Hank Haney is “Ridin’ with Rymer” at Pawleys Plantation

Charlie Rymer:

Today in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I’m joined by one of the best golf instructors of all time, Hank Haney. I’m Charlie Rymer and this is Ridin’ With Rymer.

Hank Haney:

Charlie, how you doing bud?

Charlie Rymer:

Great. Come on, give me a hug. Always great seeing you. We got a cool golf course for you. Pawleys Plantation. You’re going to love it. You’re going to love it too because when you hang out with Hank, you get a lot of laughs, but you learn something as well.

Hank Haney:

But how about the ride here? Well, this thing’s pretty sweet.

Charlie Rymer:

Hank.

Hank Haney:

You got a little lifted. It’s big like you. Big time, right? That’s when they call you.

Charlie Rymer:

Let’s roll.

Hank Haney:

I mean, I feel like I’m special riding with Rymer. Is this kind of like “Carpool Karaoke”? I mean, are you going to-

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, a little like that.

Hank Haney:

Are you going to sing a song for me?

Charlie Rymer:

No. Charlie, don’t sing, Charlie don’t dance. But this is the way I roll right here. I got to ask you, when did you decide you were going to be a teacher?

Hank Haney:

Long time ago, man. When I was in college. I played college golf at University of Tulsa and I majored in education. I loved helping people, so I just said, you know what, I’m going to be a teacher. So I started teaching at the rec centers in Tulsa, but I taught for free just so I could say that I had experience when I got done and I got my first job teaching and from there I met a lot of good people. When I met Mark O’Meara, then everything changed for Hank Haney. I Started teaching touring pros and now Tiger was my last student. Now I’m back just spending all my time helping amateurs really.

Charlie Rymer:

And I know you’ve spent a lot of time developing juniors, but one of the things that frustrates me about college golf now is they sign these kids so early and they’re not given late bloomers a chance at all.

Hank Haney:

That’s a good point. Yeah. I mean, it just depends though. I mean, what school, the top 10 schools or whatever. I mean they’re after all the best players, but the rest of the schools are trying to find those late bloomers. You’re trying to find that guy that can turn into something that everybody wants to tell you that they’re that guy. But in golf, the great thing about golf is you just got to shoot the score. I coach college golf for five years. I know what it was like and it’s tough getting players. That’s why they’re signing him earlier and earlier.

Charlie Rymer:

He’s no spring chicken. He got a six-and-a-half-year-old son, Henry.

Hank Haney:

Yeah.

Charlie Rymer:

How has that changed your life?

Hank Haney:

Oh my God. I tell you what, when you have a six-year-old, that keeps me young. When I coached on the tour, I spent 200 days a year traveling. But now I’ve got time and I spend it with my son and he’s my student. I’m coaching him on life really. So I love it. It’s been just incredible. How long is this haul?

Charlie Rymer:

We got about 115 yards. I always tell kids to use a tee, but I’m too lazy.

Hank Haney:

A tough hole. I mean, how’s the average fellow play this hole?

Charlie Rymer:

I would say there’s a lot of golf balls out there. Hank.

Hank Haney:

Greens look awesome.

Charlie Rymer:

287 lb. and I can’t get it to the hole.

Hank Haney:

That’s what’s called Dead Center too.

Charlie Rymer:

So one of the things I want to ask you about is, when you walk up on a tee, and you’re talking to a player, it’s like listening to a four-star general talk.

Hank Haney:

Yeah.

Charlie Rymer:

When you’re talking to a player, it’s like, yes sir, I’m going to do that. How do you get to that point?

Hank Haney:

Some of it is just the way you convey your message, the confidence that you give it, and people can sense that right away. Whether or not you actually really are kind of guessing or you a hundred percent know what you’re talking about.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah.

Hank Haney:

And that’s the advantage that more experienced teachers have and that’s a lot of times why they get better results.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah. What would you have done if you hadn’t have been Hank Haney?

Hank Haney:

I would’ve coached something. Because, the thing is, I just like helping people. I mean, I just love it. I mean, it’s just what gets me going. It’s what I just like to do. It’s so much fun to help people no matter what you’re helping them with. I’m a coach. I mean just the fact that golf is my subject, but I can coach anything. It just takes me a little while to learn the subject. Once I learn the subject matter, then I can go and if you’re a coach or coach. So there I’d be coaching something. I love passionate golfers, like with coaching. Everybody says Hank you like working with better players. I mean, I like working with anybody. I mean to me, they’re all just students.

Charlie Rymer:

I’m going to see if I can peel the paint off of that 150 pole. Tell them the truth, Hank, where’d that ball go?

Hank Haney:

You peeled some paint, but maybe…

Charlie Rymer:

I peeled some paint off the house.

Hank Haney:

Golf course is beautiful. You had a great day, great day.

Charlie Rymer:

Just nice little four.

Hank Haney:

You’ve hit some good putts.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, Hank, I appreciate you coming out, spending a little bit of time with me. Always a pleasure hanging out with you.

Hank Haney:

My pleasure. I had a blast riding with Rymer.

Charlie Rymer:

Up next, more golf and laughs on the Charlie Rymer Golf Show.