somebody hit
the ball. 400 yards, he said,absolute nonsense. Now I'm
telling you earlier at 500yards, saw a man the other day
he had 460 yards. I saidsomebody would win a major at
50. Now I'm saying somebody willwin a major at 60. You see, one
(09:36):
of the biggest improvements inthe human being now. Very few.
The majority of the world issuffering from obesity. So
obviously you can't live a longtime. Now when they're getting
cancer, heart attacks and allthe diseases. So the great
secret to living a long time andperforming well is to under eat
(09:58):
Some people talk about exercise.
Yes, it's important, but undereating is 70%. And exercising is
30%. Everybody thinks it's theother way around. So the human
being is going to change. Nowagain, when I started weight
training in 1953, even on Obamaand Jack Nicklaus said, You
can't do weight trading, it'llruin your golf. Well, we've seen
(10:21):
what if now, they got atravelling gymnasium, following
the players, they're all usingweight. Well, not all but the
majority. If you look at RoryMcIlroy, who's got the best
streak in the world today, I'vegot a feeling he's gonna win the
Masters this year. I keep sayingthat, but he hasn't won a major
I think in in 10 years, heshould have won the open. It's
an Andrews this year without aquestion. So I'm just hoping
(10:44):
you'll win the Masters to beanother Grand Slam winner, which
will be a great feather in thecap to have somebody from
Britain as a Grand Slam winner.
But it's so many things. It'shaving the right mind. It's
loving adversity. I think that'sthe greatest asset an athlete
can have. Particularly a golfer,I'm speaking in terms of a
golfer to love adversity,because golf, when you're
(11:06):
playing tournaments, from theminute you tee off to the time
you end is pretty muchadversity, maybe not to the
extent of some other examples.
But when I you know stress Ikeep up with oh, I can't the
stress. Everybody puts thatemphasis on stress. I love
stress. I think stress is goodfor you. Who can live without
(11:28):
stress. I'd like to meet thehuman being that is lived, that
doesn't have stress, whateveryou do, so make the best of it.
Don't feel sorry for yourselfand get in and work. But that's
another thing, no work ethic.
How do you get a young boytoday? Who lives in the west
with our culture? How do youexpect us to beat people that
are in China and other countrieswhere there's no freedom and
(11:52):
work and a habit? See peoplewouldn't $4 million in a golf
tournament. You think thatthey're not going to work twice
as hard as us. The work ethic issomething that we got to try and
try and maintain. They should bean incentive we incentivize as
Lee Kuan Yew, the great deed ofSingapore, the best read country
of the world. You know, he putgreat emphasis on
(12:14):
incentivization Well, whatgreater centralization? Can you
get them to play at a golftournament and win $4 million.
If you're a golfer, that's moremoney than on apartment and I
went in our golf careers on aregular tour together. But money
wasn't the criteria, we didn'tplay for the money. We wanted to
be the best. And at the time,there wasn't that amount of
(12:35):
money. There was sufficient. Andwe made our money afterwards in
endorsements. And today I makemore money at the age of nearly
88 And I did when I was worldchampion, you know representing
country companies like RolexBerenberg bank in Germany, PSG
golf equipment, etc, etc, etc.
(12:56):
So we never ever thought thatwould happen. But here it
happened. And so it depends onyour timing, but the work, the
work ethic is something that isvery, very important. And there
it is in front of you. You havethe choice.
Scott Radford (13:11):
Where did the work ethic get instilled in you
from Do you think you can't
Unknown (13:15):
work these things out, Scott, you know, their opinions
about a lot of things. Butnobody really knows. I mean, the
fact that I came home fromschool an hour and a half in a
tram and a bus got home andthere's nobody there dark house
at the age of nine and a cook myfood, make my bed, lay in bed
every night crying wishing I wasdead. I had one wonderful black
(13:39):
gentleman who came in once aweek and helped me a little bit
get organised in the househelped me tidy up, etc. So I
think having that adversity wasthe greatest gift bestowed upon
me ever. So everything from thenonwards, as I grew older and
started to play golf, it wasalmost downhill for me compared
(14:00):
to what I had as a youngster. SoI had already had the grounding,
the grounding of determinationof patience, of loving people of
heavy and good faith, ofexercising because my brother
before he went prior to going hestood in our garden and said,
you want to be a professionalsportsman, you're too small,
you're too weak. And he boughtme a second set of weights and
(14:24):
he said, well you practice andwork hard at this for the rest
of your life, which I've adhereto, and still work out still
push it nearly 93 pounds of mylegs, hundreds of situps run the
treadmill at max. All because Isleep well. I laugh a lot.
Laughing is a youthful cell thatspread throughout the system and
(14:46):
helps keep you young, asleepnine hours a night. I try and
under eat. That's the hardest ofeverything. But there are ways
and means of living to a longage. And so I try and argue at
least five things that I workedon every day to try to reach
that 100
Scott Radford (15:03):
You're literally the epitome of high performance,
which is why I was so excited tospeak to you today, going back
to the mental side of it,because you mentioned it a
little bit how you lovedadversity and stress. Was there
a time in your career where thatwasn't the case where you were
struggling? Maybe mentally?
Unknown (15:19):
Yeah, I think that's something you know, it's like
learning rithmetic at school,you know, it's a process, you
learn more as you go on. If youread a lot, I try and read as
much as I can. I'm not an avidreader, my wife was, but I'm a
reader. And I'm forever tryingto, I'm trying to be the best
orator of every athlete that'sever lived. That's not a great
(15:42):
achievement, because as Imentioned, they're not great
orators. But everything you dois a process. It just doesn't
happen. It's something you gotto work at, and something that
takes great patience, and agreat work ethic. And somebody
asked my hero, WinstonChurchill, why he was so
successful. I'll never forgetverbatim, he said, the height
(16:04):
that great men reached and kept,were not attained by sudden
flight, that while his opponentswere sleeping, he was toiling up
in the night. And that's what Idid. I had more balls than
anybody else. I exercise harderthan anybody else, all these 88
years. And that's what stood mein good stead. I used to go to a
(16:27):
dinner get back at 1130. I go tothe hotel managers say, Can I
use the gym? Nope, it's closed.
Sorry, please promise yourlocker app, keep it clean. And I
went to gym at that night. See,your body doesn't know whether
it's Monday or Friday, orwhether you're working out and
you're not working? Yeah. It'salways as he said, whilst your
opponents are sleeping. You weretoiling up at night. So the
(16:49):
message is very clear, it'sabundantly clear that you've got
to outwork people if you want todo well.
