Ernie Els: The perks of growing up rich | Trending Now

14 Aug 2026 · 3 min · 4 chapters

Ask about this episode

Ask anything about it. ChatGPT or Claude reads this page and answers with the times it was said.

Connect VO and ask about every podcast you hear, including the moments you saved. Add to ChatGPT · Add to Claude

In short

A trending clip from an interview with golfer Ernie Els about choosing golf over tennis, growing up with wealth, and how family resources shaped his development.

Guest backgrounds

Ernie Els, a professional golfer who played tennis at a high level and later focused on golf; his parents supported his training and travel, including building a clay tennis court that was later replaced with a golf putting green.

Key claims

Els says he didn’t fully agree with the idea he’d have been equally successful in tennis because he felt he’d face tougher competition and would need “hard work and luck” to become a top pro. He also credits his family’s means as a “game changer” versus friends who lacked similar opportunities.

Notable examples

a broken finger from rugby leading parents to try to stop rugby; Els secretly playing rugby for two more years; a backyard golf green with bunkers and shots from the front gate, which broke windows.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Ernie Els on Tennis vs. Golf

1:15 to 2:26

Ernie Els discusses his sports career choices between tennis and golf.

“Your mother believes had you pursued a career in tennis, you would have been equally successful.”

Rugby and Family Support

2:26 to 2:42

Els shares a personal story about playing rugby and family dynamics.

“And I kind of played rugby in secret, which they didn't know about.”

Rugby and Family Support

3:16 to 3:38

Els shares a personal story about playing rugby and family dynamics.

“It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.”

Ernie Els on Growing Up Privileged

3:38 to 4:53

Els reflects on his privileged upbringing and its impact on his golf career.

“I think at one point you had a tennis court in your backyard, and then when it became clear you were going to pursue golf, that was dug up.”
Hear the part that matters, and keep it.Open this episode in VO. Double tap your headphones to save a moment as you listen.
Get VO free

Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00Get your tickets now for The Dog Stars. It's no surprise how fast civilization can disappear. Out there, just kill or be killed. Jacob Alordi. There are people out there. They need our help. Josh Brolin. Shoot first and inquire afterwards. Margaret Qualley. Okay, tough guy. And Guy Pearce. Arm up! The Dog Stars. Directed by Ridley Scott. In theaters August 28th. Get tickets now. Rated R. Under 17, not a middle without parents. Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands you need. From athletic stuff, like a full-court pickup game, swish, to athletic-ish stuff, like a half-mile stroll. Get those steps in!

0:42And for morning hikes up the mountain trail, good pace, to nighttime ghost stories from the camping chair. What a twist. Whatever level of active, Sierra loves it all. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all. From athletic to athletic, Sierra's got it. Hey guys, Graham here. It's Friday, which means we get to share with you another one of our most popular clips from a past interview. This week, Ernie yells. The clip you're about to hear is trending on our Instagram right now. Hope you enjoy. Your mother believes had you pursued a career in tennis, you would have been equally successful.

1:20To what extent do you agree? No, I don't quite agree. I mean, is this you being humble? Well, I did play at a high level for that period, but I felt I wasn't as good a tennis player as a golfer. I felt I could beat the guys a little easier at golf than at tennis. They were guys at my level, quite a few more guys at my level as a tennis player, and it would have taken a hell of a lot of hard work and a lot of luck for me to, I felt, for me to be a real successful tennis player, professional tennis player. So I always felt a bit more comfortable at golf. I felt, you know, I can really have a good chance.

2:02What happened when you came home with a broken finger one day? Yeah, that was on the rugby field. And, you know, my mom and dad wanted me to stop right there, you know, because, you know, at that age, you know, when you get a little older, it gets a little bit more physical. And it was just an unfortunate thing that happened. But, yeah, that's when they started kind of trying to stop me to play rugby. And I kind of played rugby in secret, which they didn't know about. I don't think they still know about it. I played another two years without telling them. But, you know, rugby is a huge passion in our country, and, you know, I really love playing that.

2:42Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands you need. From athletic stuff, like a full-court pickup game, swish, to athletic-ish stuff, Like a half-mile stroll. Get those steps in. And for morning hikes up the mountain trail, good pace. It's a nighttime ghost choice from the camping chair. What a twist. Whatever level of active, Sierra loves it all. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all. From athletic to athletic-ish, Sierra's got it. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new.

3:18It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required, compatibility, and availability varies 18+. I think at one point you had a tennis court in your backyard, and then when it became clear you were going to pursue golf, that was dug up. a golf putting green, something along those lines was put in. How fortunate do you feel that your family had the means to allow you to pursue your passion?

3:55Well, that's just one of the lucks in life. You know, my father and my family had the ability to send me wherever I needed to go. And, you know, I got friends back home who didn't have that opportunity. and that could be the game changer, that I could go and pursue my talent and get better. We other guys didn't have the means to do that. So I got really lucky that my parents had the means to do that. We had a tennis court, you're right, it was a clay court. And after I said, listen, I think I'm a better golfer than that. And, you know, there again, my dad helped me out and, you know, put this beautiful green in with a lot of bunkers and stuff.

4:41And we had one acre lot of land. So I would hit it from the front gate across over the house onto the green and play a lot of weight shots around the house. Broke quite a few windows, unfortunately. But we have a very comfortable upbringing we had. I was really fortunate. As always, thanks for listening. To see more trending clips from my team, go to youtube.com slash Graham Bensinger. I'm not giving up. I am selling the building. The final season of FX is the bear. The restaurant is flooded. Everything's either going to be okay. Or not. We are outgunned and we are outmanned. We have each other.

5:29FX's The Bear, the final season. All episodes now streaming on Disney+. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-CONTACTS

From the publisher

Ernie Els shares how he feels lucky and fortunate to have grown up with the means to fully pursue his passions, plus tells Graham about his interests in tennis and rugby.


More from In Depth With Graham Bensinger

All 205 episodes
Ernie Els: The perks of growing up richIn Depth With Graham Bensinger · 3 min
Listen in VO