Golf Houston Club

With the Insperity Invitational this weekend Kyle Burns, with Golf Houston, was given the opportunity to talk with Hal Sutton and talk a little about his career and the upcoming tournament. 

I just wanted to say first and for most, happy belated birthday, saw it was your birthday yesterday, is that correct?

“Yea it was”

Didn’t know if you did anything around Houston for it?

“Went to dinner, it was a quite evening, which was nice.”

I noticed you won the 2001 Shell Houston Open at TPC Woodlands and the (1998) Valero Texas Open. Just wanted to know what it is about Houston or Texas, in general, that brings out your best game?

“I guess it’s close to home, grasses are similar, a lot friends and family around, and it’s a comfortable atmosphere, I don’t feel far from home. And I like the course, guess that’s an added advantage.”

How’s your game?

“Well it hasn’t been very good, but it’s getting better right now. I’m looking forward to some better golf.”

I know you had your hips taken care of by Stryker?

“Yea I’ve had both of my hips replaced with the Stryker mobility joints. That was a challenge you know, I’m pain-free, but when you get both of your hips replaced, moving a golf swing at a professional level becomes a little more difficult than it was. Joint replacement is an incredible thing for people trying to live a normal life, which they can make pain free and is an amazing thing. But I’m trying to swing a golf club at 110 miles per hour….”

What do you focus on after a major injury or time off to get your game at a high level?

“You focus on your balance again. If you don’t have good balance you can’t swing a golf club properly. Good balance has many things that are components of that. Weight shift at the right time, less arms more body, all those things create better balance, and better balance creates a better golf swing”

Are there any common tips for your amateurs in the Houston area, that might be shooting 100 that could help their game?

“Tempo and balance, try to swing within yourself. Most of the time, everybody is lashing at it all the time trying to get as much distance all the time. Controlled speed is what creates distance, not uncontrolled speed.”

In noticed your victory at the TPC Saltgrass, (2000) The Players Championship and (1983) PGA Championship you beat Tiger (Woods) and Jack (Nicholas) by one stroke. I was curious how you were able to elevate your game to that level, with that kind of pressure, on the biggest stage?

“Well in both instances I was playing really good at the time. You just don’t walk in and not be playing well and then all of a sudden play well like that. I had built up to that moment with some good play and everything that I was doing was putting confidence into my game. Just happy to be on golf courses I like, Riviera and TPC, I like both of those golf courses a lot. They seem to fit my game pretty good. “ Said Hal. He concluded with, “Someone’s gotta win the golf tournament, and we all put our pants on the same way, so might as well be me then one of the others. That’s the way I looked at it.”

Who would be the best player you’ve ever played with?

“Well, both of those players (Tiger Woods and Jack Nicholas) would come to the top of the heap pretty quickly…..I mean Nicholas won more championships. He won 18 majors…Tiger hasn’t done that, so pretty tough to argue with Jack Nicholas about being that guy.”

You were at the ’99 Ryder Cup, is that right? How was that being there, I’m from Boston??

“It was awesome, pretty electrifying. It was a high and low week. We felt like we had the better team of the bunch, but at the same time we got 4 down going into Sunday. We were able to pull together and pull that off on Sunday. It was just fun to be part of it. You know, I was the second guy off that day and the first 6 groups we pretty much….everybody one by a lot. And because all the puts were going it the hole, it was pretty electrifying.

I think that was right around when golf became really popular in America, and it’s pretty cool that you were there for that moment and were a part of it.

“It certainly is one of the highlights of my career. Remembering those moments together with teammates. This is an individual sport, where we do things individually. So when you do things as a team it’s a lot of fun cause there're people to share the excitement with.”

Is there anything you’re working on right now going into this week at the Insperity?

“Balance, that's what I work on every week. Trying to get better balance, and balance helps you with your tempo and so that’s what I work on every week.”

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Hal, we wish you the best of luck in the upcoming Insperity Invitational.

Click here to listen to the audio of the interview.