So how and when did the end finally come?
I couldn't get to the PGA (Championship) for obvious reasons (the death of his father) and I got this letter in the post - a sort of Dear John letter. That was the one which said, your services were no longer required.

How did you feel when you read it?
I thought it was pretty strange. At least he could have rung me up but I knew very well that he hadn't written that letter - his manager had written that letter. You said in the press that the phraseology gave it away. It was a letter that was written and Nick's name was at the bottom of it. I do that. When I go away, I sign some letterheads and they (his administrative staff) fill in the rest. I'm sure that John Simpson wrote it out, probably read it over the phone to Nick and said, 'This is what I've written.' (Then Nick said something like,) 'Oh, that's fine,' and sent it off. I know the phraseology that was used in the letter was the way John Simpson speaks and not Nick - 'Regards to the family,' type of thing. That was a dead give away!

Was there any follow up to the letter telling you that Nick no longer required your services?
John Simpson pulled me up later and said, 'Listen, I just want to make sure that you got the letter, because obviously there was going to be some stuff in the press.' Then it started to really snowball when the press spoke to me and asked, 'How did you hear about it?'

And looking back on the whole incident?
I was a little hurt. When you think of all the work we did together.

You obviously feel you didn't deserve the brush-off treatment?
Hey, listen, he benefited a lot from me working with other players. Nick Price was probably the best guy who I ever had the chance to bounce stuff off. We did things together, experimented, worked things out and so on. So, indirectly, Nick benefited from all my work. Then, when somebody told me, 'You know Nick Faldo is going to start his own teaching academy..' I said, 'Nah - rubbish.' Then blow me down, I see it in the newspapers - in Orlando! Hey, there was going to be a Marriot-Nick Faldo Golf Institute and they would be teaching 'his' philosophy and stuff! And he never had the decency to even come and tell me!

Was this just another case of Nick avoiding confrontation by not telling you about his plans?
That's what I'm talking about. I mean, direct competition just down the road you know.. Listen hey, it's a business decision and all credit to Nick for having the name to be able to do that and I'm sure he charged them a fortune! But it was confusing to the public who said, 'Hey, who's teaching this? Are they your teachers?'

In hindsight, you must have known the end was very near at this point. because if he had been happy he would have said let's do this together surely?
No, I think he would have. It was a great business opportunity for him OK? But because it was a John Simpson (Faldo's Manager) deal it was almost as if, 'Hey, we can do this..'

All the time you were giving Nick lessons, he never said anything about setting up this rival teaching academy on your doorstep?
Not even a word. Negotiations were going on, the thing had been signed and it just came out in the press. I felt like an idiot. The subject never came up - never. Even after that he wouldn't mention it. It was just sort of casually, 'Yeh, well. I've gotta go and do this promotional thing for the Marriot..' It was nothing. Even the other players thought, 'What the hell is this?'

Knowing what you did, didn't you ever feel like confronting him about it?
I did, But not to even mention it - I mean what was I going to do?

Do you think it contributed to you and Nick splitting up?
It was probably a factor. He might not admit to that but anyway.. I mean hey, business is business. I understand that. I owe him so much for what I have achieved in my career but golf to me is much more than just money. I would enjoy it just as much if I didn't have a nice house, sold millions of books, and what have you. I've always just enjoyed doing it.

On the subject of money, what sort of financial arrangement did you have with Nick?
He paid me a set fee per year that really just covered costs, flying here, flying there. It wasn't the money. $20,000 a year - that's what I got. That doesn't seen a great deal considering what you earn.

Was that just at the start?
That went right through - all the way. Never went up. That was it. It didn't bother me at all. Like I said, I didn't do it for the money.

Did you ever have a written contract?
No, it wasn't on paper. It was a handshake.

Since splitting up, your relationship has cooled somewhat. At Pinehurst during the 1999 US Open, Faldo very publicly walked straight past you on the practice ground without saying a word. How did you feel considering everything you had been through together?
It was weird. I just think he wants to avoid confrontation. He was always trying to avoid things but life's too short, so big deal. I was at Doral sitting having breakfast. He had to walk right by me to get to the buffet so he says 'How you doing?' - Nothing more.

