Millionaire Golfers Mocked Prince’s Height And Purple Outfit — Then He Picked Up a Club
The CEO laughed and said, “Look at this guy. 5 foot nothing in a purple shirt. Does he think he’s at a costume party?” Prince didn’t say a word. He just walked to the first tea, selected his club, and what happened in the next 18 holes became a legend that changed one man’s life forever.
Belair Country Club, Los Angeles. Sunday morning, June 2009. 8:47 a.m. private members tournament invitation only $250,000 annual membership. Bair Country Club was one of LA’s most exclusive golf courses. Members included tech CEOs, Hollywood producers, real estate mogul, hedge fund managers, old money families, the unwritten rule.
You don’t talk about art. You talk about acquisitions, portfolios, and net worth. Prince, 51, had been invited by David Geffen, music mogul, billionaire, Bair member for 30 years. Geffen had called Prince a week ago. Come play golf. You need to get out of the studio. Fresh air networking. Prince didn’t golf. Never had. But Geffen insisted, “I’ll teach you the basics. It’ll be fun.
” Prince agreed, not because he cared about golf, but because Geffen had helped him early in his career, and Prince didn’t forget debts. 8:52 a.m. Prince arrived. He wore a purple polo shirt, custommade silk blend, black slacks, perfectly tailored, purple and white golf shoes, custom Adidas. Purple sun visor, sunglasses, natural afro, perfectly shaped.
He looked like Prince on a golf course. The valet who’d worked there 15 years did a double take. Mr. Nelson, welcome to Bair. Mr. Geffen is waiting at the clubhouse. Prince nodded, headed inside the clubhouse. Geffen sat at a table with three other members. Robert Bob Thornon, 62, real estate developer, old money, extremely arrogant.
Michael Chu, 55, tech CEO, new money competitive. James Carol, 48, hedge fund manager. Thought he was smarter than everyone. They were finishing breakfast, discussing a recent land deal. Geffen saw Prince. Waved him over. Gentlemen, this is Prince. He’s joining us for the round. Bob Thornton looked up, took in Prince’s appearance. his face.
Immediate disdain. This is your fourth, David. Yeah. Prince, meet Bob, Michael, and James. Prince extended his hand. Bob shook it limply. Prince the musician. That’s me. Bob exchanged glances with Michael and James. A smirk. Well, this should be colorful, uncomfortable laughter. 9:07 a.m. They headed to the first tea. The course was pristine.
Rolling greens, ocean views, a $10 million view from every hole. Bob Thornton was already making comments loud enough for Prince to hear. David, I thought this was a serious round. You brought a performer? Geffen, annoyed. Bob, relax. Prince is my guest. I’m just saying golf is a gentleman’s game. It requires focus, discipline.
Not sure musicians have that. Michael Chu chimed in. Is that a purple shirt? Are we playing golf or filming a music video? James Carol fake concerned voice. Does he even know how to hold a club? They weren’t even trying to hide it anymore. Prince stood at the edge of the tea box, said nothing, just watching them.
Geffen quietly to Prince. I’m sorry. These guys are We can leave if you want, Prince calmly. It’s fine. You sure? Yeah, let’s play. Bob Thornton teed off first. Solid drive. 280 yd right down the fairway. He turned to the group, grinning. That’s how it’s done. Michael and James applauded. Michael went next. 265 yd. Slight fade, but good.
James, 270 yd. straight. All three were accomplished golfers. Singledigit handicaps. They’d been playing for decades. Geffen whispered to Prince, “You don’t have to do this. We can just ride along in the cart.” Prince, “You said you’d teach me the basics.” “Yeah, but so teach me.” Geffin sighed. Handed Prince a driver.
Okay, grip it like this. Shoulders square. Keep your eye on the ball. Swing smooth, not hard. Prince took the club, stepped up to the tea. Bob Thornton loud enough for everyone. This I got to say. Prince addressed the ball. His stance was perfect. Feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, hands positioned correctly on the grip. Geffen noticed.
