Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Tales From the 19th Hole
|
||||
 (photo: Eddie Meeks) Best known to movie buffs as Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather,” being terrorized by Kathy Bates in “Misery,” as Brian Piccolo in “Brian’s Song,” or as Will Ferrell’s father in “Elf,” James Caan has played dozens of roles on screen and is loved by many. You might not be surprised to learn that The former Michigan State University quarterback and black belt in karate is also a huge golf enthusiast. This April 23, Caan will host the 9th Annual James Caan Classic at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif., to benefit Impact Treatment Centers, which help people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Golf has been a huge part of Caan’s life, and from what we’ve heard, it seems he never stops tweaking his game. When did you start playing golf? I started playing golf in 2001. Before that, I was involved as a rodeo cowboy and I enjoyed karate tournaments. Have you been taking lessons? Yeah, but I don’t know where they are now. I’m playing okay. Like many people, I’ll shoot 38 on the front and 58 on the back. I don’t know what’s coming. As you hold your club, I see that you have a neutral grip position. What is your grip pressure? On my left hand, I hold with about a 6, and on my right hand, I’ll be a little lighter. I think of it as a 4. Have you worked a lot on your grip? Well, I was told to take the first two fingers of my right hand off, and I was hitting it pretty good. But you see, I can’t get that through my head. That easy swing just doesn’t fit with me because I’m used to beating the crap out of stuff. Sounds like you’ve thought a lot about the swing. (laughing) Yes, I used to have 100 swing thoughts, and now I’m down to 36. What are your favorite Southland courses? The Bridges (where he shot a 78) is just gorgeous. Del Mar Country Club. El Caballero Country Club. Do you have a general playing philosophy? The idea is to hit the ball at the target. That’s it. But for the most of us, our heads get in the way of that. Glenn Monday is an L.A. based Teaching Pro, and author of “Know Your Swing.” For more, visit mondaygolf.net. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
