Fred {Couples} on the PNC Championship in December.
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Photos
There comes a degree in nearly each golfer’s life the place they understand it’s time to ditch the lengthy irons and transfer to hybrids.
For many, this entails taking out the 4-iron in favor of a 4-hybrid (hopefully that 3-iron is lengthy gone!), however in Fred {Couples}’ case— the 1992 Masters champ who performed the tour in an period the place 1-PW was nonetheless a typical set of irons— he went a little bit additional.
Again in September, {Couples} was displaying off a golf bag full of headcovers! Seven, should you depend the putter, that’s half the bag! He was carrying a driver, two fairway woods and three hybrids, making the 7-iron the longest iron he performed. GOLF’s Josh Sens chronicled the brand new setup and folks flocked learn why “Increase Increase” had all of the sudden smashed a golf stigma.
Fred Couple’s six-wood/hybrid setup
Telltale indicators of ageing: grey hair, balky again, golf bag full of hybrids.
As of late, Fred {Couples} checks all these containers. However even at 64, with a silver mane, assorted aches and pains, and a a lot slower swing pace than he as soon as possessed, the famously laidback veteran retains his youthful spirit. And he’s not too proud to poke enjoyable at himself.
A reminder got here in a social media submit from Pebble Seashore, when {Couples} performed within the Pure Insurance coverage Championship in September, on the PGA Tour Champions. The snippet is classic {Couples}: cool, collected, self-deprecating.
With a digicam on him as he stands within the fairway of the par-4 eighth gap, {Couples} is requested in regards to the arsenal of woods and hybrids he now carries. Six altogether.
“Everybody retains speaking about ‘em,” he says of his newly configured setup. Different golfers may be embarrassed. {Couples} merely shrugs off the stigma. “I’m like, so I bought my longest iron is a 7. Who cares?”
A former World No. 1 with 64 skilled wins to his title, together with the 1992 Masters, {Couples} was one of many recreation’s greatest hitters in his prime. Not for nothing, his nickname was ‘Increase-boom.’ And, regardless of longstanding again issues, his languid swing nonetheless has some pop.
However age drains distance from each golfer’s recreation, and, as {Couples} detailed on the Masters earlier this yr, long- and mid-irons are not any good for his balky again.
Knowledgeable by his caddie that he has 177 yards remaining to the inexperienced, {Couples} doesn’t hesitate in membership choice.
“Somewhat 6-rescue for the boys,” he says earlier than flushing an strategy that earns the approval of his taking part in companion, Jay Haas.
Fred {Couples}’ fast tip for improved tempo? It options ‘dancing’
“6?” Haas asks.
“6-rescue,” {Couples} replies. “Higher than the 5. You recognize, I couldn’t hit that with a 6-iron. I’m not robust sufficient anymore. I hate to say that.”
He pauses. Grins.
“Very smooth,” he says.
It’s a relatable second for any golfer going through the ravages of time, delivered by a Corridor-of-Famer who has lengthy had an Everyman’s enchantment.
There are different charming tidbits within the submit as properly, together with a semi-explanation for why he wipes his grips down with a towel earlier than each shot (“It’s a nasty behavior,” he concedes), and a narrative about his former caddie, Joe La Cava, who used to rib {Couples} by telling him his recreation had “a number of too’s.”
“Too weak. An excessive amount of tough,” {Couples} says. “What number of balls you need to hit? Not too many.”
When {Couples} is at his easygoing greatest, followers can by no means get an excessive amount of.
