Elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981, Trevino is truly a memorable character in golf lore. His ability to distill truth into a Trevino-ism is well known. His ball-striking exceptional, his ability to talk in the middle of a swing a little odd, and his PGA and Champions Tour records have cemented him as one of the very best to have stalked the fairways.
Trevino once said, “I’m down in the top 30. I won six majors, but I wasn’t dominant, wasn’t long enough for courses like Pebble and Augusta.” And while he doesn’t give himself much credit, history will make up the difference. He is one of a kind.
Hole One
Trevino won a total of 29 PGA Tour events, including six majors (U.S. Open twice, British Open twice, and the PGA Championship twice). He went on to win another 29 events on the Champions Tour.
Hole Two
Trevino claims to have, “won all my majors in the mud.” Because of his low ball flight he scored much better when the greens were holding shots. My two British Opens weren’t in the mud,” said Trevino, “but I could run the ball on.”
Hole Three
Trevino never knew his father and was raised by his mother and grandfather, a gravedigger. He started caddying at eight years old and practiced golf religiously growing up. He joined the Marines at age 17 and served four years before joining the PGA Tour.
Hole Four
His bread and butter shot was a fade, a shape he saw Hogan use almost exclusively. Nicklaus said that Hogan and Trevino are the two best ball-strikers he has ever seen, and Trevino is known for saying “you can talk to a fade, but a hook won’t listen.”
Hole Five
The golf simulation Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf debut in 1988 and was “by far the best video golf simulation available” according to the U.S. National Video Game Team.
Players could pick one of four players: Pretty Amy, Big Jumbo, Super Mex (Trevino himself), or Miracle Chosuke. One American and one Japanese golf course were available for game play with four players sharing two controllers. Though it was known as Fighting Golf there was no fighting involved in the game (unfortunately).
It is pretty rough compared to Tiger Woods 2007. You’ll want to check out Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf screenshots. Makes you long for the good old days of gaming, right? Not!
Hole Six
Trevino won the 1968 U.S. Open, only a year after joining the PGA Tour. From the time he joined the Tour until 1974 he dominated the competition, winning 5 of his 6 majors, four scoring titles, and most-memorably defeating Jack Nicklaus at the 1971 U.S. Open in an 18-hold playoff.
Hole Seven
He was struck by lightning during a tournament in 1975 which likely (along with that wide-open stance) contributed to his back problems. While he never regained the form of his first years on Tour he went on to capture another PGA Championship in 1984.
Hole Eight
He has one of the most recognizable and unique swings in PGA Tour history. He lined up well left of his target and faded the ball in with remarkable accuracy. Some would say that he’d have won many more tournaments had the rough been deeper as he was able to hit a lot of fairways.
His creativity shaping the ball was second to none.
Hole Nine
Trevino is famous for some of the best quotes in golf:
- “There is no such thing as natural touch. Touch is something you create by hitting millions of golf balls.”
- “You can talk to a fade but a hook won’t listen.”
- “The older I get the better I used to be.”
- “If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.”
- “I still sweat. My guts are still grinding out there. Sometimes I have enough cotton in my mouth to knit a sweater.”
Photo Credits: © Moby Games, © Golf Legends.
Lee Trevino is a great character! Throughout all his competitive palying days he never once lost sight of the fact that golf was a ‘game’, and essentially an entertainment business – the game was for the fans. He grew up from humble beginnings and through all his riches he’s still the same guy!
He’s a credit to golf; we’re lucky to have him.
Here’s another great “Trevinoism”. When he was approached by eager parents of good young golfers who thought their kid had a chance to play the tour he would tell them to do the following:
Put him in your car, drive 100 miles in any direction. First golf course you see, tee it up from the tips. If your kid shoots under par, he might have a chance.
As unorthodox as his method looked, through impact he was one of the best ever. That’s why he was able to continue playing well as a senior. If not for health problems, he’d probably still be competitive. I also can’t ever recall him putting poorly or having the yips.
I have a couple recollections of Trevino. One was seeing him practice alone at Hobe Sound (FL) for hours then jumping in a cart to play a practice round, again alone. Preparing then, in the early 90’s, for his senior career. Local pros said he wasn’t allowed to be approached when he practiced. He is too different personalities… the effervescent, talkative showman and the driven, fierce competitor.