Scott Radford (16:57):
I want to take a few seconds to talk 2040 the
sponsors of this podcast,because to me, they're the
epitome of what high performanceis for young leaders and
decision makers looking to makea mark. So 2040 is a membership
community. That doesn't justhelp you accelerate
professionally. But it's alsohelped me grow and develop
personally to bowl intensivepurposes. This is an opportunity
community. And it bringstogether the next generation of
(17:20):
exceptional young talent andconnects those rising decision
makers to help them unlock theirfullest potential through the
power of their peers andcreating the opportunity for
each other. Now, when I joined2014, I went from feeling alone
in my entrepreneurial journeyand missing the energy and the
ideas and a collaboration ofothers, to having an endless new
source of high qualityconnections. Super long list of
(17:43):
the world's highest performersto interview which has been
epic. And even this partnershipthat has allowed us to scale the
show, all of its really comefrom the opportunities presented
at 2040. Also, the privateevents are absolutely legendary.
Imagine being able to meet likeminded people at really intimate
events hosted by global industryleaders, or even just rocking up
(18:04):
to a Friday afternoon, we worksession for a free bear. It's
all available at 2040. So ifyou're on that journey, as an
entrepreneur or a decision makerin your industry, and you want
to be immersed by people likeyourself, other rising talent
doing the same, going throughthe same journey and the same
struggles with all theopportunities that that
provides, go and check out 20code on forty.org.uk. All the
(18:26):
links will be in the show notes.
And I bet it will be the bestdecision you make this year. It
certainly was for me back to theshow. In terms of keeping that
momentum and that motivationgoing. Did you have a team
around you that helped sort offeed into that energy and pick
you up when you're on the daysthat you weren't wanting to
train, you must have had apretty good team around you as
(18:47):
well, right?
Unknown (18:50):
You're speaking like a typical young guy. Now I listen
to all these pros and they play.
But they sit down I'd say myteam, I've got a chauffeur. I've
got a machine I've got my ownjet. And the sanella team, we
didn't have teams we had we hada manager that was it was a
different times no jet we wentoff and went by Greyhound bus.
(19:14):
So several in the back of theaeroplane and, and went by train
all in Britain and carried myown bags and lived in hotels for
you know, maybe five pounds anight. So it was not complete.
There were no teams at all. Andnow I'll get perturbed when I
(19:34):
see the guys wasting money onall these things because doesn't
mean to say because you'remaking money today that you'll
be making it tomorrow. And myadvice to young guys are. Don't
let your managers ever investyour money. Let them make money
for you. And don't waste moneywith unnecessary things. Because
(19:55):
because you've got money today.
You might not have it tomorrow,as we've seen. Let's take a man
like Tiger Woods, one of thegreatest players that ever
lived. He joined the sealscouts, jumping off high walls
and ruined his knees and ruinedhis back. Then he has his car
(20:16):
accident of Reese recently, soyou never know what's gonna
happen. Alright, he's made somuch money that doesn't apply to
him. But you never know what'sin store for you. And you got to
be very wise in your decisionsvery wise. What's good today is
not necessarily good tomorrow.
Scott Radford (20:35):
I've been asked to ask you about Mark McCormack
and his influence on you and whyhe was so special.
Unknown (20:41):
Mark McCormick was a genius. I first met Mark
McCormack he was making $22,000a year, he ended up a multi
billionaire, you gave me acouple of sayings that remained
with me all my life. And that isa blunt pencil is better than a
sharp memory. He says nobody canremember. Anybody who tries to
(21:03):
remember is a conceited fool,and to write everything down. If
young people would only do that,because the time comes by and
goes by and you look back andsay, What did I say? What did I
do? You can't remember mybrother, who is the leading
conservationist in the world,and save the Rhino from Biggie
becoming extinct until theChinese and the and the Asian
(21:27):
people started coming into SouthAfrica and killing Karina,
taking the horns. He saved therhino at that stage and said
rhinos all around the world ingame reserves. And so he had
vision. And he was also thesame, you know, he said, Write
everything down, keep keep, hesaid to me, make sure you keep a
(21:49):
diary. And I did not do that.
And now I've written somethinglike over 20 books. And it comes
to time, you got to try andremember things. If I could just
take that diary and say, Here'smy ghostwriter. Here it is, it's
all here. Well, we live in adifferent world now, obviously,
of conveniency, with the phones,and the laptops, etc, etc. It's
(22:10):
a different world. But it'svitally important to have a good
memory and to write things down.
Not try and remember,
Scott Radford (22:20):
I think you're speaking directly to me there
because I'm a professionaltraveller. I'm pretty sure I
still forget my pants, everythird trip I go on. So you've,
you've played golf with someincredible people. And you've
obviously met some incrediblepeople as well. And obviously,
your rivals in Arnold Palmer andsome of the greats in the game,
and also some world leaders aswell. Is there anyone that sort
(22:40):
of sticks out in your memory assomebody that almost gave you
lessons in life?
Unknown (22:46):
You know, I play a lot of golf with Donald Trump. And,
funnily enough, he reminds me alot of Churchill. He's not a
diplomat. He gives his opinionwhen asked, and he does not come
across to the average person, asthough he's got love in his
heart. But he does. He's got afamily that did. So well
(23:09):
mannered and manners maketh aman, charming wife, his
principles, what he's done, weneed tough leaders like
Churchill, to stand up forfreedom. And freedom is dying in
the world rapidly. There's solittle freedom left in the world
today. And soldiers like mybrother, and the people of
(23:30):
Britain and America, these youngmen went to war, if you think of
Normandy, they went and theyfought rather world for freedom,
a world that I cherish andappreciate because I lived in
the midst of apartheid. I'veseen communism in China, I've
seen around the rest of theworld, what it's like to live
with freedom is a greatblessing. And unfortunately,
(23:52):
it's crumbling.
Scott Radford (23:54):
Is that what do you think drives you still to
this day? Because I mean, yourlegacy is completely without
question, both from a golfingpoint of view, but also the work
you do in the foundations, thegolf design, everything you do
on a global stage, like, is thatwhat's still driving you to this
day? Well, very
Unknown (24:11):
much. So. You know, you're talking about what drives
me. I mean, it's quiteinteresting at my age where you
think where I've just travelled,in one trip, most people in
their lifetime never do that.
Time changes that, that I'vetravelled all my life. But my
legacy, my legacy, really, my mytheory is, yes, I can sit here.
(24:33):
I'm not boasting when I saythis, but I'm the only man
that's won the grand slam on theregular Turner senior to have
won more tournaments than anyman that's alive today have won
more national championships.
Then on apartment, JackNicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory
put together but my legacy ischanging the lives of people due
(24:56):
to the fact that I experiencedwhat it is like to have nothing
and my company in one way oranother, has raised well over
$100 million, and has changedthe lives of 1000s and 1000s of
people, just this week comingup, now, we having the Gary
Player and Vivian foundationcharity match, we'll make, we'll
(25:19):
make close to a million dollars.
