Bill Belichick preached the whole “No days off” thing earlier this week, which begs the question: Is playing golf at Pebble Beach considered a day off?
The New England Patriots head coach just got done celebrating his fifth Super Bowl title as a head coach and wasted little time getting out to California to play in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Belichick, who reminded Patriots fans that days off aren’t an option at the team’s Super Bowl parade earlier this week, is a familiar face to the annual tournament.
Belichick has made multiple appearances at Pebble, and this is actually the fourth time he’s played alongside PGA Tour veteran Ricky Barnes (who, according to Wikipedia, has a son named Brady). Barnes’ father punted for the Patriots — before Belichick’s time in Foxboro — and speaks highly of the head coach as a playing partner and pal.
“It’s total 180 (degrees) from what everybody sees on camera,” Barnes told reporters of Belichick, per Golfweek. “Good guy’s guy, personable, and pretty much will answer any questions when we’re out there. Because we want to ask as many as he wants to ask us.”
Their foursome also included Rob Oppenheim, who happens to be a Massachusetts native. Oppenheim also was in attendance Sunday when Belichick and the Patriots mounted a historic comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI in Houston.
“It was good to listen to his perspective on what happened at the Super Bowl,” Oppenheim said, according to PGATour.com. “That’s an experience and a memory I won’t forget.”
So, how is Belichick’s golf game?
Belichick, according to Oppenheim, “played pretty good considering he didn’t play any golf leading up to it. … I think you’ll see him get better as the week goes on.”
Oh, and as for the “No days off” thing, Barnes expects the coach to be ready when play resumes Friday in California.
“No, if I know him,” Barnes said, per Golfweek, “he’ll be on the range.”
He might want to make a stop at the putting green, too.
Thumbnail photo via Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports Images