Wait, have you played before? Prince didn’t answer. He took a practice swing. smooth, controlled textbook form. Bob Thornton stopped smiling. Prince swung. Crack. The ball launched off the tea like a missile. High, straight, long. It sailed over Bob’s ball, over Michael’s, over James’s. Landed 310 yd down the fairway, dead center. Silence.
Geffin’s mouth was open. What the? Did you just Prince set the driver back in his bag? You said swing smooth, not hard. Bob Thornton was staring at the fairway. That’s That’s impossible. You said you don’t golf. I don’t. Then how? I’ve been an athlete my whole life. Basketball, raetball, dance. Golf is just geometry and rhythm.
I understand both. The round continued. Hole two, Prince Parr, Bob Bogey. Hole three, Prince Birdie, Michael Parr. Hole four, Prince Parr. James double bogey. Hole five, Prince Eagle. Everyone else par. By hole nine, Prince was four under par. Bob, Michael, and James were all over par. The conversation had completely stopped.
No more jokes, no more smirks, just silence and disbelief. At the turn, after hole nine, they stopped at the clubhouse for drinks. Bob Thornton ordered a whiskey, downed it in one gulp, looked at Prince. Okay, I’ll bite. Where did you learn to play like that? Prince, sipping water. I didn’t. You didn’t. What? Learn.
I’ve never played golf before today. Bob laughed bitter. Geffin. He’s telling the truth. I invited him last week. He’s never touched a club before. Michael Chu, that’s not possible. You’re hitting drives longer than guys who’ve played for 30 years, Prince calmly. Because I’m not trying to prove anything. You’re swinging angry, swinging ego.
I’m just swinging. James Carol, what does that even mean? It means you’re playing golf to win. I’m playing golf to understand it. There’s a difference. Back nine. Prince continued to dominate. Final score, Prince 68, four underpar, Bob 79, Michael 81, James 83, Geffen 76, respectable, but still beaten by Prince. 5:47 p.m. 18th green.
They finished the round. Bob Thornton was the first to approach. Prince, extended his hand. I owe you an apology. Prince shook it. For what? the comments, the purple shirt joke, the height thing. I was an You were. Bob winced. I’ve been a member here for 25 years. I’ve played with celebrities, CEOs, politicians, and I’ve never never seen anyone play like that on their first round.
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Prince, it’s just golf. No, it’s not. You just taught me something. What’s that? That talent doesn’t care about experience or ego or how much money you have in the bank. He looked at Prince. Can I ask you something? Sure. Why didn’t you rub it in our faces? You could have destroyed us, made us look like fools. Prince quietly.
Because making you look like fools doesn’t make me better. It just makes me cruel. 3 days later, Bob Thornton called Geffen. David, I need Prince’s contact info. Why? I want to apologize properly and I want to ask him something. Geffen gave him Paisley Park’s number. Bob called, spoke to Prince’s assistant, Maya. This is Robert Thornton.
I played golf with Prince on Sunday. Can I speak with him? Maya, he’s in the studio. Can I take a message? Tell him. Tell him I want to fund something for him for music education. Whatever he thinks is important. Prince called Bob back that night. You want to fund music education? Yes. Why? Bob paused. Because on Sunday you taught me that I’ve spent 25 years at that country club measuring success by money, by memberships, by who I can outdrive on the course.
And in 4 hours, you showed me that none of that matters. So why music education? Because if a guy who’s never played golf can shoot 68 on his first try, imagine what kids could do if they had access to music lessons. Real lessons. Not just rich kids. All kids. Prince was quiet for a moment. How much are you thinking? A million dollars to start? Start what? Whatever program you want, I’ll fund it.
No strings, no publicity. Just show me how to invest in something that matters. August 2009, Prince and Bob Thornton launched the Purple Tea Foundation. Quietly, no press release. Mission: Provide free music lessons and instruments to underprivileged kids in LA. Bob’s initial donation, $1 million. Over the next seven years until Prince’s death in 2016, Bob donated an additional $4.
