The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman has played something like 70 of our Top 100 Courses in the World. Seriously.
GOLF: The logical place to start is how did you get into golf?
Darius Rucker: Oh, man, I was lucky. My best friend’s dad was in the Navy, and we had three different military bases in Charles- ton [South Carolina] that all had golf courses. He took me for the first time when I was 14. It was instant love for me, and I’ve had a love for golf ever since.
Where did the idea for Monday After the Masters, your charity golf event, come from?
It had been a tournament for a year or two before we got involved. We took it over and made it a big pro-am. It just took on a life of its own. It’s been almost 30 years, and we’ve raised millions of dollars to help kids. It’s one of those things where you realize how easy and fun it is to have golf as a fundraiser.
You’re down to a 4.7 handicap index, and you’ve credited that to partnering with PXG. What drew you to them?
I became friends with PXG founder Bob Parsons after he asked me to play a show for him. We hit it off on the golf course, and when he invited me to be part of the brand I was honored.
Do you think being a musician helps your golf game? Do you ever listen to your own music when you practice?
I never listen to my own stuff, [but] I do listen to music when I practice and on the course. Being a musician helps me a lot. I think it’s one of the ways my handicap is what it is, just because I have pretty good tempo and rhythm.
You’re a South Carolinian. What are some of your favorite courses there?
I love Bulls Bay. I love the Country Club of Charleston. Yeamans Hall, also in Charleston. All the courses at Kiawah. The Dye Course at Barefoot. The Dunes in Myrtle Beach. There’s so many!
Where is your favorite place to play when you’re touring?
My favorite place to play ever is Augusta National. The fact that I’ve gotten to play there is amazing. The place I play regularly [that] I love the most is Scottsdale National.
You give your name to an annual women’s collegiate event on Hilton Head. How important is that to you?
For years, we had the Hootie, a men’s [collegiate] tournament, so I wanted to do something for the ladies. We’re the first non-NCAA Championship women’s college tournament on TV. It’s great to be bringing more eyes to women’s golf. You go out and play with those young ladies and [they’re] hitting it 40 yards past me. They can play, and I love to showcase that.
Watch the video on this page for an extended interview with Darius Rucker, who riffs on his hit “Wagon Wheel,” a guy named Woods and more.
