Q&A: Darius Rucker on music, golf and Tiger
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM Site Producer
When Darius Rucker isn't making music, you can usually find him on the golf course trying to make birdies. Touring with Rascal Flatts gives Rucker the opportunity to play a lot of golf in a lot of places. It's one of the benefits of being on the road, which is where the former Hootie & The Blowfish front-man recently sat down, on his bus somewhere outside of Pittsburgh, to talk about his passion for the game, his solo career and why he'd like to be re-incarnated as Anthony Kim.
PGATOUR.COM: Let's just get this out of the way now ... people still call you Hootie (and The Blowfish) instead of Darius Rucker, even though you left the band last year to pursue a solo career in country music. You OK with that?
Darius Rucker: With the country thing, I'm starting to break away from the Hootie references, but the thing to me is, I don't care. I'm just happy people still know who I am.
PGATOUR.COM: Speaking of the country 'thing,' how's that going? How do you like touring with Rascal Flatts?
Rucker: It's just been awesome. That's an understatement. One of the reasons I took on the tour was because I knew I could have a good time with [guitarist] Joe Don [Rooney]. We play a lot of golf. He comes to Augusta with us to play golf. I've been on tours where bands don't get along, but this has been easy.
PGATOUR.COM: Why is it golfers want to be musicians and musicians want to be golfers? Or at least John Daly does.
Rucker: I've known John for 14 years and was just hanging out with him in Nashville recently. He is part of our family. I produced and co-wrote a song on his last record and every time he plays with us we have a great time. He's one of those athletes who want to play music and he's a really good guitar player. When John gets up there and takes his turn, it's pretty cool.
PGATOUR.COM: And plenty of your music pals love to play golf.
Rucker: Vince Gill is a great golfer, No Doubt drummer Adrian Young, he can go out and shoot 66 -- he's an amazing golfer. Alice Cooper is the most boring golfer I've ever played with. He's down the middle and on the green all day long. Huey Lewis is another guy who can really play.
PGATOUR.COM: You've also gotten to play with and know a lot of PGA TOUR players. Who are some of the guys on TOUR you hang with?
Rucker: You're not going to believe this, but I've become really good friends with the Rinker brothers, Lee and Larry. Those guys are awesome and I'll fly them up here whenever I can to give me lessons. I got to play with Mr. [Arnold] Palmer at Augusta and that was an amazing experience. I know Tom Kite and Tom Watson, but I'm still mad at Stewart Cink, though, because I wanted [Watson] to win.
PGATOUR.COM: You're such a name-dropper ...
Rucker: I hate doing this because I always feel like I'm going to forget somebody. I also know Davis Love III, Peter Kostis and Gary McCord ... Jim Furyk, I've seen him a few times out on TOUR ... Brian Gay ... and D.J. Trahan, who is a Charleston guy who plays out at Bulls Bay, and Lucas Glover, another South Carolina guy, have both played in our charity event. Same with J.B. Holmes, and everyone from Tiger Woods to Brandel Chamblee. That's one of the great things about golf -- we've been able to raise over $4 million through our charity event, "Monday after the Masters."
PGATOUR.COM: Yeah, but how much money have you lost to Tiger?
Rucker: My game is on when I practice, but my goal is to beat Tiger. I just want a stroke a hole and to walk away with some money. I'm tired of him whopping me.
PGATOUR.COM: Getting back to charity, Longhorn Steakhouse recently announced you will be part of their "Live at Longhorn" country music program in partnership with Coke Zero and Capitol records, and, as part of it, "Tee Off & Tunes with Darius Rucker" -- a sweepstakes giving guests a chance to win backstage access to a private concert and VIP tickets to this year's TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Talk about that for a second.
Rucker: The thing that got me involved there is being associated with household names like Coca-Cola and Longhorn. There's a reason they've been around forever -- because they're really great companies. And I get to play some golf and hang out with the fans. It's just a really cool contest and I love being a part of it.
PGATOUR.COM: Like you need an excuse to play golf. I know you play a lot, but when I Googled you, I came across something that said you owned Augusta National. Is there something you're not telling us?
RUCKER: My favorite course ever, by far, is Augusta National. I wish I owned it, but I've been honored to play there a few times and every time I do, I'm in awe of the place. That course is what a golf course is supposed to look like. It's just perfect.
PGATOUR.COM: You play a lot of other places, too.
RUCKER: I play more on the road than when I'm at home. My life on the road is being in the bus and then from there I walk inside the amphitheater. You're basically inside the whole time. When you play golf, you get to be outside. It sounds simple enough, but when you spend so much time inside, you appreciate it more. It doesn't matter where I'm playing, I always say I've never seen an ugly golf course because it gives me that chance to be outside. I have to tell myself to chill when I get mad from playing bad.
PGATOUR.COM: I think I read somewhere that you're a 6 or 6.5 handicap?
RUCKER: Yeah, I'm a 6 right now and I'm the guy who puts every card in. But the thing is, I'll get hot and shoot 70 for 2 ½ weeks and then go a couple of weeks without playing and shoot in the mid-80s. I belong to a few different clubs, but I mainly play out of Bulls Bay (near Charleston) in South Carolina and I love playing at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island (S.C.). My wife is actually convinced the real reason I love living in Charleston is the golf is so accessible.
PGATOUR.COM: You're on the road so much, though. What are some of your favorite places to play when you're on tour?
RUCKER: Man, there are so many -- Pebble Beach is wonderful and TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas is still one of my favorites. I just played Caves Valley (outside of Baltimore) recently. That's one of the best parts of being on the road, we get to play so many places. And when I am back home, Dunes West and Patriots Point in Charleston -- the 17th at Patriots Point is still the prettiest spot in Charleston.
PGATOUR.COM: So what's the lowest score of your second career?
Rucker: That was a 72 at Bulls Bay. Let's just say that was a big-money day. I was playing with a buddy of mine and a niece who I'd gotten into golf a couple of years earlier. I wasn't paying much attention and when I got to No. 9, she pointed out I was 2 under, and I think I made a bunch of pars and a couple of bogeys coming in.
PGATOUR.COM: Dream foursome?
Rucker: Dead or alive?
PGATOUR.COM: Either or.
Rucker: Tiger, Dr. [Martin Luther] King and Jesus.
PGATOUR.COM: That's a pretty impressive group, I'm not even sure what to say. How about guys who are still alive?
Rucker: Tiger, Arnie and President Obama. I've never met the President, but I'll take his money, too.
PGATOUR.COM: So if you could come back as any golfer on TOUR now, who would it be?
Rucker: Definitely Anthony Kim because I think when he decides the party is over, he's really going to play his game and be a force.
PGATOUR.COM: One last question. Do the Dolphins still make you cry? Sorry, we still can't shake that Hootie thing.
Rucker: Oh man, thank God no. I got over that a couple years ago. I don't know if I could take another 1-15 season.
Shop your favorite brand name golf equipment and accessories at SHOP.PGATOUR.COM
FAN ZONE
PGATOUR.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network