When Steve Spurrier isn’t coaching football, he likes to get out on the golf course. They say the Ole Ball Coach has gotten pretty good at hitting the little white ball around over the years. In fact, Spurrier is such a good golfer that he has supposedly never been beaten by one of his players in over 30 years of coaching.
As ESPN.com’s David M. Hale revealed in a recent feature about college football coaches who have a love for the links, Spurrier only gives players one shot to challenge his undefeated record. The last player to give the 69-year-old a scare was former South Carolina kicker Ryan Succop, who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Succop is a very good golfer himself, and Spurrier knew that when he challenged him. That’s why Spurrier intentionally set the match for right after spring practices ended. While the OBC had already gotten out to play a few rounds, Succop had no time in his busy schedule to practice.
“You have to pick your sports when you play someone who’s a lot better than you,” Spurrier admitted.
Succop shot a 79 and still lost to Spurrier, who shot a 77 on what he described as one of his best days. And like every loser before him, Succop never got a shot at revenge.
“All of them say, ‘Coach, when are we going to play again?'” Spurrier added. “And I say, ‘No, no, you had your chance.'”
If that’s not classic Ole Ball Coach, I don’t know what is.
