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These are the best Charles Barkley golf stories we've ever heard
Mitchell Leff
On Friday, Charles Barkley will tee it up alongside Phil Mickelson on national television in "The Match 3: Champions for Change." Unlike the American Century Championship, which Barkley has played in many times, every one of Chuck's shots will be on camera for all to see. There is nowhere to hide.
If you believe the Round Mound of Rebound, we're going to see a new and improved golfer at the Stone Canyon Club. We've heard that story many times before, though, and it usually always ends up the same way - with Chuck hitching and pausing and herking and jerking his way to a 120.
We'll find out which latest version of Charles Barkley the golfer shows up at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, but we're betting it'll be the same old, same old. Amazingly, despite how bad of a golfer Barkley has become (he was once really good, by the way), there is still a treasture trove of great golf stories involving the Chuckster. We compiled some of our favorites below. Please enjoy.
--The time Michael Jordan gave Chuck a $1,000 putt so Chuck didn’t step in Jordan’s line
--The time Chuck took a lesson, which ruined his previously good golf swing and game (Barkley used to be able to break 80). The guy he took a lesson with told him to pause at the top of his swing, and Barkley has never been the same
--The time MJ retold that story^ on Oprah, saying Chuck paused at the top and hasn't restarted his swing since:
--The time Chuck played golf with MJ before Game 4 of the NBA Finals, and MJ bought him a $20,000 watch. MJ’s reasoning? “He won’t get in my way the rest of the series. What’s $20,000 to me? Charles thinks we’re great friends. I hate that fat f---.” MJ went on to score 55 points, and Chuck never got in his way (not all of these include MJ, we think).
--The time Chuck said “Mama didn’t raise no b----” before hitting a hybrid from 220 yards out (Stunningly, he knocked it on the green…. and then left the putt 20 feet short).
--The time Chuck stopped mid-swing and then went one-handed after at the American Century Championship:
--The time Chuck went cross-handed at the American Century Championship and it looked pretty good! (Chuck has tried many different swing methods, in case you didn’t notice)
--The time Chuck played in a pro-am with Tom Watson, who gave up on helping him on the 11th hole. “I feel for you, I really do,” Watson told him.
--The time Chuck called Tiger Woods “overrated” after a bad first tee shot in Las Vegas, only for Tiger to birdie the next five holes in a row and force Chuck to buy out of their bet.