Q&A with Jeff Sluman

Jeff Sluman, 51, has six PGA Tour victories, including the 1988 PGA Championship, and has two wins on the Champions Tour. He doesn't own a vacation home because he likes to take the family on an exotic trip every year and he doesn't want to feel tied down to one destination. From glaciers in Alaska to the pyramids in Egypt, Sluman is out to see what the world has to offer.

You live in Chicago? Yes.

Where are you a member?
Hinsdale Golf Club.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Chicago?
I always choke on these things. We go out to a lot of restaurants. I know my favorite restaurant is in Manhattan. I walked by it the other day -- the Gramercy Tavern. But I'm trying to think about Chicago ...

If three buddies came into town, where would you go for a steak?
I guess we'd go to Chicago Chop House, Gene and Georgetti or Gibson's. Those are all terrific spots. Italian, we'd go to Il Molino. They've got a restaurant in Chicago like they do in New York.

Live music?
I don't really frequent music places at this age. I've shut it down for stuff like that. [Laughs.]

Have you ever been a part of an annual buddies trip?
My first one was when eight of us went to Ireland. It was my two brothers, a couple of other friends and my golf coach. We went for about eight or ten days.

Did you plan it?
I floated the idea but I was smart enough to know we should get someone who's well connected in Ireland to make sure we were playing the right courses and all that. I have a few friends over there and they helped get it done.

Is this something you're still doing on an annual basis?
It's not on a set schedule. Another time eight more of us, I think it was in 2000. Timmy Herron, Dudley Hart and myself were all in the (British) Open, so we went the week before the Open, which was at St. Andrews. We took Dudley's dad, and a few other buddies, and we went all through Ireland. We've done it twice. The first time was the Southwest part and the next time was Dublin and up -- from Portmarnock and up.

Did you get to Royal County Down?
We played there. My favorite course was a place called County Louth, which is also called Baltray. We played County Louth and County Down on the same day. We were really tired by the end of that day.

That's your favorite of Ireland courses?
Yes. I haven't played Portrush or Portstewert. And there are other golf courses over there that I haven't played. I've played Portmarnock, County Down, I've played Waterville, Tralee, and Lahinch. When we played at Old Head, it was 80 degrees and not a breath of wind. It was unbelievable. We helicoptered in from Dublin. It was maybe one of the greatest days of my life.

I played Old Head the day after Mickelson was there. We both had 60 mile-per-hour winds and I think they said he shot an 89. I wanted to quit golf. If you were to take a buddies trip in the United States, where would you go?
I think the first place that comes to mind would be Bandon Dunes. I haven't been there and everyone says it's spectacular. Three golf courses and Mike Keiser has the lodges you can rent. Everything's done perfectly. If you had the ability to get on these other courses, I think it would be great to go and stay at Sebonack, play there, go to National, go to Shinnecock and go to Friar's Head. I mean ... that would be a great four-day trip. And maybe you go play Bethpage, or Deepdale, or go over into Jersey and play Liberty National, or go up and play Quaker Ridge and Winged Foot. There are so many golf courses in the Met section, you could stay there for a month. Chicago is good too, but the great golf courses are so spread out.

Do you have a favorite architect?
I'm very much an old-style guy. From Donald Ross, to Tillinghast, Seth Raynor, Colt -- all those guys are spectacular.

Is there a modern architect you're fond of?
I appreciate what they do. And I think Jack has done some wonderful courses. I played Pete Dye's courses particularly well for some reason. I haven't seen many of Greg's, except for the one in Tiburon. And Ben has done some wonderful work, but I haven't been fortunate enough to play them. I haven't been out to Sand Hills or Friar's Head or Bandon Trails.

When you travel how often do you fly private?
Rarely. Living in Chicago it's easy to fly commercial.

What's your airline of choice?
I always fly United.

Are you a member of the United Airlines Red Carpet Lounge?
Yes, $350 gets you a mini Kit Kat. [Laughs.]

When you travel, how do you kill time on a plane?
I read newspapers and books. Mike Hulbert got me started on Sudoku, which really helps stimulate your brain. It makes you think outside of the box.

What's the trick to those?
I don't know. [Laughs.] I'm OK at it but some of these guys are real fast.

Do you have a vacation home anywhere?
No.

Do you have a common vacation spot?
That's why we don't have a vacation home. We like to go to different places. As a family, in 2007 we took a cruise from Vancouver to the inner passage of Alaska for ten days. It was a smaller boat and then we took a floatplane into a wilderness camp for two-and-a-half days. And then we helicoptered onto glaciers where no one has ever been. It was spectacular stuff. In 2008 we went for ten days to Egypt and cruised up and down the Nile. And then went to Dubai for a couple of days. And then home. We always try to have a great family trip each year, which is why we don't have a vacation spot because then you feel compelled to stay there all the time.