John Smoltz, the former All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher, has become one of the top celebrity golfers and is good enough that he has played in some PGA Champion Tour events.
This week he is Lake Tahoe playing in the American Century Championships at the iconic Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.
The tournament has gotten to be a big party, with the area around the 17th hole beginning to rival the 16th hole at the Waste Management Open. This year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no spectators allowed at the course.
Smoltz took some time out to virtually chat with the media as only a select few reporters are being allowed at the tournament.
Following are excerpts from the interview:
MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, letâs welcome Mr. John Smoltz, one of our favorites in the tournament.
I think this is his 12th time playing in the American Century Championship. Looking for his first win here. Heâs won the last two tournaments at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Orlando, two-time defending champ. Welcome back.
Q – John, you finished ahead of, I think it was, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin, at a recent Champions event. I know those guys are a little bit older now but is that still kind of a surreal moment to you to be in that kind of â those guys are major championship winners.
SMOLTZ: Yeah, it is. First of all, that event and that field, I know where I stand, right? But Iâve learned so much watching them play. And playing in those events, it helps me for tournaments like this.
Running joke was, for a while, you know, somebody was telling me: How can you play in those events and youâve never won Tahoe? And I said, âBecause I need to play in my age group.â
And no one got the joke. Like theyâre the best 50-year-olds in the world. I said, The players here are younger, and stronger, and hit it farther.
But it really has helped me become a better golfer. And I learned a lot about myself.
But Iâm not going to lie. Those names you mentioned, and those players, my tournament in Atlanta, I played in the final round with Tom Watson and Calcavecchia, and all I wanted to do was beat them. I wanted to be able to play with them. And luckily that day I did. But itâs a treat, when you think about all that theyâve accomplished.
Q. Romoâs the guy to shoot for this year again, I would think. You can beat him. Mulder can beat him. Do you think Steph Curry can now this year, too, given the circumstances of the NBA season?
SMOLTZ: I really do. Given the circumstances of what everybodyâs been under for the last three months, I would assume that the majority of people that had nothing to do that love golf probably played golf. So, their game is probably as good as itâs going to get coming into this, because every one of us, with the exception of a few people, are coming off a sport season.
For me, baseball, Iâm always coming here after the All-Star Game, flying in, trying to hurry up to play a tournament. This year I had nothing but time.
So, I think Steph â and the fact that this yearâs going to be so unique without fans â and the fans make this tournament, we all know that, â there will be some less nerves.
And a little quicker play, where that comes into play coming, 16, 17, 18, you wait; it takes about an hour and change to play those three holes.
So, if you donât have your swing right and you donât have your nerves right, coming into those holes and waiting, it exacerbates it and makes it worse. So I think the guys will be in more rhythm in the golf tournament.
And ironically, the course will play a little harder because of that; no grandstands; no fans to frame the hole. So, the holes are actually playing a little different when you donât see things you normally are used to seeing.
Q – I think you know this, obviously, you started at 30-to-1. Did that shock you?
SMOLTZ: Oh, my gosh, I thought it was a misprint.
Q – And youâve dropped to 14-to-1, which means they either fixed it or somebody put a lot of money on it. Did you by chance bet on yourself?
SMOLTZ: I did. I did not go in early enough to see the 30-to-1. I just didnât even believe it, didnât even wander in. I thought it was a misprint. Lo and behold it was not. So that was shocking to me. So, I know I havenât had great success here. And last yearâs last round was about the worst golf round I could have played, so maybe they were going off that.
Q – We seem to be on some streaks here. Tony Romo has won this twice in a row. Before that, Mark Mulder won it three times. Youâve won two in a row down in Orlando. Why the streaks?
SMOLTZ: You know, the Orlando tournament is different than this. Itâs four rounds. Itâs more of a pace yourself. And this is a shootout. And Iâve yet to have a round where Iâve done the shootout.
