Charles Barkley delivers message to his golf swing haters

Charles Barkley’s golf swing is famous — and not for the reasons he might like. Barkley’s well aware that his, um, unconventional move at the ball isn’t exactly being taught at clinics. But that doesn’t mean he’ll enjoy his time on the course any less.

Speaking to a group at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama on Thursday, Barkley had some advice for his audience — plus a message for his swing haters.

“Life is amazing, but it’s stressful so you need to get away and relax,” Barkley said. “And golfing and fishing does it for me. I’m not a great golfer, but it’s fun being out there.

“Y’know, I always tell people, the people who criticize my golf game, you know where they’re doing it from? At work. They’re criticizing my golf game from work. I’m on the golf course chillin’. So I’m winning.”

When people think of Barkley’s golf game, “winning” isn’t usually the word that comes to mind. His most recent competitive appearance on the course came at this summer’s American Century Championship, where he beat just two players with rounds of 94-104-102 (108 is the max; double bogeys are the highest recorded scores).

Still, Barkley’s swing has actually improved of late. After years of a hard-to-watch jerky, halting movement at the ball and even a stint as a one-handed player, Barkley showcased a series of far smoother shanks and yanks at this year’s Black Masters, a tournament hosted by him and fellow members of TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”

Chuck had an adventurous round at the 2019 Black Masters. 🏌🏻‍♂️😂 pic.twitter.com/SJtvZRdtIu

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 6, 2019

But, as Barkley pointed out Thursday, life is too short to worry about people criticizing his golf game. Big picture, he said, he has a pretty simple hope for his legacy.

“When I die I want people to say, ‘Oh, that’s sad,’ and be sad for a little bit, and then keep it moving,” Barkley said. “I mean that sincerely, though. Listen, y’all know that, and I’m not afraid to said it: When some people die, we’re like, ‘Glad that person’s gone.’

“When I die I want em to say, ‘Aw, he was a good dude,’ and keep it moving. Because life does not stop. It’s a journey, it’s not a destination.”

You can see Barkley’s comments on WVTM13 here.