Golf. It’s the ‘different’ sport so many elite athletes flip to to flee the rigours of their chosen skilled profession — and a few get actually, actually good at it.
To rejoice the 2024 PGA Championship — beginning on Thursday evening AEST — foxsports.com.au spoke to among the stars whose expertise extends from the footy discipline to the fairways, delving a little bit deeper into what the game means to them.
Watch each spherical of the PGA Championship LIVE & Unique to Fox Sports activities, obtainable on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial Right now >
Day reveals how shut he was to retiring | 03:18
Halfback Chad Townsend is amongst a crop North Queensland Cowboys gamers who’re each eager, and really helpful, on the golf course.
The 33-year-old performs off a powerful handicap of 8, sharing single figures with teammates Kyle Feldt (6), Coen Hess (7) and Val Houses (8).
For Townsend, golf is “undoubtedly an escape from rugby league or life”, however nonetheless a really aggressive outlet.
“I’ve discovered taking part in with teammates they at all times need to win or they at all times need to beat their scores or beat their handicap,” Townsend advised foxsports.com.au.
“I believe with skilled athletes, they’re tremendous aggressive. There’s a number of features of it and it’s why so many gamers fall in love with the sport.”
Spending hours on a golf course on prime of the coaching calls for {of professional} sport may appear tiresome for some, however for others, like Townsend, it’s therapeutic.
“Plenty of occasions once we play golf, we attempt to play as soon as per week, however we don’t actually speak footy in any respect,” Townsend stated.
“We’re taking part in within the comp, it could be, you already know, three, three-and-a-half hours the place we simply sort of escape, you already know, soccer and escape life.
“We’d give a little bit of banter and fear about taking part in nicely and attempting to beat one another.
“I believe it’s that facet of it, that little little bit of escape that makes us find it irresistible.”
Townsend reckons there’s really a stunning quantity of crossover between the skillsets of golf and footy.
“I wish to suppose with reference to routine, brief routine, placing, your swing general. I used to liken it to your aim kicking,” he stated.
“I’ve solely aim kicked right here and there, however chatting with Val (Holmes) he’s clearly received his goal-kicking routine.
“But when he’s hitting a driver he’s received a routine for that as nicely. So there’s crossover with that after which clearly you may get a nasty break right here and there.
“So attempting to not mentally lose it and simply sort of focus in your subsequent job, which undoubtedly type of crosses over with each sports activities as nicely.”
As for the most effective participant on the Cowboys?
“We’ve received a variety of good gamers to be truthful. Kyle Felt hits the ball a good distance. He’s actually spectacular with how he strikes the ball,” Townsend stated.
“… And Val (Holmes) …. he can come up fairly clutch in circumstances. Speaking in regards to the crossover and what number of occasions he’s come up clutch in video games.
“With reference to discipline objectives or aim kicks or moments and it’s fairly related on the course.
“The boys name him a bit ‘arsey,’ however yeah, mate, he’s received a giant play in for certain.”
READ MORE
TEE TIMES: Scott in blockbuster Woods pairing as Smith earns PGA Champs nod
CIVIL WAR: Inside PGA energy battle as ‘lunatics run the asylum’
EVERY AUSSIE: The in-form Aussie who may ‘streak the sphere’
How will Aussies go at PGA Championship? | 04:22
‘I’VE BEEN COMING IN HOT’
One other caught firmly within the midst of {the golfing} grip, Collingwood champion Steele Sidebottom, has damaged a golden particular person rule.
The 33-year-old, who was runner-up within the 2018 Brownlow Medal, had promised himself that ought to he ever attain a single determine handicap, he would dangle up the golf equipment instantly.
However the dual-premiership Magpie, who will play his 318th sport when Collingwood hosts Adelaide on the MCG on Saturday and now performs off 8, has discovered golf a behavior that’s too exhausting to shake.
It’s partly as a result of firm. Each week he heads out with a bunch of Magpies together with Jeremy Howe, Lachie Schultz and Darcy Cameron for a aggressive spherical.
However additionally it is due to his kind, with Sidebottom saying he’s placing it higher than ever.
