Fred {Couples} final week on the Boeing Basic.
Getty Photographs
Fred {Couples} and Ed Evans, after a pleasantry alternate, go to work. Evans, the Shopper Mobile CEO, is taking part in the Boeing Basic pro-am, {Couples} is among the most sought-after professionals, and so they’re on the vary at The Membership at Snoqualmie Ridge, a few half-hour east of Seattle, {Couples}’ hometown.
Evans hits.
“Candy,” {Couples} says.
Evans hits once more.
“Stunning,” {Couples} says.
Evans hits once more.
“Geez, what’s your handicap,” {Couples} asks.
“Principally my swing,” Evans cracks.
A tried-and-true golf line, if ever there have been one. However {Couples} asks once more, and Evans says it’s a 12 — and on the subsequent swing, some proof comes out. Evans is fortunate, although. Proven on a video lately shared by the PGA Tour Champions social media group, he was “just a little fast” on his swing, and {Couples}, a tempo grasp, had a thought.
It featured “dancing.”
On the video, the alternate went this manner:
“So, just a little fast,” {Couples} stated. “I say this lots on this. In case you can — are you able to depend when you’re hitting?”
Evans stated he might.
“Are you able to go, one, two, and make contact at three?” {Couples} requested.
Evans stated he had thought he might. He hit.
“One, two. Good,” {Couples} stated. “Now, you hit all of them like that, besides the one you thinned. However whenever you get just a little — no, solely whenever you get just a little fast and all that’s …”
“Simply received to depend,” Evans stated.
“It’s the primary foot and a half away from the ball,” {Couples} stated, “and I do it, too, and I attempt to go as gradual as I can after which rip it once I apply. However for you, if you happen to simply give it just a little such as you’re dancing. Little one, two, three.”
Evans hit once more.
“That’s good,” {Couples} stated. “It’s going to go two or three yards additional too.”
Editor’s be aware: Additionally on the Boeing event, {Couples} dished on his gear setup to the Champions’ social media group, and that story will be learn by clicking right here, or scrolling under. Its headline is: “Why Fred {Couples} is ‘loving life’ — with ‘an outdated man’s bag’”
***
Fred {Couples}, the final time we noticed him, was wounded. In April, on the Masters, longtime again points nagged, and it had delivered a nuisance.
He couldn’t hit an iron, a staggering thought for one in every of golf’s all-time candy swingers.
“I went round, each wooden I hit was actually, actually strong, however it’s howling,” he stated. “However an iron, as quickly as I hit, I — on 7 I hit a 6-iron as a result of I didn’t know what else to hit, and I carried it about 100 yards. No. 9, I hit an excellent drive after which had 125, and I had 50 yards left for my third. I can’t hit an iron. My physique gained’t let me do it.
“It was actually, I don’t wish to say no enjoyable as a result of it’s Augusta, however swinging was a chore.”
After taking pictures rounds of 80 and 76 to overlook the reduce at Augusta Nationwide, he lamented extra in his session with reporters.
“My again is shot,” the 1992 Masters winner stated. “I’ve extra stuff on simply to play. The longer the membership, I’m OK. I didn’t have any velocity. I used to be driving it 260. However most of them have been going straight. It was enjoyable. It was actually tough.
“If I’d have had extra woods, truthfully, yesterday, I in all probability might have shot 75, however I didn’t know — I sort of downplayed how unhealthy I felt. I ought to have had 11-wood to hit 140 yards. I couldn’t even hit an 8-iron. I couldn’t swing.”
With that, we go to this week and The Membership at Snoqualmie Ridge, the place {Couples} has returned. The course, a few half-hour east of his hometown of Seattle, is internet hosting the PGA Tour Champions’ Boeing Basic, and {Couples} was smiling.
In his bag earlier within the week have been all types of head covers. He had a driver. And a 3-wood. And a 5-wood.
And a 4-rescue. And a 5-rescue. And a 6-rescue. These had seemingly changed the pesky irons.
A PGA Tour Champions social-media employee had seen the setup, and he began this alternate with {Couples}:
“You could have an outdated man’s bag.”
“I’ve six woods,” {Couples} stated. “Driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, 4-rescue, 5-rescue, 6-rescue.
“And I’m loving life. It’s going to get me by these three days.”
The decision by two rounds? A two-under 70 on day one. A 71 on day two. He was contending.
It additionally supported a pledge he made again in April at Augusta.
The 64-year-old can be again on the Masters in 2025. And 2026.
“I’m planning on being wholesome and making the reduce and telling Fred [ANGC chairman Fred Ridley] I’m coming again the subsequent 12 months, too,” {Couples} stated. “This was actually ugly. Yesterday there have been a number of occasions I ought to haven’t performed, however I believed I might assist these guys that I used to be taking part in with just a little bit despite the fact that they’re out-driving me by 50 yards with the wind, so I didn’t wish to give up.”
Did he have an concept how for much longer he would proceed to play?
“Properly, I’ve received to get my again mounted,” {Couples} stated. “I might play eternally, however I can’t play like this. I withdrew at Newport [the Champions’ Hoag Classic], I withdrew at Palm Springs [the Champions’ Galleri Classic], and I’m not withdrawing right here, and I felt higher at these locations making an attempt to guarantee that I might come right here. I performed 9 holes in a apply spherical and performed round it, by no means actually hit an iron. Then I got here out right here and also you’re in competitors, and also you hit a superb drive just a little farther and now you’ve received 160 yards. I can’t hit a wooden, so I hit an iron.
“Yesterday on the seventeenth gap, I believed I used to be going to not be capable to stroll, and I simply took my time and bogeyed 16, 17 and 18 simply to complete. But it surely’s all all proper.”
