Nov 12, 2015
Ames dealing with more important things than golf
It might seem strange that one of Canada’s most successful golf professionals, a guy with some $20 million in career earnings, is going to bed every night on an air mattress, but it’s all part of what was a very unusual year for Stephen Ames. TSN's Bob Weeks writes.
By Bob Weeks
Stephen Ames is sleeping on an inflatable bed in his Vancouver condo these days and he’s just fine with that.
It might seem strange that one of Canada’s most successful golf professionals, a guy with some $20 million in career earnings, who is in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, and who just completed a solid season on the Champions Tour is going to bed every night on an air mattress, but it’s all part of what was a very unusual year.
It was the first full season on the 50-and-over circuit for Ames, who reached the magic age in April 2014. Last year, he split his time between the PGA and Champions tours, but this season it was all about playing with the old boys.
However life got in the way as his marriage ended, forcing him to deal with more important things than golf. That included a move to Vancouver where he and his two sons are now living, creating an unexpected crowd in his condo and hence, the blow-up bed (“I let the boys have the bedrooms,” he said).
After a period of adjustment, he states he’s happy with where his life is and ready to look ahead to a full season in 2016, putting the one just concluded behind him.
“I didn’t play that much,” said Ames this week after wrapping up the 2015 campaign with a tie for sixth at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. “It was a bit of an unusual year, for sure.”
He teed it up just once from the middle of April through the end of June, missing much of what is generally regarded as the meat of the Champions Tour season. For the year, he played 18 tournaments yet still managed to finish 27th on the money list.
“It was difficult to get any rhythm going when you’re not playing regularly,” Ames stated. “When I did play, it was hard to just be in the moment.”
He did hit his stride late in the year, finishing inside the top 25 in his last nine events, with five of those within the top 10. He believes he could have contended for a win in some of those if his putter hadn’t let him down. And to be sure, he was horrid with the flat stick for most of the season, averaging more than two putts per green hit in regulation at many events.
“I’d say it was really working only about 10 per cent of the time,” he acknowledged. “It’s hard to get anything going when you’re not putting. It’s frustrating.”
The rest of Ames’ game is solid. His silky swing, often regarded as one of the best in the game, continues to work well. Off the tee, he’s outdistancing most of his playing partners by 30 to 40 yards. He accomplished that by flattening his swing to generate a little more roll with the ball after it lands. He also gives credit to a new Nike driver that he believes has given him extra yards as well as his on-going attention to his fitness.
Although a relative newbie, Ames is enjoying his time on the Champions Tour where he says players are still very competitive but also more than happy to sit down after a round and enjoy a glass of wine.
“Everyone still wants to play well, to hit great shots and win tournaments and all that,” said Ames, “but they’re a lot friendlier, more relaxed.”
For the present time, Ames will continue to work on his game and enjoy the time with his sons. He’s finally feeling settled with life, at least as settled as a guy sleeping on a blow-up bed can feel.