Sam Snead’s 10 guiding words – for the player who hit the 150-yard 3-iron

Sam Snead, after hitting three beautiful 3-irons, was asked a question about them. So he struck again, but again he was asked.

He then struck a fifth time – and was asked a third time.

This answer only took 10 words.

Peter Kostis is telling the story on the latest episode of the Kostis & McCord – Off Their Rockers podcast, a GOLF production, and you can listen to the full episode hereor watch it here. It came to mind as Kostis and co-host Gary McCord put on a clinic, and an audience member asked Kostis how to get a draw — to which he responded by just scoring a draw himself.

Sneada seven-time major winner, had once answered a question similarly, Kostis told him.

“Years ago, when I was working with Golf Digest The golf schools, we had these VIP schools, which was a reduced enrollment, low handicap, they paid a lot of cash and we would go out and help them,” Kostis said on the podcast. “And my cart partner for three days a week during these golf schools was a guy — the name you’ll probably remember — his name is Sam Snead.

“And so we’re there with handicap school and the guy asks Sam — Sam’s talking to a 3-iron, we’re in Pinehurstand he said, ‘Look, all your clubs just don’t go a yard; you can make them go to different yards. And he has a 3-iron, and we were about 200 yards from the middle of the green, and he says, ‘Look.’ And he hits a high fade with a 3-iron and it lands short, right, on the front right of the green. And then he hits a big, high draw, lands in the back corner, goes to the back of the green. And then he hits the 3-iron high, straight, and lands high on the flag, in the middle of the green. He says, ‘Look, I made my 3-iron go 25 yards by shaping my shot.’

But there was one question, Kostis said on the podcast.

“This guy says: “But how did you stop the ball? “I can’t make my ball stop like that,” he said. And so Sam says, ‘Well, I’ll tell you one more time.’ So Sam hits another 3-iron, up to the green, one bounce, stop.”

The man asked again, Kostis said on the podcast.

“The guy goes, ‘I know you can do it. But how can I do it?'” he said. “Sam goes, ‘Pay attention. I’m going to tell you one last time.’ He hits the fifth 3-iron, high on the green.”

There was still confusion, Kostis said on the podcast.

“The guy says, ‘That doesn’t help me. I know you can do it. You are one of the greatest players ever. I want to know how I can do that,” he said. “Now Sam is getting visibly frustrated because Sam is an artist – he demonstrates; he doesn’t talk much. So he tells the guy, he goes, “How far do you hit your 3-iron anyway?” And the guy goes, “About 150.”