Faldo helps Britain with Brocket science

Six-times major winner's newly opened golf institute designed for key role in development of talented youngsters

Brocket Hall does history in the manner of the board game Cluedo. Lord Palmerston on the billiard table with a chambermaid. Few stately homes have seen as much excitement, including the deaths of two Prime Ministers. Prior to Palmerston, Brocket Hall was home to his brother-in-law, Lord Melbourne, whose mother was a mistress of the Prince Regent, later George IV. His wife was the scandalous Lady Caroline Lamb, who had a passionate affair with Lord Byron. Baroness Thatcher merely wrote her memoirs there.

The hall, set in a 543-acre estate, was built by James Paine in 1760 for Sir Matthew Lamb, Lord Melbourne's grandfather. Brockets had settled on the site as early as 1239. The last Lord Brocket had to relinquish possession when he ended up in jail following an insurance fraud involving a fleet of Ferraris, which may or my not be buried underneath the newly opened Nick Faldo Golf Institute.

Faldo's private life has not always run smoothly but has settled down following his third marriage last year and his association with Brocket Hall is timely for both. Now owned by the CCA group, a leading developer and operator of private clubs in Asia, the estate now offers luxury accommodation, a conference centre, a French restaurant, two golf courses, the Melbourne and the Palmerston, and now a coaching centre.

Faldo recently took over the presidency of the golf club from Dame Kiri te Kanawa. This is Faldo the local boy made good. The club is just a 10-minute drive, of the car variety, from Welwyn Garden City. "That's where I was born and raised, where my mum was born and raised," he said. "Mum and dad still live there. It has a special significance for me to be able to put something back to the place that has contributed so much to me and my career over the years."

Last weekend Faldo returned to the golf club in the town and popped in on the Faldo Commemorative Jug, a 36-hole amateur competition, for the first time since the event was started in 1988 to celebrate his victory in the Open at Muirfield the year before. It was on the club's practice range that the 15-year-old Faldo first began fine-tuning his game. "Is it 30 years ago?" he exclaimed.

"After I left school I lived on that range for two years." He was rarely interrupted by anyone else. "I was a loner. I was down there every morning. It was my practice range. It was only 140 yards long so you had to adapt. I had one little bunker, there was no chipping green or anything."

At Brocket Hall there are areas for working on the long game, a chipping and bunker area for the short game, a practice putting green and a six-hole par-three course for working on approach shots. Video analysis and equipment evaluation is also available. Faldo has already put his name to four similar institutes in America, all at Marriott resorts with the original in Orlando, Florida.

This is the first in Europe, although he is working on another facility at Burhill in Weybridge. If the teenage Faldo could have had the facilities on offer now, "I could have won 25 majors," he laughed. It is beautifully ironic that his former rival Sandy Lyle recently got his clubs checked at the Faldo centre in Orlando and discovered they were too long. He had them cut down and his form has improved ever since.

To enter the Brocket Hall estate the first requirement is to halt at the entrance, dial up reception and say the magic words to get the imposing gates opened. Make no mistake, this is a private setting but whereas the courses are only open to the members and their guests, the institute is available to members and non-members alike. Introductory lessons cost £25, the three-hour Faldo select session £90 and a three-day residential school £750.

Faldo has genuine hopes of making golf more accessible and affordable. "It's like Wimbledon. We all watch for two weeks and then want to go and play and if it's a grotty court at the end of the road that's the end of that idea. It's all about creating opportunities." That particular project will take time. Brocket Hall is about expanding the Faldo Golf Company and strengthening links with companies like CCA. It does provide the answer to one of the few problems to have emerged from the highly successful Faldo Junior Series, which began in 1996 and produced Nick Dougherty as its first high-profile graduate.

"One of the things the kids say to me is that they enjoy the clinics at the Junior Series events but don't have anywhere to go to get regular coaching," Faldo said. "Now we can take them under our wing. One of the ideas for the Junior Series is to have an élite squad. We are looking at bursary and scholarship schemes for both the Junior Series and the Brocket Hall Institute. Then we can train them in all the key areas, the best of the technical side, the best of the mental side and the best of the physical side.

"If you drum all that into kids for five years, you will produce a higher percentage of good golfers. Rather than making one, you might be making dozens, potentially." With future major champions among them? "That would be massive, quite apart from the 95 per cent I'll be taking off them. Seriously, that's the goal, to prepare them for the ultimate."

But Faldo realises that while he can offer the benefit of his vast experience, the short cuts to what works and what doesn't, there is more that goes into making a champion. "You can't teach the inner heart and determination and commitment. That's purely for the individual.

"The opportunities are there, whatever inspires a kid, whether it's money, fame or silver trophies. You pick which one is you, I guess. My goal was not to waste it. I didn't want to get to my 40s and think I could have done more, I could have done this. I didn't want to sit back and think I had wasted a career." That involved using a sports psychologist as long ago as 1982. "I kept quiet about it then because 20 years ago you didn't do that sort of thing. It was deemed that you had lost the plot: you had gone loopy."

