Lee Trevino tackles equipment, what telecasts are wrong and (much) more at the Simmons Bank Championship.
Getty Images
Two years ago, Lee Trevino joked that “came too early” in his golf career, referring to the piles of money they both earned LIFE Golf AND PGA Tour.
The same can be said for hardware deals.
Like everything else in the world of golf over the past few decades, endorsement deals with equipment companies have also evolved. In particular, they have become more profitable.
So who would Trevino sign if he had a contract in today’s golf world?
The clever bunker hack Lee Trevino learned from Seve Ballesteros
Nick Dimengo
He spoke about that topic — and many, many more — at the Simmons Bank Championship at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, Ark., on Tuesday. The tournament is the second stop on the PGA Tour Champions Playoffs schedule; The top 36 players will advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship two weeks from now at Phoenix Country Club.
Trevino, 84, was on the grounds for celebrations on Tuesday and planned to play in the pro-am on Wednesday. But back to our question: whose clubs and/or ball would Trevino use?
Of course, he had a lot to say. (And who are we to cut Lee Trevino?)
“Well, you know, they’re making some really, really good golf clubs now,” he began. “They’ve gotten to the point where these companies are competing with each other. Back in my day, I followed the dollar naturally, simply because we didn’t have that much in terms of prize money. We were talking about this just a moment ago. In 1971, I won seven tournaments and then finished high in many tournaments and won a total of $153,000. That was when you won a tournament back then, a regular tournament, you won 20 percent of the purse, which was generally $100,000. Took some.
“Now it’s difficult with golf clubs because there’s so much money now that you’re playing for, so much prestige. The big tournaments mean so much, the ranking means so much that I think I would have a hard time playing for an equipment company. I think I would try them all and play whatever is best. So I might have a 3-wood that I can hit that someone else does, or a driver, irons. I remember when I started the tour, I had seven different brands in my bag. I didn’t have a full set of clubs, but I didn’t have a contract with anyone. Not until 1971 when I got Top Flite, when I got Spalding. They make a rule for you, they want you to use the driver, no. 1. If the driver is no good, you are taking the back seat.”
So his answer? Maybe none. He would be a rare agent without the equipment, like Brooks Koepka and Adam Scottamong others, choose to do now.
Trevino elaborated on the subject and said that he once took gear contract money and it backfired.
“I took a back seat in Japan because I followed the money,” he said. “I remember adopting a golf ball called Flawless and it was – the perfect ball was a solid ball. We had it here in the US and then we had one in Japan. I was loyal and I think it probably cost me a few rounds with it because it wouldn’t go as far and I couldn’t work it as well as I could with the other golf ball. Golf balls today are made a little differently. They’re harder, they don’t spin as much, they don’t go as crooked as the balata.”
Optimal gear or not, however, Trevino had it all going for him: 29 PGA Tour wins, including six majors, and a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
