Baseball hall of famer George Brett on how golf can form lasting friendships

Golf is a game that brings people together. There are not many activities where you are paired up with strangers to spend four hours together getting to know one another. It’s a beautiful thing about the game, and something that can be lacking in other sports at times.

Baseball hall of famer George Brett is intimately familiar with this concept. In his second act of life, Brett has become an avid golfer, and has played many of the most famous courses in the world, Augusta National included.

But as Brett explained in this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar, one round of golf that sticks out most in his mind was during a trip to visit his son in Australia. With Brett’s son living in Melbourne, they had the opportunity to tee it up at Royal Melbourne with one of the members. And it was a round he’ll never forget.

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The day started with pot pies in the clubhouse, and then a loop around the famed course, with libations in the clubhouse afterward. But what made it so special was the connection Brett formed with their host throughout the day, and he let him know how meaningful it was after the round.

“This is so true about the game of golf,” Brett said. “It’s amazing about this great game of golf — we’re strangers at noon and [are now] friends for life. And that’s what golf is. You play four hours and you’re both doing something that you enjoy; it’s amazing how a friendship can accrue from that.”

As Subpar co-host Drew Stoltz said, “Golf is the ultimate unifier.”

Check out the entire episode of Subpar below as Brett discusses playing Augusta National, hand-eye coordination and more.

Zephyr Melton

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.