June 2007
More than a great golfer
Lisa goes one-on-one with Canadian golf icon Stephen Ames
Stephen Ames is Canada’s top ranked golfer. He has won the coveted Players Championship and is consistently in the top 40 on the Official World Golf Rankings.
Not bad for a kid born in a small Caribbean nation and who now calls ice-capped Canada home. Ames became a Canadian citizen in 2004, and unlike some other Canadian Pros, actually lives in Canada year round.
A true credit to the game, Ames not only is an outstanding player but is a character to boot. He has a million dollar smile and often will be found laughing and joking around with friends and spectators during a competitive round, and is a media darling when it comes to press conferences.
The media loves Ames because he tells it like it is. Sugar coating is not Ames’ style and you will be hard pressed to ever get a typical standard pro athlete comment from him, such as, “I want to give it 110%” or “I just feel so fortunate to be out here participating.”
Ames is a straight shooter and will tell you what he is really thinking, I am sure at times much to his agent’s chagrin. Occasionally his dry sense of humor can be taken the wrong way but he truly is just out there to have fun. Ames honesty is refreshing and it is wonderful to see a professional athlete with a personality.
Ames is also a huge supporter of junior golf. Through his Stephen Ames Foundation he has developed the Stephen Ames Cup, an annual Ryder Cup style tournament between teams of up and coming junior golfers from his native Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. Ames is present at the event and takes an active roll with the children.
Vitalis Gomes of Nike Golf adds, “Stephen’s commitment to junior development in Canada and in Trinidad and Tobago is very impressive. Considering that his revenue is based on performance (unlike guaranteed contracts in pro sports) he passes up the chance at a paycheck to teach and mentor juniors and instill what the game of golf has to offer.”
I recently had a chance to chat with Stephen when he was home in Calgary and he shares his thoughts on his new swing, his family and life outside of golf.
Lisa Vlooswyk (LV): You have had back problems in the past. Your work with your new swing coach Sean Foley seems to have helped?
Stephen Ames (SA): Sean has changed my golf swing quite a bit. The posture has changed, the back swing has changed. He has showed me not so much through technique but how the body is supposed to work in the golf swing. His teaching is so simplistic and he has got some 11 and 12 year olds that swing it better than me.
LV: What sort of exercises do you do to work out?
SA: A lot of balancing exercises, as in balancing the body. We play golf one sided, which is right sided for me, you need to strengthen the left or strengthen the right depending which one is weak. We work on postural positions … we do a lot of plyometrics.
LV: Most PGA Tour players live in Florida or Arizona. Do you find it a disadvantage living in Calgary full time?
SA: Yes and no. It’s tough, I don’t get the time to practice but for me it is nice because there is family time and there is work time. We spend a lot of time together as a family and I think it is important to have a good balance. Living in Calgary more or less forces me to do that.
LV: How do you practice your short game in the off season?
SA: (Laughs) I don’t.
LV: Do you hit balls?
SA: If I am preparing for the year I will hit balls two to three times a week to get my body back into golf shape. I usually take two months off that I don’t touch a club.
LV: How many weeks a year are you on the road?
SA: About 25.
LV: Does the family get to travel with you?
SA: Yes in the summer time. My wife will watch me (play) and the kids will be in the daycare center. They (The PGA Tour Daycare) have 10 regular girls that alternate their time between events. The older kids go on (tourist type) outings. They know most of the kids that go with them so it is a friendly atmosphere. Some events aren’t very good so we hire a nanny for the week.
LV: How did you meet your wife Jodi?
SA: She was a flight attendant for Ward Air (in 1989). I was going from, funny enough, Calgary to Toronto and she put the hits on me. I’m looking at Jodi right now and she’s smiling.
LV: What about the first date?
SA: I organized the first date. It was in Toronto and it was fun. We did dinner.
LV: How is Jodi doing health wise? (Jodi Ames, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and underwent surgery)
SA: She is doing excellent. She is 100 per cent.
LV: What is your favourite pastime as a family?
SA: Oh, wow, hanging out with my boys. We do everything. We watch movies, I go watch them snowboard, which I wish I did. They love it. We also go swimming at the indoor pools.
LV: What would a typically day in Calgary look like for you?
SA: Up at 7 a.m getting the kids ready for school, usually the eldest one I am trying to hurry up to get ready, he’s so slow. The youngest is quick ready, done. Then they are off to school at 8. During the rest of the day I either run down to the restaurants to say Hi to some customers or just to have lunch (Ames is part owner of both the Redwater Grill and the Vintage Chophouse) then at 3:30 p.m. I am there picking the children up from school.
