USA Today
Golf Extra
Thursday, August 5, 1999

"For Gill, golf one of the things that matter"

Country music star combines passion for game with charity work

Country music star Vince Gill is a 1-handicap golfer who plays every chance he gets. Last week, he combined his two passions with his charity golf tournament, the Vinny, which benefits junior golf. Gill played 18 holes with Ann Liguori at Greystone Golf Club in Nashville.

Q: Tell me about the Vinny.
A: The best part last year was a little boy named Albert Vaughn. He's a 10-year-old battling cancer. His parents called and said one of his wishes is to play some golf with me. He made a 40-footer on one hole, and I can't tell you just what a gift it was to see that.

Q: Was there a time in your life when you thought about pursuing a career as a Tour player?
A: Of course. Everybody has that greener grass thing. I think everybody's got that alter ego that they wish they were. Mine is golf, because I've played forever and it's just as big a part of my life as music has been. Music comes from deep inside, and I wouldn't do anything to change what I really am.

Q: How did you develop such a natural swing?
A: That's the great thing about a kid. If a kid can start playing, he'll learn, and it comes real natural. It gets harder once you're older. To see these kids come out, they have perfect putting strokes, perfect swings, because they have no fear, no thought process of what it shouldn't be. I started young. We had a great junior golf program in Oklahoma City. Guys like Bob Tway, we played in the junior programs together. Golf was a really hug part of my childhood. The amazing thing about the game is that I've played with presidents and I've played with plumbers and everything in between, and everybody has the same thing in common. They love the game.

Q: If you could play with any foursome in the world, who would you play with?
A: My buddies. I'm not a real star-struck individual. If I'm going to go play golf, I'd play with the guys I love and enjoy.

Q: How often do you get to play golf when you're on tour performing?
A: I'm always up at 7, 8 looking for a golf game to play. We get out there, try to find some great golf courses, call the folks, tell them we'll load you up with some tickets if you let us come out and play.

Q: It must be exhausting, playing golf all day and performing all night.
A: I guess I have a lot of energy, but I always look tired. I have an easy going mannerism for the most part, and I have an evil twin that shows up out here that kind of keeps me grounded.

Q: It's hard to believe someone who sings such beautiful songs on stage can lose his temper on the golf course like you do.
A: I've always been known to be an emotional guy and very open. If I've seen something that moves me to tears, I cry. And the same thing with a good joke, I laugh all the way to the tips of my toes and the same thing with anger.

Everybody has always looked at anger as a bad thing. And it took someone who saw me lose it before I realized that it's OK, that's me, that's exactly who you are with every emotion, so how do you expect to suppress one? I played with a doctor once and we talked about my temper and he said, it's fine for what you have to do. You have to live with everybody watching you. It's healthy for you to come out here and get some of that emotion out.

I'm getting better. Now I don't break as many clubs; I just go out in the woods and cuss myself out.