The Price of Greatness

“The more I practiced, the luckier I got. I used to hit 1,000 balls a day when I was young – that was the price of greatness.” – Gary Player

Gary Player was born on November 1, 1935, in Johannesburg, South Africa, which means the Hall of Fame golfer is closing in on his 90th birthday this fall. However, you wouldn’t know it to look at him because Player is still as spry as most 60-year-olds… maybe even younger.

Player begins each morning with a cold shower followed by a hot shower to get his blood flowing. Weather permitting, he then goes outside to do some deep-breathing exercises. His breakfast usually includes some type of juice drink made from green fruits and vegetables. “The less you eat, the longer you live”, is one of Player’s time-tested mottos… and his trim but muscular physique seemingly attests to it.

Player’s exercise routine includes visits to the gym four times per week, and his 90-minute workouts are legendary. “I push 300 pounds with my legs, run the treadmill, do 200 sit-ups, and exercise my fingers as well — the arthritis wants to get you. Don’t let it.”

“But exercise is only 30 per cent,” Player insists, “diet is the rest. The greatest destroyer of mankind is over-eating. Two meals a day for me and I consider bacon and white bread poison. Sugar is a killer, but I love chocolate – do not judge me, please. With all of that, I play golf five times a week.”

And we’re not just talking playing a lackluster nine holes before calling it quits for the day. “I average par, I’m hitting 240 yards off the tee, and I have scored lower than my age 3,071 times in a row now, which is a world record,” Player says. “I want to get to 4,000, but I don’t know if I’ll live that long.”

During his career, Player won 160 professional tournaments on six continents over seven decades, including nine majors on the PGA Tour and another nine on the PGA Champions Tour. He is also one of only six players to complete the career Grand Slam. Not too shabby for a golfer who stands just 5’6” tall and weighs 150 pounds soaking wet. By comparison, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – arguably the two greatest golfers ever – were much bigger in their primes.

Sadly, Player lost his wife Vivienne in 2021 after 63 years of marriage. Not surprisingly, the man known as the “Black Knight” is now happily dating. I just hope the fortunate lady can keep up with him! After all, Player has designed more than 400 golf courses on five different continents and written or co-authored 36 books on golf instruction, design, philosophy, motivation and fitness.

That’s called living life to its fullest and maximizing your gifts for God’s glory, just like one of my biblical heroes, Caleb. I challenge you to read Joshua 14:6-15 and learn a lesson (or two) from both Caleb and Gary Player. - DMG