What does it take to revive a golf career at age 55 when your body feels broken? How do you adapt to the wildly different challenge of links golf after decades playing American-style courses?
Paul Stankowski of the Champions Tour joins Golf Talk America fresh off his top-10 finish at the Dick's Championship to cover these questions and more. Stankowski candidly shares how physical pain had him ready to quit the game entirely just months ago. "I got emotional at the end of the year," he reveals. "I'm like I can't do this anymore. There's no chance I'm going to be able to play beyond this next year if I feel like this." Through specialized training focused on rebuilding his lower body stability, he's experienced a remarkable transformation that has him feeling better than he has in two decades.
As the conversation shifts to the upcoming British Open, Stankowski provides fascinating insights into the fundamentally different approach required for links golf. He explains how pros often need to land approach shots 30-40 yards short of greens to accommodate the firm conditions - something that goes against everything they practice week after week on the PGA Tour. The slower green speeds present another adjustment challenge, affecting not just the pace but completely changing break calculations. Stankowski also reveals how top players hire local caddies not to carry their bags, but to provide strategic course insights that might otherwise take five or six practice rounds to discover.
The episode concludes with touching stories about Stankowski's son serving as his caddie, creating special father-son moments as they navigate the challenges of tournament golf together. Whether you're interested in the mental challenges of adapting to different golf environments or how athletes can reinvent themselves later in their careers, this conversation offers valuable insights that extend far beyond the golf course. Listen now to gain a deeper appreciation for what makes the British Open uniquely challenging and how professional golfers continue to evolve their games and bodies throughout their careers.