LV: Are you the homework guy?
SA: They know they come home and they have to finish their homework first before they go out to play. That’s how it is done. At night time just before we are about to go to sleep the youngest one will read for about 10 to 15 minutes out loud and then they are in bed by 8:30 to 8:45.
LV: Do your children show any interest in golf?
SA: The youngest, Ryan does. Justin is into snowboarding & skiing. He is more the artistic type.
LV: As a restaurant owner do you find yourself watching the Food Network more than the Golf Channel?
SA: (Chuckles) Yeah, sometimes I do. I look at a lot of magazines. I go into restaurants and look at their service and other aspects.
LV: When you get recognized in Calgary do people come up to you?
SA: No, I usually hear them in the background (Ames whispers) “That’s Stephen Ames”.
LV: Do you say anything?
SA: I wait to see if they ask me anything.
LV: What about in Trinidad or the USA?
SA: Definitely. I get asked for autographs. I am very recognized in the States now. I think it is the fact of winning the Players last year. Playing well, basically you are on TV all the time and people are going to recognize you.
LV: You go for dinner after a round on Tour and your family is not with you, who joins you?
SA: People who are around on my team.
LV: The Nike Team?
SA: No, like the Stephen Ames Team. Sean Foley my coach, Chris Noss my trainer, Alan Fine my psychologist and Dean Elliott my caddie.
LV: How long have you been with Nike?
SA: Five years. I think on a whole Nike is basically knocking the wind out of all of the other companies. They have so many great products now not just for pros but for everybody. For all handicaps. That’s the way you’ve got to go. Everything in their bag right now is a great product even down to their putter.
LV: Has the media blown out of proportion your relationship with Tiger Woods?
SA: No.
LV: When you win the Masters what would you pick for your Champion’s Dinner?
SA: Actually, I had to pick a Champion’s dinner for the players. I asked for Alberta Beef but they said they couldn’t do it. As for a favourite meal I probably would have Alberta Beef or some of the food I grew up with in Trinidad such a pelau, similar to the paella from Spain but it is done with chicken or beef not with seafood.
LV: You play in a lot of ProAms. Any good stories?
SA: Have you ever seen a ball go backwards? I have. I was playing with a guy at a pro am in Washington DC a couple of years ago, he hit the ball and he hit the top of the golf ball. It went into his pitch mark and went backwards two yards. I have never seen that in my life. It was hilarious. The next one was on the green. I was standing behind him and I was on my knees killing myself.
SA: You have a great sense of humour. Do you ham it up with the players?
Oh my gosh. I ham it up from the first tee.
LV: You are very relaxed when you play golf and often talk to friends and family during the round.
SA: I am there to have fun, not to be serious and stern faced.
LV: Do you participate in other sports?
SA: I fish, often when I am in Trinidad and play tennis. How about that Roger Federer?
LV: You’re a big Flames Fan. Have you ever laced up a pair of skates?
SA: Never.
LV: If you could change one rule in golf what would it be?
SA: I don’t know if there is any I would change.
LV: If you weren’t going to be a pro golfer what would you be?
SA: Oh wow, is there anything else? Come on look at my life?
LV: How many holes-in-one do you have?
SA: Ten at home in Trinidad, one in Canada and one in the States.
LV: What is your favourite shot?
SA: Moving the ball from left to right. I love the fade.
LV: If you could only use one club for a whole round what would it be?
SA: 7 iron
LV: You are consistently highly ranked in sand saves on the PGA Tour do you have a tip for the average player?
SA: Everybody tends to want to try to scoop the ball out of the sand. You need to go down to get it out. A lot of weight on the front side, club face is open, use the bounce of the club.
LV: Is there a legend in golf that you have always looked up to?
SA: Yes, Nicklaus.
LV: Do you have a favourite course on tour?
SA: The one that you win on (laughs). No, they are all good courses.
LV: Does golf course design interest you?
SA: Yes, definitely.
LV: When you win your first major which would be your favourite?
SA: Oh, The British Open. Big time. I like the British Open courses.
Stephen Ames is at the top of his game and has a bright future ahead of him. When he won the Players last year he did so with a record tying six stroke margin rocking a field that boasted 48 of the top 50 golfers in the world. It is only a matter of time before he bags his first major and if he gets on a hot streak this summer, look out Carnoustie! He is striking the ball well, full of confidence and not only does he have his family behind him, but a country only too proud to call him their own.
Lisa is a five-time Canadian Long Drive Champion and she competes on a long drive tour in the United States. Lisa is available for corporate outings and motivational speeches and can be contacted through her website at www.lisalongball.com.