Former champ Perks happy in life after competitive golf

text size

Sometimes in the mornings, Craig Perks will lie in bed and hear the 6 a.m. flight take off from Lafayette (La.) Regional Airport.

Halleran/WireImage

Craig Perks won THE PLAYERS in 2002.

MORE

THE PLAYERS champions
Where are they now?
Course Tour

"I'll look at my wife, and I'll say, I'm glad I'm not on that plane," Perks said.

A year ago, the introspective New Zealander might have already kissed Maureen, his bride of 16 years, goodbye and boarded that flight. He'd be off to another city for another golf tournament -- and more than likely, another missed cut.

Perks' vagabond life as a PGA TOUR pro essentially ended last November, though, after he shot 71-72 at the Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart. Ironically, those were his best two rounds in a year when he missed 13 cuts, withdrew twice and failed to earn a single dime.

The five-year exemption Perks received for winning THE PLAYERS Championship in 2002 ran out at that tournament, and he was more than ready for a new challenge. He's found it in teaching, not playing, the game and Perks is very content with his decision.

Perks returns to the TPC Sawgrass this week to do some broadcast work as a guest analyst on LIVE@ THE PLAYERS and the world feed of the NBC television broadcast. He has not played a round of golf since last November. Not one single round.

"And that's the God's honest truth," the 41-year-old Perks said. "I have not missed it at all."

Besides, Perks has been too busy getting his new project off the ground. He is now the director of instruction at Le Triomphe and he is developing a performance institute there that will combine fitness with fundamentals, physical screens with swing thoughts.

"The instruction will not be 20th century, sit on the range, try this shot and put it on the monitor," Perks said. "I wanted to incorporate the physical fitness end of it -- a comprehensive program to increase stability, mobility, balance and coordination -- with the analysis of the swing."

Perks has always been interested in fitness, but a dozen or so visits to the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, Calif., enabled him to understand how physical strengths and weaknesses can affect a player's swing. Once those have been pinpointed, Perks can develop physical activation drills to help counteract those weaknesses.

"I went though the program last year during the FedExCup," said Perks, who is now certified as a Level I and Level II golf fitness instructor. "They were trying to help me get back out on TOUR, but I was just trying to gain all the knowledge that I could from the program."

The 2,300 square foot performance institute -- Perks hasn't settled on a name yet -- will open in July. The indoor-outdoor facility will feature four bays where students can hit balls. There will be four high-speed cameras in each.

Perks says the institute will be a "one-stop shop" and serve the "up-and-coming golfer, as well as the high-handicapper." Physical screens and video swing technology will go hand in hand. There will even be a club-fitting area to complete the cutting edge package.

"I think the greatest thing is that I get to combine my two passions -- and stay home," Perks said. "That's a big part of why I walked away. Granted, I wasn't playing well, but I also thought it was time to be a father and a husband."

After 15 years as a professional golfer, Perks is now getting to watch his 9-year-old son's gymnastics meets and his 12-year-old daughter's ballet and tap recitals. He sits down at the dinner table with his family to talk about the day's events, rather than calling home from a hotel each night.

"It's been an adjustment period for all of us," Perks said. "Maureen and I have been married for 16 years, but we're probably only been together (in the same place) for eight of those years. I used to come home after a tournament and play with my kids. Now they look at me and laugh when I try to be the disciplinarian."

Perks expects his visit to the TPC Sawgrass to conjure up fond memories. He hasn't really watched much golf since he quit playing, but says it will be nice to catch up with old friends like Brett Quigley, with whom he occasionally trades text messages.

When Perks' game left him, though, he withdrew "pretty severely," he said. He'd find a spot at the end of the range to hit balls, or better yet, get there when no one else was practicing. Life on the other side of the ropes has been much kinder.

"It will be nice to go out there (and see people) without the worry of competing at a certain level or worrying about being embarrassed," Perks said.

The GOLF CHANNEL did a feature on Perks earlier this year. The producer spoke with other players about the Kiwi's struggles and "they all were very complimentary of who I was and how I handled the adversity of the way I played," said Perks, who only made one cut in his final two years on TOUR.

"I really didn't feel like I belonged the last couple of years," he continued. "I don't know if apprehensive is the right word (to describe how I feel about seeing the guys I used to play against). I just want to shake some hands and congratulate the guys who are doing well. I have always been respectful, and I hope they'll treat me the same way."

His broadcast debut should be interesting, says Perks, who grew up idolizing Nick Faldo as a player and is drawn to his dry wit as an announcer, too. Perks thinks he's "reasonably good at replying in a coherent way" to questions, and he's done some public speaking, too. So all in all, he's not too nervous.

"This will be a crash course -- like cramming for a final," Perks said. "More than anything, what I have to offer is my experience (on the Stadium Course). I am honored and privileged to get to do some media stuff. I don't know quite what to expect, but I'm looking forward to it."