Show Notes
Few people have enjoyed a better seat from which to watch the story of modern professional golf unfold than Gordon Simpson.
A sports journalist from the age of 17, Gordon became golf correspondent of the Press & Journal in Aberdeen aged 21 — and promptly found himself walking every yard of the final two rounds of legendary 1977 Open at Turnberry as Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus fought out the Duel in the Sun. From there came football World Cups, Masters Tournaments, Ryder Cups and encounters with many of sport's biggest personalities.
In this episode of This Golfing Life, Gordon recalls the old newspaper world of hot metal, being desperately ill on his first morning at Augusta in 1996, watching Nick Faldo dismantle Norman six days later and then winning the press ballot to play Augusta National himself the following morning. A year later he watched Tiger transform the sport — and heard Earl Woods make predictions about his son that initially seemed preposterous.
Gordon later crossed what he calls the "Great Divide", becoming Director of Communications for the European Tour and seeing professional golf from the inside looking out. He shares memories of flying over North America on 9/11, Darren Clarke's emotional Ryder Cup at the K Club, Paul McGinley's obsessive attention to detail — and the excruciating moment Gordon invited Hunter Mahan to speak after the 2010 defeat at Celtic Manor, only for Mahan to burst into tears.
Finally, Gordon explains how a story told to him by a European Tour colleague provided the ending for his debut crime novel, Four Deadly Swings, which is set around a professional golf tournament at Wentworth, Gordon's professional home for many years.
Chapters
00:00 — Introducing this week’s guest and his connection to Wentworth
03:21 — Growing up surrounded by sport
05:43 — From junior reporter to golf correspondent at 21
10:13 — Drinking, smoking and hot metal: a different time for newspapers
17:52 — Turnberry 1977 and The Duel in the Sun
19:59 — Tom Watson: triumph, heartbreak and enduring class
25:00 — World Cups, Kenny Dalglish and an airport security scare
30:06 — Gordon's unforgettable first Masters34:24 — Playing Augusta National
38:39 — 1997: Tiger Woods changes everything
42:16 — Crossing the Great Divide
47:03 — The golfers behind the public personas
50:48 — Seve destroys Gordon's interview in two questions
54:36 — Flying over America on 9/11 and getting stranded in Canada
57:48 — The Ryder Cup press conference from hell01:00:47 — Darren Clarke and the K Club
01:06:06 — What makes a great Ryder Cup captain?
01:09:10 — ‘Four Deadly Swings’, Gordon’s new crime thriller set at Wentworth
01:15:13 — What golf has given Gordon Simpson
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