Everybody Els's Hero

Date: 01/12/2005
Author: Deborah Curtis-Setchell

The genial golfing giant doesn't really like the implications of being called 'The Big Easy'. And his determination, talent and business acumen in his wine-farm partnership are testament to be the fact that his fame will not be one of 'easy come, easy go'.

Intense desire percolates inside him, yet his personality filters any acidic residue. Earning a nickname like the Big Easy might just be one of his most distinct accomplishments. Liezl nods in agreement. That her husband can marshal the strength to maintain his equanimity even in the face of hugely disappointing results is one of his most endearing qualities. His honesty and willingness to share his disappointment with the public, with the media, with friends, is another.'

In the aftermath of his Masters setback, once the media was done picking him over, Els retreated to his rented home in Augusta where scores of friends, including Brad Faxon and Jeff Sluman, awaited. They drank wine, of course, but no whine was spilled by the runner-up. Liezl marveled at Ernie's ability to keep up a chin that had just been dealt such an emotional haymaker.

"I think he sets a good example for his profession, for people in general, because he is so honest and straight forward," she says. "He doesn' t think one thing and say another. I think when he goes into a pressroom he gets a release talking about some of these things. He's not scared of being honest. His personality is just so genuine, and l love that about him."

"Confidently rendered, with blackberry, black currant and boysenberry fruit that oozes along the palate, while cocoa powder, Lapsang souchong tea, black fig and Kona coffee notes ripple through the finish. Still a bit tight, so cellar. Best from 2005 through 2008."
- Wine Spectator

So read the reviews of the 2001 Ernie Els, which, with a bit of Shiraz added to it, is the vintage its namesake prefers. Wine Spectator noted the consistency of the second edition and added, "consistency is the hallmark of every great wine in this world."

Likewise, consistency is the hallmark of every fine golfer. Els owns 22 top-10 finishes in majors, 13 since 2000, and 11 of those are top 5 - but only one is a victory. Greek mythology tells us Icarus soared too close to the sun and plummeted to earth, but Els,though singed, keeps finding ways to get airborne.

"Ernie is in the prime of his career, and he's going to continue to win big tournaments, because he puts himself in there all the time," says Arnold Palmer. "The near misses... that's the way it goes in golf. A bad bounce, a missed putt and things turn out differently. It tends to do that for good players."

"I've had quite a few chances, and there's good and bad in it. There's good in that your game is good, but the bad is the end product," Els admits. "There's something missing at times, and you can kick yourself or you can stay patient and keep putting it out there year after year."

He's talking about golf, but it sounds like winemaking: There has been a recent synergy between the two. Palmer and Mike Weir this spring became the latest players with their own labels, while Sluman and Duffy Waldorf are perhaps the leaders in the PGA TOUR clubhouse as wine enthusiasts and collectors.

Els recognizes the parallels.

"It's probably a lot harder to make a good bottle of wine than to hit a good golf shot. I have learned that very quickly," he says. "It's the consistency of hitting golf shots that's harder. But the talent that you need to make a good wine or to build a golf game kind of goes hand in hand. A lot of preparation and work go into it before you see results."

And both require patience, a commodity of which Els is well stocked. However, harvest time grows short. Els hopes his golf is best from 2005 through at least 2009. Then he will be 40. That doesn't mean he'll automatically fall to the cellar, but he'll be fully fermented, one might say, and his finishes might start to dilute.

"I don't think he feels any sense of urgency, yet," Liezl says, "but what happened last year was frustrating to him, to be so close in the majors and not have a win to show for it. He knows this is his time to accomplish the things he wants to in golf."

What Els wants is what any fine player wants: the good stuff. Only the top shelf will do.

"If I get out of my own way, I'll be fine," Els insists. "I'm in a good stretch of my career. I feel very comfortable with what I am doing, how I'm preparing, where my swing is. I am so close to doing some really great things. I've got so much to do and so much to give to golf, and I'm really keen to complete that."

As Ernie Els well knows, it's all about the finish.

- Deborah Curtis-Setchell