Chris Wood: The Tall Guy
Let’s backtrack a little. Was your way into golf through your dad?
It was. He took me up the club when I was maybe eight or nine.
How tall were you at that point?
Oh, maybe six-foot two [laughs]. I’m kidding. But they wouldn’t allow juniors in until the age of 10. So we sort of snuck out there now and then and hit balls on the range. That sort of thing. I was actually more into my football at the time.
What position did you play?
Centre forward.
Target man?
Yeah. Like Peter Crouch. But a bit better [laughs]. Anyway, Bristol & Clifton let me join when I was about nine-and-a- half.
Was it clear then that you had some talent?
I don’t think so. I just really enjoyed it. There was a group of us, all about the same age and that helped too. We played every day in the summer holidays. Putted for 20p for hours on the practice green. And I’m still friends with all of them.
We also had a group of older lads who took us under their wing. They were really nice to us, looking back. When I got injured playing football at age 15 I had a lesson with Paul, who told me I had to make a decision about my golf – either do it or not.
That changed my attitude and I have worked my nuts off since. So there were a lot of things that happened to me back then that led to me getting onto the tour.
Your height is pretty striking. You and Robert Karlsson are the tallest guys on the European Tour. What point did you really start to grow? Was it steady or were there some growth spurts in there?
Oh yes, definitely some growth spurts. Around the British Boys event at Conwy in Wales one year I grew an inch- when we realised I was going to be proper lanky. I would be about 16.
My dad was caddying again. And my game went to pieces. No one could work out what was wrong. Not my coach. Not my dad. Not my mum. I couldn’t hit the ball. I was hitting some very strange shots. But it was because I was growing so fast. My body couldn’t keep up. I’m 6-6 now and hopefully I’ve stopped [laughs].
Generally then, is being as tall as you are a problem in your golf?
I think it is. My centre of gravity is a lot higher than most people’s. I feel like I have always had and always will have a lot of moving parts in my swing. I have such long levers too.
That can be an advantage in terms of distance, but it also opens the door to wider shots. My bad shots get exaggerated. I think the ideal height for a golfer is maybe 6-1 or 6-2.
Do you have to make compromises in your swing because of your height?
Not consciously. My clubs are an inch longer than standard and a couple of degrees upright. That’s probably as little as I can get away with. I know Robert Karlsson’s clubs are half-an-inch longer. Which makes sense.
I tend to be off the end of the grip sometimes. But longer clubs just don’t feel right to me. So I’m sticking with what I have equipment-wise. Which is a long way of saying no, I haven’t changed anything else because of my height.
Let’s talk a bit more about your county golf for Gloucestershire. What are your memories of that?
County golf was some of the best days of my life. Every year we played in ‘South-West Week’, all the six counties would show up at St. Enodoc, or Saunton, or Trevose.
It was seven days, 36 holes a day, foursomes in the morning and singles after lunch. The winning team went for- ward to the national finals. When there are 10 lads in the same hotel and they all get on it is brilliant. I first played when I was maybe 16.
Did you have a regular partner?
I had two. Andy Rudge, who is Gloucester captain again now actually. He is one of my best friends and is coming to the Masters this year. And a lad called Paul Reid, who is on the EuroPro Tour.
I’m still friends with so many of the guys I met through county golf. There is just nothing like team golf. There was a lot of rivalry, of course…
Let me stop you before you say anything incriminating – the editor of this magazine is a former captain of Cornwall!
…in view of that all I can say is I think we turned over Cornwall more than they beat us
Who are your mates on tour?
I spend a lot of time with Dave Horsey, Joost Luiten, Jamie Donaldson, Bernd Wiesberger and Shane Lowry. We’re all about the same age, apart from Jamie. But he behaves like a child. So there is a good group.
What is a social life on tour?
Oh, no drinks of course. Pints of squash only [laughs]. But we just go out to dinner. Now and then we go to the cinema. Just normal stuff. Although there was one time we were in a shopping mall in Malaysia.
We found an Adidas store, picked up a ball and started heading it back and forth. Lads stuff. Most times we meet at about 7pm and I’m back in my room for half nine.
How would you describe your swing?
High maintenance. Because of my height again. I’m not sure it helps my golf. And I’m fed up ducking under every door too. My best friend is actually slightly taller than me. So we have shoulders to cry on.
He was in Dubai earlier this year. I think we have heard every smart comment many times by now. “What’s the weather like up there?” That sort of stuff.
My mate actually enjoys some of it. He claims he gets a lot of attention. From the ladies. But I am spoken for. So I can’t comment on that.
What were your finest moments as an amateur?
I won the English Order of Merit twice. I progressed through the squads but was never picked for the England Boys team. It was all Surrey, Cheshire and Yorkshire.
If you came from those places you were going to get picked. That always hurt me. I felt like I performed consistently at boys level, but they would pick guys I had barely heard of ahead of me.
It never leaves you that sort of thing.
No, it doesn’t. I wanted the English rose on my shoes. I had to watch lads walking around flashing their England gear. I’m not sure what they are all doing now. So, in a way, that was a blessing for me.
I was never short of motivation. And I was never complacent. But I would love to have played for the England Boys team. I also won the Russian Amateur and the Welsh Open Amateur.
I had a couple of good runs in the British Amateur too. All of which took me to the England team at the Home Internationals. I played twice in those, I think.
The first was at Baltray in Ireland. Sam Hutsby was my foursomes partner and Danny Willett was in the team too. And Gary Wolstenholme of course.