And we take it into theseunderprivileged schools and
hospitals and people that don'thave an opportunity to have
clothes and toys. And we helpchange the lives and America I
must say, is an incrediblecountry, at giving and helping
people. That's, that's my,that's my joy. That's if if you
knock on the door in heaven toget in there, you're not going
(25:43):
to get in there by just being agreat athlete or a rich man. I
think it helps it helps if youcontribute to society, and
that's Margaret joy. That's,that gives me such pleasure to
see young people and visitpeople. But I build schools in
South Africa, hospitals,churches, sponsored black
golfers, and to be doing that,and building aid centres in
(26:07):
China, homeless schools,homeless homes, we got the poll
that I did with a very big bank,right? In London, we've taken
people off the streets, thatwere sleeping in the streets,
and everybody calls them bums tothe country, we took these
people and gave them theopportunity. And now they acting
and lawyers and doctors as such,if you give people an
(26:30):
opportunity in life, but wequick to criticise people,
because they lying in thestreets.
Scott Radford (26:37):
On that point, what one ingredient? Would you
have maybe a bit of advice forother people in terms of being
able to make their own smallpiece of impact with the
influence that they have? How doyou come up with these ideas and
put them into practice?
Unknown (26:52):
You know, it comes back to that thing called it. You
can't explain why you think thethings the only thing I can
explain why. Why I'm a crybaby,and why I have a lot of love in
my heart is because of what Iexperienced in my life. Not
having a mother I mean, mymother never saw me hit a golf
or when did you become a worldchampion, your mother never even
(27:13):
saw you hit a golf ball. And tobecome a world champion, and
anything is very, very difficultto say the least. You know,
competition has always beenfierce. Everybody thinks it's
fierce today. It's always beenfierce. So I can't give you the
answers. What actually happened.
I wish I knew I'm still in myinfancy. I have a friend who is
a genius we still trying to workout. You know, he said a very
(27:35):
interesting thing the other day,he said, a cell phone. We only
found out about wi fi 20 yearsago, and yet we've been in
existence for over a millionyears, whatever the number is 20
years ago. He says your phonewon't work without the Wi Fi.
There's a Wi Fi up there. Hesays some people get more Wi Fi
in their bodies, which make themexcel more than others. Now, I
(27:58):
don't necessarily believe inthat. But he's talking about
scientific fields, which isbeyond my comprehension. But
he's talking about scientificfields, and things that we will
find out you in your lifetimewe'll find out things that we
never even dreamt of. As Imentioned earlier, we are now
infancy
Scott Radford (28:17):
you must have spoken to Jack Nicklaus about
this it and come up with sometheories as he got an input on
what it could have been becauseyou must have walked into
tournaments knowing that youguys had the edge in some
respect.
Unknown (28:33):
Haven't really sat down at any great length of time
discussing it with auto Jack,who are the players but I do
know Jack always said golfshould not be called golf, it
should be called patience. Andas we know the old saying that
patience is a virtue. How manypeople have patience, if you
stop at the robot, just a secondlonger of its turn green guards
(28:54):
are talking the Hooters at you.
You know if you see you'redriving along the highway and a
man is going across the road, ifhe waits 10 seconds and let you
go, but now he's got to zoom outin front of you. The impatience
is, unfortunately, impatienceoverrules patience. And so we
got to work on patience. I thinkenjoying the accepting the
(29:15):
adversity and believing inyourself. I think that's a great
asset. A lot of people say theydo believe in themselves, but
when they get on the first teeat the British Open or the open,
they're not truly believing inthemselves. You're going to
actually believe I know when Iplayed Jack Nicklaus in the
final of the world match playchampionship at went with a golf
(29:37):
club, which I adore. I'm playingagainst Nicklaus and the final
courses long, it's wet, and 12newspapers unanimously said he
will beat me while I beat himsix and four. And the next year,
the same thing of good. I'vebeen in five and four. I said
him because he's my best friend.
I can teach him. I said, you'relucky we're not playing a third
(29:59):
time there. It's time I'd reallygive you a hiding. So, you know,
it's, it's all a matter of themind. The mind is the answer.
The mind is the answer. Can youcultivate it to the extent? Is
it a gift? On the other hand?
Yes. Is it it? Yes. Maybe inyour time and time to come.
Because if you did a surveyamongst 10 people, you get 10
(30:23):
different answers. It's not adefinite answer. And coming back
to why you do these things,everybody has a debt incurred.
Anybody who makes money on life,must remember that they never
had money to start with, unlessthey inherited it, which that's,
I wouldn't pat myself on theback by inheriting money. But
(30:45):
you still got a debt and good tohelp somebody if it's only just
one person, do something to helpothers in the world. Because we
all needed help in our lives. Iknow how I was helped in my
life. So that's maybe that's thereason you asked me what I do.
Because I was helped to a greatextent, coming along, a helping
(31:05):
hand was given to me. And somaybe it's just a matter of
loyalty. It's a matter ofdecency, it's a matter of
appreciation, and giving back.
If you've won,
Scott Radford (31:21):
probably more times than most golfers would
ever even conceived possible towin in your career? Is there one
moment or memory or victory thatis bigger or more important to
you looking back?
Unknown (31:35):
Well, as I said earlier, I've won more
tournaments than any man alivetoday. I think that's a feather
in my cap. But they are, theyare tournaments that are
obviously more important thanothers, and to be the only man
on the planet, to win the grandslam on the regular tour and the
grand slam on the senior tour.
My personal opinion, the grandslam on the senior tour was more
(31:57):
difficult than the grand slam onthe regular tour. I was young, I
was strong, confident. Now yougo on a senior tour of the 50,
or at 50. And over. And I wasjust as fit at 50 as I was when
I was 25. And I think that stoodme in good stead. And I think
the work the work ethic, andwhat I dedicated my life to
(32:20):
being to maintain youth, energy,patience, all the trials and
errors that I went through, thatkept my age young through
fitness and eating properly. Ithink that gave me the big
thrill to be the only man to dothat. On the planet.
Scott Radford (32:41):
Gary, before we go, we got a few quickfire
questions. The first one is onepiece of advice you would tell
your younger self beforestarting out.
Unknown (32:51):
I would first of all, I use the word gratitude. I think
people take a lot for granted.
You know, if you look at theworld today, how many people
have a beautiful shower, a batha car, air conditioning,
schools, food, etc, etc, etc. 70young people and I address young
(33:13):
people. And I addressuniversities as well in business
men, the highest Echelon in theworld. And I my first word I
talk about is gratitude. And wemust never forget the people in
this room are in the 1% of theworld. Think about the people
that don't have anything. So I'mgonna go out there, I'm gonna
try my hardest. Because I'm soblessed to have the opportunity.
(33:35):
I'm going to do my very, verybest if I'm successful, so be
it. If not, I'll come backtomorrow and be successful,
believing in yourself and begrateful that you have the
opportunity,
Scott Radford (33:50):
one mantra or belief that has enabled your
high performance life.
Unknown (33:54):
I think having faith having faith is has helped me a
lot in my life, to acceptadversity and you know, my wife
has died. We've been togetherfor 72 years. And the most
incredible wife, what she didfor me and my 22 grandchildren,
and my six children and greatgrandchildren. That's something
(34:18):
that is very special in my life.