Those guys you mentioned, when they make their birdies and theyâre making six and seven a round, thatâs what you have to do here. You canât walk around this golf course and shoot par and have a bunch of pars and maybe one or two birdies. This is really taking advantage of the point system. And three points is a big advantage over the one point for par.
As opposed to Diamonds, itâs two points for par and three points for birdie. So, I strategically play that course a lot different mindset than when you come out here trying to fire at birdies.
I will have to say, this is the best conditioned course that Iâve ever seen here at Edgewood. Everyone is just blown away by the shape itâs in. The greens are the most intimidating greens Iâve seen in a long time. So, itâs going to be interesting to see how guys navigate, and gals, navigate these greens, because, man, theyâll strike the fear in you if youâre in the wrong spots.
I think today â I know I had seven birdies today, but I had seven 3-putts. That can tell you what can happen if youâre in the wrong spots today.
Q – Last week Charles Barkley on a conference call, when asked about what the impact of having no fans was going to be, he said, âWell, for me itâs probably going to be pretty good; I wonât hit anybody.â But then he talked about how much heâs been playing and practicing, and he claimed that he was going to finish in the top 60 this year. I think we have 71 players right now.
What would your estimate of that be?
SMOLTZ: Iâve seen him play at my club recently. And of course, with the time that heâs mentioned, he is playing better. And you see Charles at the range, itâs a different golfer. But then what happens is he comes to the course and then the things that start creeping in.
So, I think without the fans, I think itâs going to be better for Charles. I wouldnât put it past him. I really wouldnât. Like I said, the people that normally come here at a disadvantage because of nerves and tension I think will be at ease because the pace of play will be better and the fact of people kind of screaming on 16 and all these different elements, which you become used to and love, will be a little bit easier for those guys.
Q – For you, without fans, any pressure or less pressure; you seem to respond all the time?
SMOLTZ: Iâll be honest when you talk about Champions Tour, my biggest fault in my golf game is that I donât like playing slow. And I create really bad habits, because Iâll play 36 holes in the time it takes most people to play 18.
So, the pace of play should help me, I would think. The fans, I love the focus of having the fans line a course or be around. I really think that part doesnât bother me. I like it.
Itâs the sitting around and waiting that really gets to me. And Iâve learned how to do that on Champions Tour. But itâs a little different here when youâve got the excitement and the entertainment and the people always interacting, that wonât happen. So, I think youâll see some better scores because of it.
Q – Whatâs your call for MLB? When you hear the stories now that thereâs been some COVID infections and whatnot and thereâs some doubts out there, what is your overall take?
SMOLTZ: I think baseball has the hardest challenge. There are a million things they have to think about more than probably some of the other sports just because of the moving parts and the amount of games and the amount of players.
I think football has a challenge, but itâs later. Baseball is just going to have to make a decision, I think, and follow kind of like what golf did, in my opinion. Theyâve made the right decision by moving forward and taking their protocols seriously but understanding that some people are going to get it, and then in time theyâll be able to come back.
I think baseball players are the same. Again, just about every one of these guys are in great shape. Should get over it really quick. And the mindsetâs gotta be next guy up.
Weâve got to play this season. And I think getting through the season will have its challenges, but Iâm confident that they will be able to do that, whether itâs even sometimes having to move a team from a different stadium if thereâs a hotspot.
But baseball being back and basketball coming back and hockey and football, for this country, and for people who have really trying to figure out what the future holds, it will be a nice â it will be nice to have options back on TV.
I know people are getting used to things they never got used to before; and for me personally, my schedule just got crazy because Iâm going to be doing a lot of games from a studio. And thatâs going to be hard for me.
I like structure. I like being at the stadium. I like seeing the players. I like knowing whatâs going on. First week Iâm going to be flying blind a little bit trying to figure out this thing works and technology thatâs going to allow me to broadcast a game.
So, the 24th or 25th is my first game for MLB Network and Fox. And Iâll be going at it pretty hard, as long as the season keeps going.