Michigan Golf Journal January 2021

Michigan Golf Journal Golf Q&A While waiting for the 2021 season to begin, Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill took time to dive into the recreational golf side of his life, which he enjoys with hockey players, coaches and most importantly, his 14-year-old-son. Q Do you recall how you fell in love with golf? A “At a really young age I remember getting a set of golf clubs at Christmas (age 7-8) from my parents. My dad played golf and I just grew to really, really love golf. I moved from playing with my dad to getting a job at the Sault St. Marie Country Club, working in the bag room for a number of years, then moving into the Pro Shop. Golf was always a big part of my life growing up; I played in a few tournaments. At work on some of the rainy days I would pretend to design holes. Golf has always been a big part of my life.” Q In addition to the swinging motion, do you see similarities between golf and hockey? A “I was a goalie, so I don’t come by the swinging of it as naturally. But the players I’ve played golf with can all really, really hit the ball a long way. It probably has a lot to do with how you turn your body and their hip strength. “But the other side of it to me relates to any sport and most parts of life, and that’s the mental challenge. I don’t know if there’s a better mental challenge in sports than golf. Even in team situations, you’re alone out there a lot of times and you have to Golf Q&A: Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill With Tom Lang Photo credit: Dave Reginek, Detroit Red Wings