Now she dies. Can you imagine? Alot of people feel sorry for
themselves. They get depressedand they die very quickly after
the spouse has gone not me. Lifeis one of the greatest gifts
bestowed upon you. So Messiahnow die of Sauron. I did mourn.
I have tears in my eyes thinkingof her a lot. But now I've got
(34:41):
to go on in life. You know, lifeis full of adversities. And
unfortunately schools purelyacademically are teaching and
universities. They're not givingthem the true facts of life.
There's so many things they'renot teaching them about how to
accept adversity. You Learn howto have manners and how to treat
people, and how to smile whenyou meet somebody. There's so
(35:05):
many things, they're not payingthe elementary things they're
not teaching. Now admit parentalguidance is important. But some
people don't have parents. Sowhen we go to school, you know,
if you go to Oxford orCambridge, do they really teach,
they really teach people thosevitally important things other
than educating them? Alonggetting a degree, getting a
(35:29):
degree in life is not justacademically, it's a lot of
other things and a lot of othersides to it as well.
Scott Radford (35:37):
One ingredient or habit that has contributed to
your success the most? I thinkthere's probably quite a lot of
ingredients and habits thatyou've used along your time.
Unknown (35:45):
Oh, no question.
There's just one having a strongfaith. That's the no question.
Don't debate.
Scott Radford (35:52):
And finally, I'm not too sure what I'm going to
get from this answer. But what'syour go to tune or artist in
terms of music? What do you goto in terms of music to get you
in the mood or get you in thezone or even just to get
yourself relaxed?
Unknown (36:07):
Very good question. I love music. I love opera. I love
country music, country musicalways got a message. I love the
BGS. Now, whenever I do aspeech, which I do a lot of a
lot of speeches, when Iintroduced always have the song
staying alive, that has got areal beat. And what I do is I
(36:28):
dance before I speak. And I takethree ladies out of the gallery
and I pick them out and I standup and I dance with them. So we
start off with the right vibe.
And I love to dance and I lovemusic. Man. I just love music
across the board. African music.
I got a song calm malema,malema, Malema. It's it's just
(36:53):
African music. Look, whereveryou go. If you go to Spain,
wherever you go, I've got themusic. And I just love music. I
think that makes you happy. Ilove the song when they said was
the most appropriate song. Behappy. You got to travel, you
make a double. You never feelsorry for yourself. Nobody
(37:17):
cares. A damn. You know that oldsong when you're smiling. The
whole world smiles with you whenyou're crying. Nobody cries with
you. Boy, that's such a truesaying.
Scott Radford (37:28):
Thank you so much for your time today, Gary. I'm
just thinking about how muchgratitude I have for your time
today. Because I don't Iprobably haven't warranted this
hour of your time. But I knowthat your your words today are
going to help so so many peoplein my network and listening to
this podcast. So thank you forthe work that you do with your
foundation, the legacy thatyou've left, and just how you
(37:50):
show up in the world still todayis like it's so inspiring. So
thank you. Well, thank
Unknown (37:55):
you and we must never forget that the use of a nation
are the trustees of posterity.
We got to educate the youth forthe future. And secondly, I love
Britain, my whole family treesfrom Britain. My father's love
to Britain. Take care
There are only 15 players in the history of golf
that have won six or more majorchampionships. What are these
people have that was differentfrom other people. It's a thing
called it. I played with manypeople when I was young, they
were much better than me. Butwhen it came down the line of
major championships or bigtournaments, or beat them, why?
(00:26):
When I started weight trainingin 1953, even on a farm and Jack
Nicklaus said, You can't doweight training, it'll ruin your
golf. But I'm the only manthat's won the grand slam on the
regular Turner senior to havewon more tournaments than any
man that's alive today have wonmore national championships than
(00:47):
on apama, Jack Nicklaus, TigerWoods and Rory put together but
my legacy is changing the livesof people due to the fact that I
experienced what it is like tohave nothing.
Scott Radford (01:01):
Gary, what were some of the biggest early
influences or moments from yourchildhood that would help us to
understand a young Gary Playerpre golf? Well, first
Unknown (01:11):
of all, I had a very, very difficult childhood because
my mother died when I was nine,my father worked at a gold mine
1000 feet underground. Mybrother went to war with the
British and the last World Warat the age of 17. He left high
school can you imagine my sisterwas at boarding school, but I
(01:34):
went to a very English school,which saved my life really, or
played a vital role. You dressedwe had the crown on our cap and
our jacket, you had to dresswith a tie every day stand up
and the teacher came in theclassroom. You said a prayer.
And they had libraries debatingholes, gymnasiums, the best
(01:56):
track, rugby fields, cricketfields, people spoke four
languages, incredible school,cool kid with the seventh, which
are visited just the other day,which was really remarkable. So
did my father, in spite of thefact he's working on a goldmine,
he gets to play golf for 25pounds a year? And he asked me
(02:20):
to play golf, and I'm playingrugby and cricket and the sports
at school. I said, not for methat success is game. I'm not
really interested.
Scott Radford (02:27):
How old are you here?
Unknown (02:29):
Probably 1415. So I said, No, not for me. But
anyway, I reluctantly went andthe basic I ever did, obviously.
And you know what an epicjourney I've had having
travelled more miles than anyhuman being ever in the history
of the planet. And the peopleI've met and the experiences
(02:51):
I've had, it's beenunbelievable. Unbelievable.
Scott Radford (02:55):
Going back to your early days, and it being
quite difficult, but yet havingthat contrast between the family
life, that was a challenge, adifficult but yet the school
that was the other side of thecoin, by the sounds of it quite
luxurious and privileged. Whatwas that? Like? How was that to
marry up?
Unknown (03:13):
Well, the school wasn't luxurious. In those days, it's a
public school. It's a publicschool. We went to school those
days was about 10 pounds a year.
Now, it could be, you know,something like 10,000 pounds a
year now, because obviously withinflation, and you're talking
about, you know, a long timeago, 70 years ago, more so? No,
(03:34):
but it's a Johannesburg, where Igrew up was a wonderful city,
not now, there's a lot of crime,not a crime and, you know, 45%
unemployment. Just not the sameplace anymore. There's no law
and order, which is a shame.
(03:54):
That was the greatest livingcountry that I've ever seen in
my life. But let's hoping we canget some new leaders coming up
and can possibly change things.
At the moment, it's not doing aswell as we'd like to see or do.
Scott Radford (04:10):
You mentioned a statement somewhere you said I
always wanted to be differentfrom other athletes and that you
were interested in trying toincrease your vocabulary and
improve your speaking and begood at speaking like where did
that come from? Because that'sprobably not on the minds of
lots of budding sports stars andathletes out there.
Unknown (04:26):
Exactly. I mean, I think the command of the English
language is not very prevalentas athletes, they renowned as
poor speakers, but I played themanagers, the managers should
be, you know, even my father whowas poor, and left school at 15
years of age to support hisfamily. He always said to be
(04:49):
read, and try and speak well,and then obviously, my all time
hero was so Winston Churchill,and I We're so fascinated by his
command of the English language,his word. Besides his leadership
must be the greatest leader.
