Michael Jordan: Still Competitive (On The Golf Course) After NBA Retirement (Part #2)
http://www.golftribune.com/articles/19/1/Michael-Jordan-Still-Competitive-On-The-Golf-Course-After-NBA-Retirement-Part-2/Page1.html
James Raia
By James Raia
Published on 09/23/2007
Without the NBA or professional baseball (Jordan briefly played the Chicago White Sox organization in the mid 1990s) it's golf that now envelopes Jordan's passion to win. And while not on the level of Woods or the rest of the PGA Tour, Jordan's interest in golf is no different that his quest to win NBA titles.
Now age 41, first learned to play golf as a college junior. Love and Jordan's roommate at North Carolina were friends, and when Jordan was introduced to Love and first play the game, he was enthralled.
Without the NBA or professional baseball (Jordan briefly played the Chicago White Sox organization in the mid 1990s) it's golf that now envelopes Jordan's passion to win. And while not on the level of Woods or the rest of the PGA Tour, Jordan's interest in golf is no different that his quest to win NBA titles.Now age 41, first learned to play golf as a college junior. Love and Jordan's roommate at North Carolina were friends, and when Jordan was introduced to Love and first play the game, he was enthralled.
Without the NBA or professional baseball (Jordan briefly played the Chicago White Sox organization in the mid 1990s) it's golf that now envelopes Jordan's passion to win. And while not on the level of Woods or the rest of the PGA Tour, Jordan's interest in golf is no different that his quest to win NBA titles.
Now age 41, first learned to play golf as a college junior. Love and Jordan's roommate at North Carolina were friends, and when Jordan was introduced to Love and first play the game, he was enthralled.
Five years ago, when he began to increase his appearances on the former Celebrity Golf Association, the tour's official guide profiled Jordan. In the feature article by Mark Vancil, Jordan's passion for golf was detailed with some astounding statistics. The former NBA star is reportedly a member of an estimated dozen private clubs and owns more than 40 sets of clubs. He had a 3,500-square foot putting green in his back yard and he has state-of-the-art golf computer equipment in his basement. And while his business schedule doesn't always allow regular year-round play, Jordan has been known to complete 36 holes daily.
"I did get the bug, like anyone who had never played the game," Jordan recalled in the profile. "I had a lot to learn. But I got good help with my swing right from the beginning so I was able to develop my game fairly quickly even though I didn't have much experience."
Although the rumors have waned in recent years, when Jordan first retired from the NBA, there was plenty of discussion he longed to play on the Champions Tour. Under the Tour's new guidelines, Jordan would be eligible to compete in the circuit for players age 45 and older in 2008.
And while unlikely, Jordan's golf game has been both praised and criticized by professionals. He has a powerful tee shot, an accurate short game and a fluid swing. But because of his strength, size (Jordan is 6-foot-6) and large hands, Jordan tends to overswing and he closes his club face on approach shots. As a result, he often hooks shots. Jordan also knows that unlike the NBA, aggression on a golf course can be detrimental.
"I'm a feel player, so I have a naturally good short," he said. "But the aggression you need on a basketball court doesn't translate to golf. When I stood at the free-throw line, I didn't think about mechanics. But on the golf course, I thinking about what not to do. If you've go those negative thoughts in your head, you'll probably hit a bad shot."
Again, Considering his competitive nature, Jordan would have preferred to win his own tournament rather than witness its playoff, and he'll likely have plenty of chances to win considering the tournament's success.
But fact is, Jordan did win. His penchant for success, on and off the court has given him NBA titles and now a 20-year platform for his charitable championships.
" I don't care what it is, golf, basketball or pool," Jordan has often said. "If the person standing between success and failure is me, then I'll take myself every time."
Now age 41, first learned to play golf as a college junior. Love and Jordan's roommate at North Carolina were friends, and when Jordan was introduced to Love and first play the game, he was enthralled.
Five years ago, when he began to increase his appearances on the former Celebrity Golf Association, the tour's official guide profiled Jordan. In the feature article by Mark Vancil, Jordan's passion for golf was detailed with some astounding statistics. The former NBA star is reportedly a member of an estimated dozen private clubs and owns more than 40 sets of clubs. He had a 3,500-square foot putting green in his back yard and he has state-of-the-art golf computer equipment in his basement. And while his business schedule doesn't always allow regular year-round play, Jordan has been known to complete 36 holes daily.
"I did get the bug, like anyone who had never played the game," Jordan recalled in the profile. "I had a lot to learn. But I got good help with my swing right from the beginning so I was able to develop my game fairly quickly even though I didn't have much experience."
Although the rumors have waned in recent years, when Jordan first retired from the NBA, there was plenty of discussion he longed to play on the Champions Tour. Under the Tour's new guidelines, Jordan would be eligible to compete in the circuit for players age 45 and older in 2008.
And while unlikely, Jordan's golf game has been both praised and criticized by professionals. He has a powerful tee shot, an accurate short game and a fluid swing. But because of his strength, size (Jordan is 6-foot-6) and large hands, Jordan tends to overswing and he closes his club face on approach shots. As a result, he often hooks shots. Jordan also knows that unlike the NBA, aggression on a golf course can be detrimental.
"I'm a feel player, so I have a naturally good short," he said. "But the aggression you need on a basketball court doesn't translate to golf. When I stood at the free-throw line, I didn't think about mechanics. But on the golf course, I thinking about what not to do. If you've go those negative thoughts in your head, you'll probably hit a bad shot."
Again, Considering his competitive nature, Jordan would have preferred to win his own tournament rather than witness its playoff, and he'll likely have plenty of chances to win considering the tournament's success.
But fact is, Jordan did win. His penchant for success, on and off the court has given him NBA titles and now a 20-year platform for his charitable championships.
" I don't care what it is, golf, basketball or pool," Jordan has often said. "If the person standing between success and failure is me, then I'll take myself every time."