When he played at Augusta he changed his shoes in the parking lot. He wouldn’t go into the clubhouse. He had a problem with the lilly white southern roots of the membership and club leadership and he wouldn’t acquiesce to their racist ways (and they were racist). Long before the Masters became politically correct (forget Lee Elder, thank Tiger), Lee Trevino had it nailed.
One last memory: I recall the story of him taking that Ping putter (I think it was an A-Blade) into the parking lot and bashing it against the macadem until he flattened the lie. Then he won the PGA with it. That’s the putter you see him kissing in the video clips.
In what I know of the history of golf, he was absolutely one of the most driven, competitive players that ever was. More than Hogan, even, he dug it out of the dirt.
Trevino will be remembered as one of the all time greats like Old Tom Morris, Sarazen, Snead, Hogan, Nelson, Palmer, Nicklaus, Watson. You can’t mention these names without including Lee Trevino. I just wish we’d had a big going away party like we did for Palmer and Nicklaus. He just sort of slipped away.
Thanks Lee for all the memories!
Lee Trevino’s “slipping away,” may not have been as memorable as Arnie’s and Jack’s farwell ( and I don’t wish to take anything away from Palmer’s and Nicklaus’ departure ), but I do think Trevino’s had a bit more class if for no other reason than its modesty. Athletes and entertainers could learn a valuable lesson from Trevino’s example.
I agree with shortgame85. I still wince when I watch Jack posing on the bridge at St. Andrews. Only Mickelson’s “hug and talk to my children” act is more rehearsed.
If for some reason there was a golf contest and you had to pick any player to beat Tiger or else you lose your house in a big bet . . . Trevino would be my choice. There is no doubt that he could beat Tiger, and there is no way that he would ever fold, Tiger would know what a battle is really like.
Lee was even more competitive than Tiger. Before the injury he was unstoppable under most conditions. The ‘Merry Mex’ persona on the course really hid a person driven to win as if his life depended on it. I always was uncomfortable watching him play because I felt that he took it too seriously and was not above engaging in gamesmenship to some extent. Whatever it took to win. It was like a steet fight with Lee, he was very grim underneath the laughter. Guess he didn’t want to be a gravedigger. I always hoped he would lighten up but he never really did, he was the ultimate hustler.
I love the anecdote about Trevino being asked why he never had a swing coach – “Never found one who could beat me” Nuff said …
He was something and still is! A great ambassador for golf!
I would give up a hole in one for one of his golf caps!
The Mexican hat with clubs going through it!
Trevino’s book: “Groove your swing my way” Atheneum 1976, needs to be reprinted, with modern animation, on a DVD.
Golfers, young and old, need to know that there is more than one way to hit a golf ball and score.
Golf instruction is mostly miserable, sort of like sitting in church and having to listen to the sermons.
No wonder that 90% of those who try to play a game of golf can’t break 90. And of those that can, they can for a while, but they can not keep it up.
I had the privilige to watch Trevino in the mid 90’s in Seattle, WA in a Senior Tour event.
Final day of the event I watched him hit a drive that hooked into some trees on the left of the par-5 18th hole. He was obviously not striking it well and actually looked more like a mid-handicapper when he hit his drive. I was wondering – so this is Lee Trevino? His second shot, he was in the jail so he he used his driver and hit a low scooter to about 50 yards short off the green. His 3rd shot was a low pitch to about 5-6 feet from the pin and down went the putt for a birdie 4. He left the course without talking to anyone. He almost drove off with the courtesy car without waiting for his caddy Herman who was trying to buy some sandwiches from the food stand. Herman had no time and asked for his money back from the vendor because Trevino was driving away. I heard him say, “give my money back, my man is leaving…”. Herman barely made it to the car. I guess true competitors are not nice to be around when things are not going well.
Trevino’s display of those 4 shots – he made it look very routine. He was not in contention and he was not striking the ball well but getting into trouble was not a problem. Despite of the odds, he knew how to take best advantage of the situation.
In a virtual match play against Tiger I would put my money on Trevino because I think Lee could play through the intimidation and fear factor and surprise the wits out of any opponent pulling off the improbable shot and those clutch puts that can turn the momentum of a match – everyone who has followed his career probably knows what I am talking about 😈
Could someone please help me find what i think is called the super-mex golf cap, I’m talking about the one with the sombero logo, does anyone know where i can find one, I sure would appreciate some help, thx