Langer shares life lessons with Sanford employees
Posted: September 12, 2025
Bernhard Langer’s accumulation of successes over five decades on golf courses around the world makes him one of the best who has ever played the game.
There are different routes to arrive at that kind of prominence. In Langer’s case, the path is distinctive for its sustained excellence. His 47 PGA Tour Champions tournament wins are the most ever. His 12 major championships are also a record, as is a streak of 18 consecutive seasons with at least one win.
The week of the Sanford International in Sioux Falls, he talked with Todd Kolb, director of Sanford Sports Academies, in front of a gathering of Sanford Health employees at Great Shots. In a sense, given that Langer is the Sanford International’s official ambassador, he is one of them. He told them about his career and his life and took questions from the audience.
This conversation revealed Langer to be thoughtful, candid and compelling. This wasn’t a surprise to those who have been part of Langer’s annual visits.
“When you get a chance to listen to Bernhard, you’re going to learn something, you’re going to be motivated, you’re going to get something, whether you’re a golfer or not, that you can benefit from,” said Jesse Haines, a manager of Sanford Sports Performance. “For him to come here and give us his time when he’s here preparing to play in a golf tournament is impressive.”
A few of the highlights:
On growing up
“I was very blessed to come out of a wholesome family. My parents stayed together. They didn't get divorced. We always felt loved. I always felt secure. So whether I had success or failure or whatever was going on in my life as a kid, and even as an adult later, I always felt at home and loved by the people around me. I had a wonderful upbringing in a small village in rural Bavaria. So there was no crime in our village – never. We weren't even thinking about it, never heard of anything like it.”
On becoming a Christian
“I became a Christian after my first Masters in 1985. I was 27 years old. I found faith in God. It has been extremely helpful my whole life as a husband, as a father, as a friend – just as a human being. It took a lot of the pressures away, in a sense, that I knew that there is eternal life, that there is a bigger meaning to life, and it helped me to put it all in perspective, because sometimes golf was too much, too important.”
On coaching kids
“You want to be a friend to young people, but in another way, you need to be a version of authority, so it’s a fine line, and it’s not an easy one. But it’s a wonderful one because you shape these young people. You can help them succeed by giving them the right advice. … You can instill in them a belief in themselves and help create a focus where they truly excel.
“One of the things we need to find out is what our kids are gifted in. If you’re in a job you like, you don’t mind going to work, right? But if we’re in the wrong job, then we drag ourselves out of bed. … I've heard many testimonies where adults would say, ‘Yes, I had a coach here, a teacher there, and he or she was more meaningful to me than even my parents because of what they told me to do when they guided me in the right direction. All of a sudden, I blossomed and I succeeded, and I was confident.’”
On being a Ryder Cup captain
“Communication is extremely beneficial with your team. In the Ryder Cup, the first morning you play foursomes (alternate shot), so only eight of 12 are playing. So what do you tell the four that are not playing? Do you say, ‘You're not good enough. I don't think you're good enough to compete in this.’ No, you can't do that. You got to come up with something that explains it to them, ‘Well, your time will come. Just be ready. Maybe this afternoon in the four ball.’ But there's no guarantee.
“They're all great and they've worked for two years to be a part of this team. Then maybe they're not teeing it off on the first morning or maybe not even the first afternoon? It's a tricky situation where you have to instill in them that they are the best and that you believe in them and you have trust in their capabilities – but it's not the time yet.”
On dealing with frustrations in golf
“There's no way around it, especially in the game of golf. What's the middle name of golf? It's ‘Frustration.’ It's because you're never going to play to your best, to your total capabilities. So let’s say a perfect round of golf for me would be 36. I can reach the par 3s, 4s and 5s in one, two or three shots. If I hit every shot to the flag, I would be done in 36 shots, but the best I’ve ever shot is 60, so I’m 24 away from that. … I want to be the best that Bernhard Langer can be and that might not be what Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus or somebody else can do, but I give it all I have.”
On staying fit
“I am a strong believer in exercising and stretching and staying somewhat fit. I think it gives you more energy. It makes you concentrate better. And most importantly, it's preventative. My body is my capital, OK? If my body breaks down, I'm not going to play any golf tournaments until my body is healthy again. So I need to take care of my body as well as I can because every week I'm injured, I’m going to be at home. Every week I'm healthy, I can be out here competing.
“It’s just fun for me. Obviously, as I got older and had a couple of injuries here and there, I had to make adjustments in my workout routine. It’s not really a routine as such, but to give you an example, when I have a tee time on Fridays at noon, I'll be there at 9 o'clock in the fitness center. We have two trailers that follow us on tour, so it's the same physios and the same chiropractors. And I’ll spend an hour in there trying to loosen up. It's not a hard workout, I'm not lifting heavy weights or any of that stuff, but it's just to get this 68-year-old body moving. … When I'm home, I'll probably do a little more. I’ll put in an hour and a half or two hours. And I just think it's important for many, many reasons, whether it's for your mind, or for your strength, or for flexibility.”