Certainly in the last 150 years,maybe all time. I don't know
(05:09):
about Caesar, then about theTrojans. And then about William
the great. I don't know aboutNapoleon, I've read about him.
But I've experienced woods andChurchill. So that makes a vast
difference in one's life. Butit's very important for young
athletes to speak well, if youwant to endorse, well, if you
want to be representingdifferent companies, you've got
(05:32):
to dress well. You got to yougotta shave every day. And you
got to be able to have goodmanners Manners maketh a man. So
and but there's today there's somuch money in athletics, that
people don't worry about thatthey spent on the field this but
everywhere, they don't shave,they don't worry about dress
code. You see some of them geton aeroplanes, it's disgusting.
(05:54):
But to change the world, it's avastly change world now. You see
the things I teach in schools ascompared? When I was young, I'm
so pleased that I lived in thetime that I lived in. But when
in Rome do as the Romans do,that's what we got to live with.
Now,
Scott Radford (06:13):
how were you able in the early stages of picking
up golf to differentiateyourself? Because it was it was
quite a quick trajectory fromwhat I hear
Unknown (06:21):
Scott, you know, there's a little thing called it
and it's indefinable. And I'vealways said to be a superstar in
golf, everybody uses the wordsuperstar and great so loosely,
to be a superstar. You gotta winsix total of six majors or more.
And we were doing some debatingand search the other day, there
(06:45):
are only 15 players in thehistory of golf, that have won
six or more major championships.
What did these people have thatwas different from other people.
It's a thing called itindefinable without being
repetitive. We have manydebates, we have not come to the
conclusion. I played with manypeople when I was young, they
were much better than me. Butwhen it came down the line of
(07:07):
major championships or bigtournaments, I beat them. Why?
Why in my life, I'm very calm.
I'm full of love. Very much likeChurchill, very much a cry baby.
Tears are a good message fromGod. So I'm not ashamed to cry.
(07:27):
I've been, as I say, verypatient. But the minute I got on
the golf course, was like,something just switched on. And
I became irritable, tense. Andall the sports that I've seen
Excel, most of them have beenirritable. If you look at Tiger
Woods, he's the best example. Imean, he didn't know didn't
(07:50):
know, he and I were verysimilar. We didn't know our
wives, we didn't know ourchildren. And when you play four
days of competitive golf, andyou wouldn't buy one shot,
that's a quarter of a shorterday. So you better be focused.
So what it does for you gets youfocused, and I'd come off the
golf course. And I was adifferent person. Now, why is
(08:10):
that? There's so many thingsabout the human, we haven't
scratched the surface of thehuman being. For example,
there's somebody is born rightnow in the last year that will
live to be 150 years of age. Youyoung people will see things
there'll be extrasensoryperception. If I'm in South
Africa, and I want to speak tomy daughter here in America, you
(08:30):
won't need a phone, there'll bea chip in your body. Or you'll
just speak to her. And peoplesay, Well, you're talking
nonsense. Well, there was a manwho had elephants in South
Africa, sent them to Iraq, Iraq,had their wall, he got in a boat
and brought them back to SouthAfrica, put them in their
natural habitat. And theyabsolutely adored this man part
of his family, he died, theywalked 30 miles to his house,
(08:54):
walked around his house for twodays, and then went back to
their natural habitat. Theydidn't know anything about SMS.
So that's a very good example ofthe kind of thing that's going
to happen with the human being.
So it's just as there's beensuch a change, and changes the
price of survival. If you lookat how golf for example, you
know, I've been saying I said onBBC Two, Peter Ellis 2530 years
(09:16):
ago, I said, Peter, one daythere's gonna be somebody hit
the ball. 400 yards, he said,absolute nonsense. Now I'm
telling you earlier at 500yards, saw a man the other day
he had 460 yards. I saidsomebody would win a major at
50. Now I'm saying somebody willwin a major at 60. You see, one
(09:36):
of the biggest improvements inthe human being now. Very few.
The majority of the world issuffering from obesity. So
obviously you can't live a longtime. Now when they're getting
cancer, heart attacks and allthe diseases. So the great
secret to living a long time andperforming well is to under eat
(09:58):
Some people talk about exercise.
Yes, it's important, but undereating is 70%. And exercising is
30%. Everybody thinks it's theother way around. So the human
being is going to change. Nowagain, when I started weight
training in 1953, even on Obamaand Jack Nicklaus said, You
can't do weight trading, it'llruin your golf. Well, we've seen
(10:21):
what if now, they got atravelling gymnasium, following
the players, they're all usingweight. Well, not all but the
majority. If you look at RoryMcIlroy, who's got the best
streak in the world today, I'vegot a feeling he's gonna win the
Masters this year. I keep sayingthat, but he hasn't won a major
I think in in 10 years, heshould have won the open. It's
an Andrews this year without aquestion. So I'm just hoping
(10:44):
you'll win the Masters to beanother Grand Slam winner, which
will be a great feather in thecap to have somebody from
Britain as a Grand Slam winner.
But it's so many things. It'shaving the right mind. It's
loving adversity. I think that'sthe greatest asset an athlete
can have. Particularly a golfer,I'm speaking in terms of a
golfer to love adversity,because golf, when you're
(11:06):
playing tournaments, from theminute you tee off to the time
you end is pretty muchadversity, maybe not to the
extent of some other examples.
But when I you know stress Ikeep up with oh, I can't the
stress. Everybody puts thatemphasis on stress. I love
stress. I think stress is goodfor you. Who can live without
(11:28):
stress. I'd like to meet thehuman being that is lived, that
doesn't have stress, whateveryou do, so make the best of it.
Don't feel sorry for yourselfand get in and work. But that's
another thing, no work ethic.
How do you get a young boytoday? Who lives in the west
with our culture? How do youexpect us to beat people that
are in China and other countrieswhere there's no freedom and
(11:52):
work and a habit? See peoplewouldn't $4 million in a golf
tournament. You think thatthey're not going to work twice
as hard as us. The work ethic issomething that we got to try and
try and maintain. They should bean incentive we incentivize as
Lee Kuan Yew, the great deed ofSingapore, the best read country
of the world. You know, he putgreat emphasis on
(12:14):
incentivization Well, whatgreater centralization? Can you
get them to play at a golftournament and win $4 million.
If you're a golfer, that's moremoney than on apartment and I
went in our golf careers on aregular tour together. But money
wasn't the criteria, we didn'tplay for the money. We wanted to
be the best. And at the time,there wasn't that amount of
(12:35):
money. There was sufficient. Andwe made our money afterwards in
endorsements. And today I makemore money at the age of nearly
88 And I did when I was worldchampion, you know representing
country companies like RolexBerenberg bank in Germany, PSG
golf equipment, etc, etc, etc.
