WHEN his friend John Beecher was struck down with Alzheimer’s during the lockdown days of Covid, Steve Jeffress had no hesitation in giving up his career as a professional golfer and becoming a fulltime carer for his great mate.
“There is always a shortage of support workers, and I wanted to do something to help,” Jeffress said. “Dementia is such a terrible disease.”
For four years Jeffress made caring for his friend his priority.
He would pick Beecher up each day, drive him to his Gold Coast home where the pair would spend hours in Jeffress’ work shed, take him to the local gym, swimming pool and coffee shop, and ride with him to Surfers Paradise on their bikes.
Though dealing with memory loss, behavioural changes and the gradual transformation of the person he once knew was physically and emotionally taxing, Jeffress was fully committed to the process.
He hardly hit a golf ball for four years.
And when Beecher finally lost his battle with dementia in late 2024, Jeffress found the experience of caring had been so profound and personally rewarding that he volunteered with the Gold Coast’s Community Access service provider to continue his support work.
But, while he’s still committed to assisting his current client Peter, his priorities have changed a little.
“John was a good friend and, with him, it was a personal thing,” Jeffress said. “His care came first, ahead of golf. This time it’s different – golf will come first, and my support work will be second.
“If I’m playing in a tournament, for example, I’ll give those shifts away.”
Jeffress’ comeback to professional golf began late last year when, after celebrating his 50th birthday in November, he played a few of the season-ending swing of Legends Tour events on the Sunshine Coast.
He did well enough to give him himself real confidence going into the tour’s qualifying school tournament at Murwillumbah in January.
“I hadn’t played many events leading up to Q School but I was still going there to win,” he said. “I knew if I could play somewhere near my best golf I had a chance of winning.”
And win he did, delivering a composed and clinical performance that saw him finish the 36-hole tournament three shots clear of Wayne Perske, Mark Brooker and David Van Raalte.
After winning the recent Australian PGA Legends Tour qualifying event, Steve Jeffress looks forward to playing, and winning, on the over-50’s circuit.
Given his record since turning professional in 1999, it was no real surprise. Jeffress had been a prolific winner on the pro-am circuit, notching nearly 70 victories, winning the Victorian PGA Championship in 2016 and the Fiji International in 2014, and competing in Phil Mickelson’s 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield.
Despite his imposing record, Jeffress considers himself a golfer who needs to work really hard to compete successfully at the highest level, and he’s been a recent regular toiler on the driving range at Southport Golf Club, where he’s also a part-time teaching professional.
He skipped the Legend Tour’s season-opening swing in New Zealand, but planned to compete in some of the tournaments in and around Melbourne in late February and early March. He’s particularly looking forward to the events in Papua-New Guinea and Fiji.
“I never really travelled much when I was on the pro-am circuit so I’m looking forward to visiting some new places,” he said.
And, though his presence is likely to create some concern for those players who have dominated the tour in recent years, Jeffress is not seeking Order of Merit success just yet. He still has other commitments to fulfil.
But he concedes he’s very competitive and, though he understands the appeal of the Legends Tour as an opportunity for veteran golfers to travel the country and enjoy spending time with old mates, that’s not on Jeffress’ radar.
“I’m not in it for that,” he said. “I’m out to win. I’ve done the travelling – I had seven years in Japan and many more years in Asia. I want to win golf events.”
Golf coach Lawrie Montague, who specialises in mental toughness and has worked with Jeffress for 23 years, said Jeffress had an extraordinary ability to stay present, reflect honestly, and adapt quickly.
“Steven’s success is a testament to his willingness to stay awake, evolve, and face challenges with clarity and purpose,” he said. “It’s a mindset I strive to inspire in all my clients because it transcends sport and leads to excellence in any area of life.”
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