How do things stand at this moment. Do you have any sort of relationship with Nick Faldo?
No, none. None whatsoever. It's sad really. I've never done anything intentionally, apart from trying to help him give 100-percent. Maybe for a period of time (during his father's illness) I couldn't give 100-percent but I think a player should understand that.

Looking at Nick Faldo today, what do you see?
I see a guy struggling to regain something. He's working hard. He still wants it as much and it's almost like the harder he wants it, the worse things are becoming. It was his full intention when things were going well - when he was in his mid 30s - that he wouldn't be playing past the age of 40. He said that to me on two or three occasions. He said, 'I'll be Trout fishing on the Trent somewhere.. I'll be off with the kids.. You won't see me on the Seniors Tour..' Now, here he is at the age of 42. Since leaving you, Nick has tried out a few teachers.

Looking back at his swing today what advice would you give him?
He had certain tendencies with his legs, had some tightness in his hips which created a little inflexibility at times. I saw him swinging at Augusta (in 1999) and it looked just awful. So, I was glad for his sake that he got together with Mitchell Spearman, because, looking at his swing (at the 1999 Open at Carnoustie) it actually looked OK, it looked better. At least he is working on the same things he's done for 15 years. I mean, why would somebody of his calibre put his career - put his golf swing in the hands of some guy, (Chip Koehlke - head coach at the Nick Faldo Academy,) who knew nothing about what he was doing just because he worked for him and read his books! I mean, basically the guy knew nothing. What a decision! Do you think any other top player would do that? Maybe you get the guy to check out a couple of things for you. If Nick had been an individual who had a great understanding of what he was doing and could fix himself, then maybe another pair of eyes just to talk through it - but not to just hear this guy yacking. I heard him directly. I mean, hey that's fine. This guy was saying this and he (Nick) would try it.

You know Nick a lot better than most. What do you see for him in the future - is he done like a lot of experts seem to think?
(Sighs), It's going to be a battle. I'm not saying he is done because you can never say that about a guy like him, because he could always find something and prove people wrong. It's sad. Some people bow out gracefully, some people don't. It's not like tennis, where you know you are a step slower, or you're losing in the first round and you think, I'd better get outta here. Because in golf, there is always those little flashes that come back, but who's to say what mental damage this has done. I think he can get his technique back where he is pretty comfortable but whether he can get his mind-set back is another thing. Nick's critics also seem to focus on his putting as the root of his problems.

Do you see it that way?
It's strange with his putting, because he was always a very intuitive putter. Putting is one of those mysteries of the game. It's like, hey, if you are a great putter don't question it -just do it. What we did was keep things really simple, things like set-up, rhythm and so on. He has obviously been a great putter throughout his career and I think it's tough once you have been a great putter then you're putting goes off, like Watson, to accept the fact that you are a bad putter now. So where his future lies, I don't know. Let's face it, he hasn't got a lot of other things, say like a Greg Norman, who can bow out because he's got golf course design, turf farms. What has Nick got?

Any final reflections?
When it all comes down to it, we had a great ride - a great run. It was fun. We have been very good for each other and like I say, it's just a shame that it comes down to a point where there is no communication whatsoever.

Do you hold out any hope that this will change?
I doubt it, because he is a very proud person and I think it would be unexpected. He's got his life. He's made his own bed, he's got to lie in it now. You could say, 'What if he called you up and said hey, I want to come see you - what would you say?' I would have to think seriously about it because I don't see how the relationship could be the same. It would be really weird. In the past I've put my heart and soul into the things I do, but I don't know if I'd want to do this.

Do you believe in the old adage, if you haven't been nice to people on the way up, you might find it tough going on the down?
That's right. A lot of people are going to say, 'Well, you know, I remember..' I know it's hard when you're a superstar. It is hard to mix with the non-superstars. But I just wish him the best. I hope he's happy in his life. The thing is, it's not only what you do in life, it's the relationships you make along the way..

Dale Concannon is s full-time golf writer and author of six books on the game. His book 'Nick Faldo - Drive for Glory' is due out early next year and is published by Virgin Books.

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