The previous Leicester, England and Lions winger loves tropical islands and chilling out together with his household when he’s not hitting the fairways at Woodhall Spa and La Manga
I first picked up a membership…after I was in school at Barnard Fort in County Durham. We lived in Malaysia after I was rising up and I used to be despatched to high school within the UK. We used to swing a couple of golf equipment on the enjoying fields after which after we sort of knew what we had been doing we had been allowed to play at Barnard Fort Golf Membership.
I didn’t play numerous golf throughout my rugby enjoying days, however have all the time stored my hand in. I’ve not too long ago joined England Golf’s iGolf scheme, which is designed to supply a handicap for golfers who aren’t members of a membership. Though I typically simply play with my mates for enjoyable I do play in a couple of company days and charity occasions, and I used to be enjoying off a 13 handicap from after I was a member at Belton Woods in Lincolnshire. My present handicap by way of iGolf is nineteen, which is certainly extra reflective of my capability.
My favorite golf resort is… La Manga in Spain. I used to be invited to play within the Henry Cooper Traditional there a few years in the past and introduced my spouse Wendy and our two ladies together with me for a vacation. We had a good time, and I actually loved the golf programs and the opposite services. Shortly after, they obtained in contact and requested if I wish to develop into an envoy for the resort, which I did, and we had been fortunate sufficient to be get free holidays there for a couple of years as a part of the deal. The programs are nice vacation tracks, as you may get into hassle off the tee, however usually nonetheless have a path to the inexperienced – except you’re caught behind a palm tree – so it’s fairly forgiving, which is what you need on vacation.
My perfect vacation fourball would come with…. no-one well-known. I’d simply desire to play with two or three of my greatest mates. It’s all concerning the banter, on and off the golf course, and also you solely actually get that while you’re enjoying with good mates.
My earliest vacation reminiscence… We grew up in Malaysia and lived in Kuala Lumpur, so going there was like a vacation for me and my siblings after we had been getting back from college within the UK. However mum and pop would additionally prefer to get away, so that they’d e-book us all a vacation to remain in a villa up in Port Dickson on the Malacca Straits, the place it was a lot cooler in the summertime. We used to muck round on the seashore and swim daily – simply quite simple, enjoyable, household instances.
My most up-to-date vacation was to…. Corfu. We had a household vacation there final yr, and stayed on the southwest facet of the island, away from the extra touristy areas. I had by no means been earlier than and didn’t know a lot about it, however I wasn’t ready for the state of the roads round the place we had been. We rented a villa, which was fabulous, nevertheless it was fairly an journey each time we needed to exit within the automobile! We went on the finish of September, and I bear in mind as quickly it obtained to October nearly all of the eating places closed down for the season, so our timing wasn’t nice.
My most memorable spherical was… at Mount Juliet in Eire. It wasn’t lengthy after taken up the sport extra significantly and I had solely actually ever performed at your common golf golf equipment within the UK, after which I turned up at Mount Juliet for a Terry Wogan charity occasion and the place was like a pc simulator of a golf course. There wasn’t a blade of grass misplaced and the tees had been like greens. I don’t bear in mind enjoying very properly, however I’ll always remember being blown away by the presentation of the course. It was one other degree to something I’d ever skilled earlier than.
We used to play a couple of good programs after we had been touring with England or the Lions in Australia or South Africa, however I by no means actually paid a lot consideration to their names, in order that a part of my {golfing} life stays one thing of a hazy reminiscence. It was simply one thing to do to get away from rugby for a couple of hours.
My different {golfing} spotlight would have been after I performed within the Dunhill Hyperlinks Professional-Am a couple of instances. One yr I used to be paired with Simon Yates, Scottish professional, and I bear in mind we performed alongside Colin Montgomerie and Chris Evans, and Simon and I ended up qualifying for the ultimate spherical at St Andrews. I’ve by no means been so nervous in my life on that first tee. I carved one off to the best and solely simply managed to maintain it play, however fortunately it obtained higher from there and we went on to complete seventh. Seeing my title up on the leaderboard as we walked down the 18th fairway is one thing I’ll always remember. Dunhill very kindly gave me a framed map of the course with my pictures plotted by GPS that day, which is one thing I treasure.
My favorite course within the UK is… ooh, that’s a troublesome one. I’ve been fortunate sufficient to play a couple of fabulous programs. Loch Lomond, Ganton, Sunningdale, Wentworth, St Andrews are all proper up there, however I’d be onerous pressed to choose a favorite – for me, it’s extra usually about who you’re enjoying with than the course itself.
The most effective resort I’ve stayed in…. is the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. We went there for my spouse’s 50th about 10 years in the past and stayed on this wonderful villa on stilts on the water. You could possibly stand up and simply soar straight into the ocean from our room. It was a really stress-free household vacation – snorkelling, swimming, consuming and sleeping!
My favorite metropolis on the planet is… Melbourne. I’m not likely a metropolis particular person, however Melbourne sort of took me without warning because it doesn’t have that huge metropolis really feel and doesn’t overwhelm you want some cities can. It’s obtained a bit previous world allure about it, whereas additionally being very fashionable.
My most memorable meal on vacation… is something that includes Malaysian meals – satay, fried noodles. Each time I’m going again to Malaysia I all the time head straight for the native markets and the road meals stalls, as that’s the place you discover the very best meals – and in addition the meals that my relations prepare dinner!
My high journey tip…. is to take a telephone charger with a common adaptor and an excellent provide of diarrhoea tablets. You possibly can by no means be too ready!