(12:56):
So we never ever thought thatwould happen. But here it
happened. And so it depends onyour timing, but the work, the
work ethic is something that isvery, very important. And there
it is in front of you. You havethe choice.
Scott Radford (13:11):
Where did the work ethic get instilled in you
from Do you think you can't
Unknown (13:15):
work these things out, Scott, you know, their opinions
about a lot of things. Butnobody really knows. I mean, the
fact that I came home fromschool an hour and a half in a
tram and a bus got home andthere's nobody there dark house
at the age of nine and a cook myfood, make my bed, lay in bed
every night crying wishing I wasdead. I had one wonderful black
(13:39):
gentleman who came in once aweek and helped me a little bit
get organised in the househelped me tidy up, etc. So I
think having that adversity wasthe greatest gift bestowed upon
me ever. So everything from thenonwards, as I grew older and
started to play golf, it wasalmost downhill for me compared
(14:00):
to what I had as a youngster. SoI had already had the grounding,
the grounding of determinationof patience, of loving people of
heavy and good faith, ofexercising because my brother
before he went prior to going hestood in our garden and said,
you want to be a professionalsportsman, you're too small,
you're too weak. And he boughtme a second set of weights and
(14:24):
he said, well you practice andwork hard at this for the rest
of your life, which I've adhereto, and still work out still
push it nearly 93 pounds of mylegs, hundreds of situps run the
treadmill at max. All because Isleep well. I laugh a lot.
Laughing is a youthful cell thatspread throughout the system and
(14:46):
helps keep you young, asleepnine hours a night. I try and
under eat. That's the hardest ofeverything. But there are ways
and means of living to a longage. And so I try and argue at
least five things that I workedon every day to try to reach
that 100
Scott Radford (15:03):
You're literally the epitome of high performance,
which is why I was so excited tospeak to you today, going back
to the mental side of it,because you mentioned it a
little bit how you lovedadversity and stress. Was there
a time in your career where thatwasn't the case where you were
struggling? Maybe mentally?
Unknown (15:19):
Yeah, I think that's something you know, it's like
learning rithmetic at school,you know, it's a process, you
learn more as you go on. If youread a lot, I try and read as
much as I can. I'm not an avidreader, my wife was, but I'm a
reader. And I'm forever tryingto, I'm trying to be the best
orator of every athlete that'sever lived. That's not a great
(15:42):
achievement, because as Imentioned, they're not great
orators. But everything you dois a process. It just doesn't
happen. It's something you gotto work at, and something that
takes great patience, and agreat work ethic. And somebody
asked my hero, WinstonChurchill, why he was so
successful. I'll never forgetverbatim, he said, the height
(16:04):
that great men reached and kept,were not attained by sudden
flight, that while his opponentswere sleeping, he was toiling up
in the night. And that's what Idid. I had more balls than
anybody else. I exercise harderthan anybody else, all these 88
years. And that's what stood mein good stead. I used to go to a
(16:27):
dinner get back at 1130. I go tothe hotel managers say, Can I
use the gym? Nope, it's closed.
Sorry, please promise yourlocker app, keep it clean. And I
went to gym at that night. See,your body doesn't know whether
it's Monday or Friday, orwhether you're working out and
you're not working? Yeah. It'salways as he said, whilst your
opponents are sleeping. You weretoiling up at night. So the
(16:49):
message is very clear, it'sabundantly clear that you've got
to outwork people if you want todo well.
Scott Radford (16:57):
I want to take a few seconds to talk 2040 the
sponsors of this podcast,because to me, they're the
epitome of what high performanceis for young leaders and
decision makers looking to makea mark. So 2040 is a membership
community. That doesn't justhelp you accelerate
professionally. But it's alsohelped me grow and develop
personally to bowl intensivepurposes. This is an opportunity
community. And it bringstogether the next generation of
(17:20):
exceptional young talent andconnects those rising decision
makers to help them unlock theirfullest potential through the
power of their peers andcreating the opportunity for
each other. Now, when I joined2014, I went from feeling alone
in my entrepreneurial journeyand missing the energy and the
ideas and a collaboration ofothers, to having an endless new
source of high qualityconnections. Super long list of
(17:43):
the world's highest performersto interview which has been
epic. And even this partnershipthat has allowed us to scale the
show, all of its really comefrom the opportunities presented
at 2040. Also, the privateevents are absolutely legendary.
Imagine being able to meet likeminded people at really intimate
events hosted by global industryleaders, or even just rocking up
(18:04):
to a Friday afternoon, we worksession for a free bear. It's
all available at 2040. So ifyou're on that journey, as an
entrepreneur or a decision makerin your industry, and you want
to be immersed by people likeyourself, other rising talent
doing the same, going throughthe same journey and the same
struggles with all theopportunities that that
provides, go and check out 20code on forty.org.uk. All the
(18:26):
links will be in the show notes.
And I bet it will be the bestdecision you make this year. It
certainly was for me back to theshow. In terms of keeping that
momentum and that motivationgoing. Did you have a team
around you that helped sort offeed into that energy and pick
you up when you're on the daysthat you weren't wanting to
train, you must have had apretty good team around you as
(18:47):
well, right?
Unknown (18:50):
You're speaking like a typical young guy. Now I listen
to all these pros and they play.
But they sit down I'd say myteam, I've got a chauffeur. I've
got a machine I've got my ownjet. And the sanella team, we
didn't have teams we had we hada manager that was it was a
different times no jet we wentoff and went by Greyhound bus.
(19:14):
So several in the back of theaeroplane and, and went by train
all in Britain and carried myown bags and lived in hotels for
you know, maybe five pounds anight. So it was not complete.
There were no teams at all. Andnow I'll get perturbed when I
(19:34):
see the guys wasting money onall these things because doesn't
mean to say because you'remaking money today that you'll
be making it tomorrow. And myadvice to young guys are. Don't
let your managers ever investyour money. Let them make money
for you. And don't waste moneywith unnecessary things. Because
(19:55):
because you've got money today.
You might not have it tomorrow,as we've seen. Let's take a man
like Tiger Woods, one of thegreatest players that ever
lived. He joined the sealscouts, jumping off high walls
and ruined his knees and ruinedhis back. Then he has his car
(20:16):
accident of Reese recently, soyou never know what's gonna
happen. Alright, he's made somuch money that doesn't apply to
him. But you never know what'sin store for you. And you got to
be very wise in your decisionsvery wise. What's good today is
not necessarily good tomorrow.
Scott Radford (20:35):
I've been asked to ask you about Mark McCormack
and his influence on you and whyhe was so special.