3 million, total 5.3 million. The foundation served 12,000 kids. April 21st, 2016. Prince Rogers Nelson died at Paisley Park, 57 years old. Bob Thornton was at his Malibu home when he heard the news. He sat on his deck, staring at the ocean, crying. His wife found him. Bob, what’s wrong? The best golfer I ever played with just died.
I didn’t know you played with Prince. Once 7 years ago, he shot 68. First time he ever held a club. That’s incredible. That’s not why I’m crying. Then why? Because he could have humiliated me that day. could have made me feel like the small, arrogant man I was. Instead, he made me want to be better.
And I’ve spent the last 7 years trying to be the person he thought I could be. May 2016, the Purple Tea Foundation held a tribute event. Bob addressed 300 people, donors, students, parents. In 2009, I made fun of Prince’s purple shirt, his height, his presence at a golf club where I thought he didn’t belong. Then he picked up a club and played the most beautiful round of golf I’ve ever seen.
Not because he was showing off, because he understood something I’d forgotten. Excellence isn’t about domination. It’s about grace. He held up a photo. Prince on the 18th green, June 2009. purple shirt, smiling. After that day, I called him, asked him how I could invest in something that mattered. He said, “Give kids music.
” So, I did for 7 years, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever done that I’m truly proud of. His voice broke. This man taught me that you can win without making others lose. That’s a lesson worth more than any trophy. Rest in power, Prince. and thank you for not destroying me when you had the chance. 2024 Bob Thornton, now 77, was still funding the Purple Tea Foundation.
Total donations since 2009, 11.7 million. The foundation now operated in seven cities. On the foundation’s website, there was a photo of Prince holding a golf club. Caption: Founded in honor of the man who played one round of golf and changed everything. 2023 Golf Digest interviewed Bob. What’s the best round of golf you’ve ever played? I shot 74 at Pebble Beach in 1998.
What’s the best round you’ve ever watched? Prince Bair 2009. He shot 68. First time he ever played. What made it special? because he didn’t just beat us on the course. He beat the worst parts of who we were. And when you lose to someone like that, you don’t stay beaten, you become better. Do you still play at Bair? No. I quit my membership in 2010.
Why? Because I realized I was playing golf with the wrong people. Now I spend my Sundays teaching kids in South LA how to play piano. Turns out that’s a better use of time. The interviewer paused. You teach piano? You’re a real estate developer. I was. Now I’m a music teacher. Prince taught me golf in 4 hours.
I’ve been teaching kids music for 14 years. I’m still not as good at it as he was at golf, but I’m trying. What’s the most important lesson Prince taught you? Bob thought for a long time. That grace is more powerful than victory. He could have destroyed me that day. made me a joke, posted about it on social media, told everyone how the arrogant millionaire got beaten by someone who’d never played before.
Instead, he shook my hand, answered my stupid questions, and when I called him 3 days later, embarrassed and looking for redemption, he gave me a purpose. He turned my worst moment into my best legacy. He looked at the photo of Prince on his desk, the 18th green purple shirt. That’s what greatness looks like. Not winning. Elevating everyone around you so they can win, too.
I spent 60 years thinking success was about being better than other people. Prince taught me it’s about making other people better. And now every Sunday when I’m sitting with a kid in South LA teaching them piano, I think about that purple shirt, that impossible golf swing, that grace, and I try to be worthy of it. One of Bob’s students, Maria Rodriguez, now 19, a scholarship student at Berkeley College of Music, was asked about Bob in 2024.
Mr. Thornton taught me piano for six years, free every Sunday. He never missed a lesson. Not once. One day I asked him why he did it. He said, “Because someone once showed me that the best thing you can do with an advantage is give it away.” I didn’t understand then, but I do now. Mr. Thornton was rich, powerful, had everything.
But he spent his Sundays in our neighborhood teaching kids like me. He told me about Prince, about the golf game, about the purple shirt, about how Prince could have humiliated him but chose grace instead. Mr. Thornton said, “I’m trying to pass that grace forward so one day when someone treats you badly, you’ll remember this, and you’ll choose grace, too.
” That’s Prince’s legacy, not just the music, the grace, and the chain of people trying to be worthy of it.
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
