SAMUEL L. JACKSON - SWINGIN' SAMUEL BY JEFF ALEXANDER
Teeing off on a sunny morning away from the clamor of Hollywood, from intrusive press junkets and the pound of flashbulbs isn’t a diversion that’s exclusive to 70-year-old Samuel L. Jackson. But as one of Tinseltown’s most consistent high rollers, with recent lucrative roles in big-budget movies such as Kong: Skull Island and xXx: Return of Xander Cage, he’s more deserving of time on the fairway than most, as Golf Vacations discovered.
There are few more iconic actors in the whole of Hollywood. From his piercing glare to that distinctive voice and delivery, Samuel Leroy has consistently provided excellent on-screen value (as well as a worthy vehicle for the cinematic ambitions of some of the industry’s most prominent directors, such as Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg).
But while his career in front of the camera has gone from one strength to another, there’s one element of life off-screen that the star is unwilling to sacrifice: his downtime. Jackson is so committed to keeping his own life separate from the stresses of his eternally full movie schedule that before he even signs onto a project, he insists on a contractual obligation allowing him to step away from the set twice a week for a round of golf.
“That’s a good one, isn’t it?” he begins, with a smirk. “The truth is I love to play new courses, and it puts me in such a good frame of mind. I’m not being difficult when I head off for a round of golf, just the opposite. This is the pursuit that gets me fresh and ready. This is therapy!”
It’s no secret, of course, that most celebrities love spending time on the green. But such is Jackson’s penchant for the game that many consider him to be one of the A-list’s best amateurs. And there’s one instance, in particular, that seems to confirm this title.
“I beat Tiger Woods at St. Andrews a long time ago,” he offers, replacing that smirk with a full-blown laugh.
But that’s where the comedy ends. “It’s true. I was up there, and it was the first time I’d played the course, and I saw Tiger. I was on a 16 handicap at the time, and he gave me all my shots, but I ended up with a 78, and he scored an even-par. So I won.”
The list of celebs Jackson has faced on the fairway is lengthy. His movie awards list is as long as your arm, but while a competitive streak exists in his professional life, you sense the real play for victory comes at the golf club.
Recently, one celebrity sparring session from years back came back into the limelight in a somewhat surprising way. Quite innocently, Jackson found himself recounting a time when he played a round with Donald Trump, pre-election. Jackson mentioned he saw “The Don” hit a ball straight into a lake, only to see Trump’s caddie somehow retrieve the drowned ball without even getting wet.
Trump replied to Jackson on Twitter, claiming he had no recollection of the game and even chose to take a pot-shot at Jackson’s swing in the process of defending himself. But the star is no less adamant that the current commander-in-chief has bent the rules from time to time on the course.
And what about that much-publicized swing?
“I’ve had a few knee surgeries, so I’m still trying to get my swing back to what it was,” he concedes. “But I think it’s important to work with what you have, rather than what you see on TV. I can’t do the things Tiger or Rory McIlroy do; it’s not physically possible. Chances are you can’t either!” he laughs.
And yet, anyone who has beaten Woods, and has taken part in the Gary Player Invitational Golf Tournament on more than one occasion, must have a certain amount of a natural propensity for the game. Jackson, however, is also a firm advocate for getting in some hired help to help realize any inherent talent that may be lurking under the surface.
“Absolutely, the secret is in finding a coach who can make your swing better, obviously, rather than just attempting to magic a professional swing out of thin air,” he says.
“You got to take a lesson first,” he nods. “You have to get out of any bad habits straight away because once they’ve formed then they are hard to shift, and that goes for anything in life, but particularly golf!”
“So find someone who can tell you right away if you’re doing something wrong, because if you don’t you’ll be out there on the green doing things that feel great, but in reality, they are not working for you, and they’re making you a worse player. Only a pro can tell you what’s what for sure.”
He continues: “And don’t go and find a coach who is some tall, lanky guy if you’re short! It sounds simple, but golf is a game where you have to rely on your physicality, no one else’s. So, if you’re a larger guy, find a coach who can show you from experience how to perfect a swing that rotates around your middle. Or if you’re shorter, find someone who knows exactly how to get to your ball because they’ve been doing it for years.”
For someone whose career is a distance away from the golf course both geographically and metaphorically, Samuel L. Jackson is a man who knows his stuff. “I play whenever I can and for as long as I can,” he says, “but, you know, if you’re clever, you can always find unusual ways to get the necessary time in.”
He goes on to explain, as an A-List name in the multimillion-dollar cinema industry, there are a few unconventional, if expensive, ways of perfecting his game. “Every year, myself and my wife and some friends hire a yacht and head up the French Riviera,” he says. “It’s good to get away from it all – it’s beautiful out there.
“Anyway, I’ll often stand on the fantail and drive into the ocean. The balls fly great out there, and they’re even edible for the fish, so environmentally it’s okay, too.”
Eventually, though, his overwhelming appreciation for the sport rests on its ability to draw the best, or worst, out of every individual willing to step up to the tee. And for a man as occasionally fearsome as Samuel L. Jackson, that levying of responsibility onto his considerable shoulders is something to be relished regardless of the result.
“It really is the perfect game to me,” he sighs. “It’s not a team sport like football or baseball where you are reliant on other players. Nobody is out there playing defense, and if you lose, there are no other team members to take the blame for you. You are completely responsible for whatever happens, and I love that.”
“As an only child, golf suits me. It’s just you and the ball and a club, and you have to get that ball into the hole. If you do that well, you can take all the credit – and if you don’t do it, well, then you have to face up to that too.
“No one else can take the credit for a great tee shot, and there’s no one else to blame if you miss an easy three-foot putt. It’s you alone out there.”
Alone in the challenge of the sport, he may be, but in terms of acting peers, in terms of the money men of Hollywood, business tycoons or even White House residents, it seems Samuel L. Jackson will never be short of someone to play a round of golf with.