Unknown (20:41):
Mark McCormick was a genius. I first met Mark
McCormack he was making $22,000a year, he ended up a multi
billionaire, you gave me acouple of sayings that remained
with me all my life. And that isa blunt pencil is better than a
sharp memory. He says nobody canremember. Anybody who tries to
(21:03):
remember is a conceited fool,and to write everything down. If
young people would only do that,because the time comes by and
goes by and you look back andsay, What did I say? What did I
do? You can't remember mybrother, who is the leading
conservationist in the world,and save the Rhino from Biggie
becoming extinct until theChinese and the and the Asian
(21:27):
people started coming into SouthAfrica and killing Karina,
taking the horns. He saved therhino at that stage and said
rhinos all around the world ingame reserves. And so he had
vision. And he was also thesame, you know, he said, Write
everything down, keep keep, hesaid to me, make sure you keep a
(21:49):
diary. And I did not do that.
And now I've written somethinglike over 20 books. And it comes
to time, you got to try andremember things. If I could just
take that diary and say, Here'smy ghostwriter. Here it is, it's
all here. Well, we live in adifferent world now, obviously,
of conveniency, with the phones,and the laptops, etc, etc. It's
(22:10):
a different world. But it'svitally important to have a good
memory and to write things down.
Not try and remember,
Scott Radford (22:20):
I think you're speaking directly to me there
because I'm a professionaltraveller. I'm pretty sure I
still forget my pants, everythird trip I go on. So you've,
you've played golf with someincredible people. And you've
obviously met some incrediblepeople as well. And obviously,
your rivals in Arnold Palmer andsome of the greats in the game,
and also some world leaders aswell. Is there anyone that sort
(22:40):
of sticks out in your memory assomebody that almost gave you
lessons in life?
Unknown (22:46):
You know, I play a lot of golf with Donald Trump. And,
funnily enough, he reminds me alot of Churchill. He's not a
diplomat. He gives his opinionwhen asked, and he does not come
across to the average person, asthough he's got love in his
heart. But he does. He's got afamily that did. So well
(23:09):
mannered and manners maketh aman, charming wife, his
principles, what he's done, weneed tough leaders like
Churchill, to stand up forfreedom. And freedom is dying in
the world rapidly. There's solittle freedom left in the world
today. And soldiers like mybrother, and the people of
(23:30):
Britain and America, these youngmen went to war, if you think of
Normandy, they went and theyfought rather world for freedom,
a world that I cherish andappreciate because I lived in
the midst of apartheid. I'veseen communism in China, I've
seen around the rest of theworld, what it's like to live
with freedom is a greatblessing. And unfortunately,
(23:52):
it's crumbling.
Scott Radford (23:54):
Is that what do you think drives you still to
this day? Because I mean, yourlegacy is completely without
question, both from a golfingpoint of view, but also the work
you do in the foundations, thegolf design, everything you do
on a global stage, like, is thatwhat's still driving you to this
day? Well, very
Unknown (24:11):
much. So. You know, you're talking about what drives
me. I mean, it's quiteinteresting at my age where you
think where I've just travelled,in one trip, most people in
their lifetime never do that.
Time changes that, that I'vetravelled all my life. But my
legacy, my legacy, really, my mytheory is, yes, I can sit here.
(24:33):
I'm not boasting when I saythis, but I'm the only man
that's won the grand slam on theregular Turner senior to have
won more tournaments than anyman that's alive today have won
more national championships.
Then on apartment, JackNicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory
put together but my legacy ischanging the lives of people due
(24:56):
to the fact that I experiencedwhat it is like to have nothing
and my company in one way oranother, has raised well over
$100 million, and has changedthe lives of 1000s and 1000s of
people, just this week comingup, now, we having the Gary
Player and Vivian foundationcharity match, we'll make, we'll
(25:19):
make close to a million dollars.
And we take it into theseunderprivileged schools and
hospitals and people that don'thave an opportunity to have
clothes and toys. And we helpchange the lives and America I
must say, is an incrediblecountry, at giving and helping
people. That's, that's my,that's my joy. That's if if you
knock on the door in heaven toget in there, you're not going
(25:43):
to get in there by just being agreat athlete or a rich man. I
think it helps it helps if youcontribute to society, and
that's Margaret joy. That's,that gives me such pleasure to
see young people and visitpeople. But I build schools in
South Africa, hospitals,churches, sponsored black
golfers, and to be doing that,and building aid centres in
(26:07):
China, homeless schools,homeless homes, we got the poll
that I did with a very big bank,right? In London, we've taken
people off the streets, thatwere sleeping in the streets,
and everybody calls them bums tothe country, we took these
people and gave them theopportunity. And now they acting
and lawyers and doctors as such,if you give people an
(26:30):
opportunity in life, but wequick to criticise people,
because they lying in thestreets.
Scott Radford (26:37):
On that point, what one ingredient? Would you
have maybe a bit of advice forother people in terms of being
able to make their own smallpiece of impact with the
influence that they have? How doyou come up with these ideas and
put them into practice?
Unknown (26:52):
You know, it comes back to that thing called it. You
can't explain why you think thethings the only thing I can
explain why. Why I'm a crybaby,and why I have a lot of love in
my heart is because of what Iexperienced in my life. Not
having a mother I mean, mymother never saw me hit a golf
or when did you become a worldchampion, your mother never even
(27:13):
saw you hit a golf ball. And tobecome a world champion, and
anything is very, very difficultto say the least. You know,
competition has always beenfierce. Everybody thinks it's
fierce today. It's always beenfierce. So I can't give you the
answers. What actually happened.
I wish I knew I'm still in myinfancy. I have a friend who is
a genius we still trying to workout. You know, he said a very
(27:35):
interesting thing the other day,he said, a cell phone. We only
found out about wi fi 20 yearsago, and yet we've been in
existence for over a millionyears, whatever the number is 20
years ago. He says your phonewon't work without the Wi Fi.
There's a Wi Fi up there. Hesays some people get more Wi Fi
in their bodies, which make themexcel more than others. Now, I
(27:58):
don't necessarily believe inthat. But he's talking about
scientific fields, which isbeyond my comprehension. But
he's talking about scientificfields, and things that we will
find out you in your lifetimewe'll find out things that we
never even dreamt of. As Imentioned earlier, we are now
infancy
Scott Radford (28:17):
you must have spoken to Jack Nicklaus about
this it and come up with sometheories as he got an input on
what it could have been becauseyou must have walked into
tournaments knowing that youguys had the edge in some
respect.
Unknown (28:33):
Haven't really sat down at any great length of time
discussing it with auto Jack,who are the players but I do
know Jack always said golfshould not be called golf, it
should be called patience. Andas we know the old saying that
patience is a virtue. How manypeople have patience, if you
stop at the robot, just a secondlonger of its turn green guards
(28:54):
are talking the Hooters at you.
You know if you see you'redriving along the highway and a
man is going across the road, ifhe waits 10 seconds and let you
go, but now he's got to zoom outin front of you. The impatience
is, unfortunately, impatienceoverrules patience. And so we
got to work on patience. I thinkenjoying the accepting the
(29:15):
adversity and believing inyourself. I think that's a great
asset. A lot of people say theydo believe in themselves, but
when they get on the first teeat the British Open or the open,
they're not truly believing inthemselves. You're going to
actually believe I know when Iplayed Jack Nicklaus in the
final of the world match playchampionship at went with a golf
(29:37):
club, which I adore. I'm playingagainst Nicklaus and the final
courses long, it's wet, and 12newspapers unanimously said he
will beat me while I beat himsix and four. And the next year,
the same thing of good. I'vebeen in five and four. I said
him because he's my best friend.
