When he doesn’t chase PGA Tour Champions tournament titles, Padraig Harrington can be seen in instructional videos he posts on social media. And every chance he gets, he’ll talk at length about what amateurs can do to become better golfers.
See you this week PNC Championshipwhere the three-time major champion plays alongside his son Paddy, Harrington spoke about the course, the format and how, thanks to the event, his children “have a much better love for golf”.
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Returning for his eighth go-around in PNC, Padraig is one of the 20 major champions of the event. Each is paired with a family member who is not a pro, as the format requires.
More: Does the future of the PGA Tour Champions depend on Tiger Woods? We asked around
“They’re not trying to be pros,” he said of the sons, sons-in-law and daughters on the field. “They’re here just to try to make good shots and enjoy it.”
He also recognizes that there is a certain dynamic to being an elite professional with a stacked resume.
Paddy Harrington watches a putt on the ninth green as his father Padraig Harrington looks on during the second round of the 2024 PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.
“Unfortunately, for sons or daughters of professional golfers, it’s very competitive. They see their father, their parent, competing all the time, with ups and downs. And the expectations when everyone comes to watch them, there are always expectations. It’s a pretty tough and frustrating game to be a parent. Especially since we’ve been so good and so much better than our kids for so long. Since I probably surpassed my dad in terms of golf ability at 13, 13, 14 years old, so it’s difficult for the kids,” he said. “It (the PNC) is a way to get them interested, to get them to work on their game, to get them to expect something in a very, very relaxed way. Every year I love coming here because I’ve gotten to know the sons and daughters of the other pros and I’ve seen them grow.”
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Next, Padraig went into golf swing video instructor mode and provided a solid strategy for pre-tournament practice. It all has to do with a centuries-old tradition: Eventually, children disconnect from their fathers and no longer want to hear practical advice, but they will listen to someone else.
“I’ve said it before, I always believe that when it comes to this event we should trade, in terms of training we should all have someone else’s son or daughter, and then it’s much easier to talk to them and give them lessons,” he explained.
This article was originally published on Golfweek: Padraig Harrington has golf tips for non-pros at the PNC Championship
