Nick Saban discusses recent pairing with Ken Griffey Jr at Augusta National
Nick Saban has become well known for his no-nonsense demeanor on the football field as Alabama head coach, but also appreciates the position of fame he has reached. However, on Wednesday morning, he delivered the ultimate name drop while preparing to play in the Regions Tradition Pro-Am golf tournament.
When asked on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning which club he had the most confidence in, Nick Saban revealed that Ken Griffey Jr can attest to the incorrect answer after Tuesday.
“It ain’t putter, I can promise you that,” said Saban. “I just played Augusta yesterday with Ken Griffey Jr., and he was my partner…”
Cut off by the hosts, who could not believe how quickly Saban moved past Griffey Jr. and their shared tee time at one of the world’s most prestigious golf courses, asked about the relationship between the two.
“I’ve met him a couple times and he has a couple of sons that were prospects,” said Saban. “I got to meet him along the way. But he’s a really good guy and really good golfer, and we had a lot of fun. But I had not – most of the time people complain about three-putts – but when you have multiple four-putts, that’s something you don’t even want to talk about.”
Saban has become a regular at Augusta National over the years, both in attendance for The Masters and as a player who makes the occasional appearance. He revealed how often he gets to experience the iconic venue and what his impressions are as well.
“I usually play once a year,” said Saban. “And it’s a unique place. I really enjoy going there, there’s great people there. It’s a fun golf course.”
Nick Saban on Pro-Am partners
While Nick Saban enjoyed his quick round with Ken Griffey Jr., it cannot compare to his favorite Pro-Am partner of all time. After initially turning down a chance to play while at Michigan State, they provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play alongside Tiger Woods.
“When I played in a Pro-Am when I was at Michigan State – in the old Buick Open in 1997 or 1998 – it was the first time Tiger (Woods) won The Masters and he was like 22 or 23-years old,” Saban started. “This was like the weekend before we started fall camp, so they call and say, ‘will you play in the Pro-Am?’ And I said, ‘I can’t play there, then we’ve got practice starting in three days.” So they said, ‘well if you can play with Tiger will you play?’ And I said, ‘yeah.’
“So that was my favorite Pro-Am, and it was quite an experience. His caddie was Fluff in those days, who was a great guy, and it was really a lot of fun.”