I can teach him. I said, you'relucky we're not playing a third
(29:59):
time there. It's time I'd reallygive you a hiding. So, you know,
it's, it's all a matter of themind. The mind is the answer.
The mind is the answer. Can youcultivate it to the extent? Is
it a gift? On the other hand?
Yes. Is it it? Yes. Maybe inyour time and time to come.
Because if you did a surveyamongst 10 people, you get 10
(30:23):
different answers. It's not adefinite answer. And coming back
to why you do these things,everybody has a debt incurred.
Anybody who makes money on life,must remember that they never
had money to start with, unlessthey inherited it, which that's,
I wouldn't pat myself on theback by inheriting money. But
(30:45):
you still got a debt and good tohelp somebody if it's only just
one person, do something to helpothers in the world. Because we
all needed help in our lives. Iknow how I was helped in my
life. So that's maybe that's thereason you asked me what I do.
Because I was helped to a greatextent, coming along, a helping
(31:05):
hand was given to me. And somaybe it's just a matter of
loyalty. It's a matter ofdecency, it's a matter of
appreciation, and giving back.
If you've won,
Scott Radford (31:21):
probably more times than most golfers would
ever even conceived possible towin in your career? Is there one
moment or memory or victory thatis bigger or more important to
you looking back?
Unknown (31:35):
Well, as I said earlier, I've won more
tournaments than any man alivetoday. I think that's a feather
in my cap. But they are, theyare tournaments that are
obviously more important thanothers, and to be the only man
on the planet, to win the grandslam on the regular tour and the
grand slam on the senior tour.
My personal opinion, the grandslam on the senior tour was more
(31:57):
difficult than the grand slam onthe regular tour. I was young, I
was strong, confident. Now yougo on a senior tour of the 50,
or at 50. And over. And I wasjust as fit at 50 as I was when
I was 25. And I think that stoodme in good stead. And I think
the work the work ethic, andwhat I dedicated my life to
(32:20):
being to maintain youth, energy,patience, all the trials and
errors that I went through, thatkept my age young through
fitness and eating properly. Ithink that gave me the big
thrill to be the only man to dothat. On the planet.
Scott Radford (32:41):
Gary, before we go, we got a few quickfire
questions. The first one is onepiece of advice you would tell
your younger self beforestarting out.
Unknown (32:51):
I would first of all, I use the word gratitude. I think
people take a lot for granted.
You know, if you look at theworld today, how many people
have a beautiful shower, a batha car, air conditioning,
schools, food, etc, etc, etc. 70young people and I address young
(33:13):
people. And I addressuniversities as well in business
men, the highest Echelon in theworld. And I my first word I
talk about is gratitude. And wemust never forget the people in
this room are in the 1% of theworld. Think about the people
that don't have anything. So I'mgonna go out there, I'm gonna
try my hardest. Because I'm soblessed to have the opportunity.
(33:35):
I'm going to do my very, verybest if I'm successful, so be
it. If not, I'll come backtomorrow and be successful,
believing in yourself and begrateful that you have the
opportunity,
Scott Radford (33:50):
one mantra or belief that has enabled your
high performance life.
Unknown (33:54):
I think having faith having faith is has helped me a
lot in my life, to acceptadversity and you know, my wife
has died. We've been togetherfor 72 years. And the most
incredible wife, what she didfor me and my 22 grandchildren,
and my six children and greatgrandchildren. That's something
(34:18):
that is very special in my life.
Now she dies. Can you imagine? Alot of people feel sorry for
themselves. They get depressedand they die very quickly after
the spouse has gone not me. Lifeis one of the greatest gifts
bestowed upon you. So Messiahnow die of Sauron. I did mourn.
I have tears in my eyes thinkingof her a lot. But now I've got
(34:41):
to go on in life. You know, lifeis full of adversities. And
unfortunately schools purelyacademically are teaching and
universities. They're not givingthem the true facts of life.
There's so many things they'renot teaching them about how to
accept adversity. You Learn howto have manners and how to treat
people, and how to smile whenyou meet somebody. There's so
(35:05):
many things, they're not payingthe elementary things they're
not teaching. Now admit parentalguidance is important. But some
people don't have parents. Sowhen we go to school, you know,
if you go to Oxford orCambridge, do they really teach,
they really teach people thosevitally important things other
than educating them? Alonggetting a degree, getting a
(35:29):
degree in life is not justacademically, it's a lot of
other things and a lot of othersides to it as well.
Scott Radford (35:37):
One ingredient or habit that has contributed to
your success the most? I thinkthere's probably quite a lot of
ingredients and habits thatyou've used along your time.
Unknown (35:45):
Oh, no question.
There's just one having a strongfaith. That's the no question.
Don't debate.
Scott Radford (35:52):
And finally, I'm not too sure what I'm going to
get from this answer. But what'syour go to tune or artist in
terms of music? What do you goto in terms of music to get you
in the mood or get you in thezone or even just to get
yourself relaxed?
Unknown (36:07):
Very good question. I love music. I love opera. I love
country music, country musicalways got a message. I love the
BGS. Now, whenever I do aspeech, which I do a lot of a
lot of speeches, when Iintroduced always have the song
staying alive, that has got areal beat. And what I do is I
(36:28):
dance before I speak. And I takethree ladies out of the gallery
and I pick them out and I standup and I dance with them. So we
start off with the right vibe.
And I love to dance and I lovemusic. Man. I just love music
across the board. African music.
I got a song calm malema,malema, Malema. It's it's just
(36:53):
African music. Look, whereveryou go. If you go to Spain,
wherever you go, I've got themusic. And I just love music. I
think that makes you happy. Ilove the song when they said was
the most appropriate song. Behappy. You got to travel, you
make a double. You never feelsorry for yourself. Nobody
(37:17):
cares. A damn. You know that oldsong when you're smiling. The
whole world smiles with you whenyou're crying. Nobody cries with
you. Boy, that's such a truesaying.
Scott Radford (37:28):
Thank you so much for your time today, Gary. I'm
just thinking about how muchgratitude I have for your time
today. Because I don't Iprobably haven't warranted this
hour of your time. But I knowthat your your words today are
going to help so so many peoplein my network and listening to
this podcast. So thank you forthe work that you do with your
foundation, the legacy thatyou've left, and just how you
(37:50):
show up in the world still todayis like it's so inspiring. So
thank you. Well, thank
Unknown (37:55):
you and we must never forget that the use of a nation
are the trustees of posterity.
We got to educate the youth forthe future. And secondly, I love
Britain, my whole family treesfrom Britain. My father's love
to Britain. Take care
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!