In the early 1990s Faldo did a lot of gym work but he bulked up in a way that did not help his golf. "Now we know how to train physically as a golfer not just going in the gym and doing all silly things. Now you can purpose-build the muscles for the right areas which produce a more explosive action."

There are all sorts of reasons why young players are getting better younger but Faldo reasons that the same advances in technology and coaching techniques can keep the older guys competitive longer. Faldo, 45 last month, finished fifth at the US Open in June and despite a quiet Open is looking forward to the USPGA at Hazeltine this week. It will be his 62nd consecutive major championship. "I'm really pushing myself on all the things I've learnt over the last 25 years," he said.

Never one of the longest hitters, Faldo has added distance this season. "I'm using a new driver with one of these Bruce Lee shafts. That gives me a few more yards, so does my swing since I have found a better rhythm and so does my strength – I've been working on the deltoids. So I've got a little bit from everywhere.

"It was the putting that was the problem at Muirfield. I actually played 12 per cent better than Ernie tee-to-green, according to the stats but, my putting, I think it just said 'crap'. I just didn't hole them. I've been working on some different things, but I am feeling good for the PGA. I've got a good chance to get out there and play well."

Faldo is now far more assured in front of the media than in his heyday. Then he could see a killer question coming but, like the rabbit startled in the headlights, had no answer. Now, facing the crafty spinners from a certain section of the press trying to tease out a "How I can fix Seve/Monty/Westwood" headline, he treads carefully. "Write it in the right way, guys," he pleads.

"I can see what this is going to lead in to. If they want to bend my ear I'm more than happy to listen and give it my best shot at a solution. With the best possible intent. I would love to have helped Seve. I admire him so much. I definitely could have helped him. It's a difficult one. You would like to be able to take the guys away and do it quietly. Just send the message, if anyone wants to talk to me, just come and talk to me quietly if they want help."

Faldo has another message, this time for the massed amateur ranks and, in particular, those whose preparation for a round of golf involves parking the car, taking the clubs out of the boot and walking straight to the first tee. "That has been predominantly a British thing. You get out of the car and have two swings and go and play. American clubs are set up so you go to the practice range as part of the routine.

"We've never had that as part of the routine here. First you have to have the facilities, then you have to entice people to do it. It's got to be fun, enjoyable and productive. That will take time but some people think there is a benefit. You've got to try it. Why not come down and prepare a little better and see what happens to your golf. I guarantee if you do that consistently it would make a big impact." The guy might have a point. He did win six majors.

Life and times of Nick Faldo

Name: Nicholas Alexander Faldo, MBE

Born: July 18, 1957, at Welwyn Garden City, England.

Height: 6ft 3in.

Weight: 15st 4lb.

Family: Wife, Valerie (2001); Children: Natalie (born 1986), Matthew (b 1989), Georgia (b 1993).

Interests: Fly fishing, flying helicopters, golf course design.

Major titles: Open Championship 1987, 1990, 1992. US Masters 1989, 1990, 1996.

Major team competitions: Ryder Cup 1977, 79, 81, 83, 85 (winners), 87 (winners), 89, 91, 93, 95 (winners), 97 (winners). Alfred Dunhill Cup 1985, 86, 87 (winners), 88, 91, 93. World Cup of Golf 1977, 91, 98 (winners.)

Playing Career: Took up golf aged 13 after watching Jack Nicklaus win the 1971 US Masters. Turned pro 1976, remodelled swing under David Leadbetter in 1985-86, then proceeded to win six majors and four Ryder Cups. Has 42 pro titles to his name, last title in 1997. Spent 97 weeks at top of world rankings, including a then record of 81 consecutive weeks (July 1992-Jan 1994).

Highlights: Youngest-ever Ryder Cup player aged 20 in 1977, when he won all his matches. Represented Europe 11 times, holds records for number of matches played (46) and points scored (25).

Won first major in 1987 at The Open, Muirfield; became first player after Nicklaus to win consecutive US Masters Titles (1989 and '90). Awarded MBE in 1988.

First European to pass £1m prize-money in a season (1992). Came from six shots behind Greg Norman before the start of the last round of 1996 US Masters for last major victory.

He says: "When I went to see the careers master at school he looked at my grades and told me that I was very good with my hands so should look for opportunities in local factories. I said: 'Excuse me, I'm going to be a professional golfer.' He said: 'Do you know that only one in 2000 make it?' 'That's fine,' I said. 'I'm the one'."

They say: "I think that his focus and commitment is incredible... a lot of the great players have had that."
Fanny Sunesson, his long-time caddie.

And another thing: He once worked as a carpet fitter.