Rock & Roll rebel to golf enthusiast: The unexpected transformation of Alice Cooper

For the early part of his career, rock icon Alice Cooper was a byword for drunken debauchery.

His popularity as a solo artist was so great that he was able to thrive despite slipping into serious alcohol addiction, but by the late 1970s he recognized that he needed to make a change.

The ‘Godfather of Shock Rock’ went to rehab multiple times during the 1970s and 1980s but he has revealed that the thing that really changed his life was a far cry from his on-stage persona. For the past 30 years, Cooper has been an avid golfer and typically plays golf six times a week.

In his memoir – “Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock ‘n’ Roller’s 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict” – Cooper recounts how he was able to refocus himself onto a healthier pastime.

“I traded one bad habit for another habit, only this habit (golf) was a lot healthier,” Cooper explained.

“Golf ended up being a good trade-off,” he added. “The thing about this book, is that when I look at the whole juxtaposition of who Alice Cooper is, the golf addiction and the music addiction, still, it’s pretty interesting how they can co-exist.”

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In addition to the regular rounds, Cooper was also taking part in countless pro-am competitions and became one of the better celebrity players. He played off a handicap of four and regularly played with country guitarist and singer Glen Campbell.

“I never look at the past as being anything I can’t talk about,” he explained, reflecting on his previous life. “I’m the eternal optimist; I look at things and go, ‘Well, I don’t really live in that era anymore. I did that stuff. It’s a matter of record. But I’m really more interested in what I’m gonna do this afternoon than what I did then’.”

Cooper’s love for golf has even allowed him to transition into a more mainstream star, appearing in commercials for Callaway Golf equipment and taking on other media roles. He starred on Peter Alliss’ television show ‘A Golfer’s Travels’ and wrote the forward to ‘Ryder Cup’, a book written by former PGA Tour golfer Gary McCord.

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