“Now I don’t need to pump up my very own tyres, however I’ve been coming in scorching over the past month or so. I believe my final six or seven rounds have been flags (rounds counted beneath Gold Australia’s handicap system). I’ve been in some kind,” he advised foxsports.com.au
“I’ve at all times stated that when I received the only figures, I’d cease. However I’m loving it. I really feel just like the older I get, the extra I’m having fun with it. (It’s) most likely solely over the past 5 – 6 years that I’ve gotten into really taking part in correctly.”
Sidebottom, an avid watcher of golf who will likely be tuning into the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership in Kentucky, is amongst a big cohort of {golfing} footballers.
Watch each spherical of the PGA Championship LIVE & Unique to Fox Sports activities, obtainable on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial Right now >
Scheffler taking part in pretty much as good as Prime Tiger | 02:10
Former St Kilda and Essendon star Brendon Goddard featured in Division 1 pennant degree in Melbourne.
In accordance with a characteristic in Australian Golf Digest in 2019 by former top-line cricketer Brett Geeves, Goddard performed to a handicap of +3 on the testing Melbourne sandbelt layouts. He was additionally a daily participant companion of 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy.
Hawthorn ahead Mitch Lewis was an impressive junior golfer who performed to a scratch handicap, as did former Large and Hawk Tim Mohr.
Former Geelong sharpshooter Stevie Johnson is taken into account a shark across the hyperlinks, whereas 2020 Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins is amongst a bunch of Cats who’re common golfers. Three-time Coleman Medallist and Fox Footy pundit Jack Riewoldt is handicapped close to scratch and performed at Kingston Heath often throughout his taking part in days with the Tigers.
Over within the west, a number of Fremantle footballers have had the great fortune of taking part in a spherical now and again with mad Dockers fan Minwoo Lee on the Royal Fremantle Golf Membership.
Sidebottom, who performed as a child on the Shepparton Golf Membership in regional Victoria, is a member of Inexperienced Acres Golf Membership in Kew however performs together with his Magpie mates at Southern Golf Membership.
“Everybody has a success from time to time however in the intervening time, we’re at all times taking part in as soon as per week. We’re proper into it. There’s a group of 4 of us who go round often,” he stated.
“Howey is the most effective golfer. He’s taking part in off 4 and he’s good at every part on the course.
However then once more, he’s good at every part he does.”
Sidebottom charges Hadyn Barron, a very good pal of Minwoo Lee who performed The British Open at Royal Liverpool final yr, and Blake Collyer, a mad Collingwood fan, as the most effective golfers he has loved a spherical with.
And he has been conserving shut tabs on the progress of Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen after the pair swapped handicaps and golf digits whereas having fun with a drink.
“It’s a comic story. I used to be on the piss one evening and I used to be chatting with Ryan Papenhuyzen and he’s on a golf handicap app,” he stated.
“You’ll be able to wax somebody’s golf hyperlink numbers and simply test on their handicaps, so I’m conserving a detailed eye on how he’s hitting them. I believe he could be off ten or 11 or one thing, so I’ve received him in the intervening time.”
OUR CRICKETERS ARE PRETTY HANDY TOO…
Unsurprisingly, the crossover of skill between cricket and golf is excessive and there are various examples of maximum expertise.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as soon as performed off a handicap of +3 amid options he may give a professional {golfing} profession a crack. Present New Zealand star Mitchell Santner performs off an analogous mark and occasion half-jokingly considers himself a “fulltime golfer, Half-time New Zealand cricketer”.
The listing of the handicaps among the many present Australian nationwide crew is mightily spectacular with Glenn Maxwell (1), David Warner (4) and head coach Andrew McDonald (5) among the many finest.
Rugby league throws up among the extra stunning handicaps with forwards — like Cowboys backrower Hess — proving the crossover expertise isn’t just restricted to backs and playmakers.
Raiders prop Josh Papalii, as an illustration, performs off a powerful 7 however winger Jordan Rapana is the standout of the Canberra membership’s {golfing} fraternity hilariously likened to a “cult”.
Elsewhere, Sharks media supervisor Rob Willis has beforehand performed in a number of skilled tournaments together with a number of DP World Tour competitions.
He now performs off +1 with former Cronulla enforcer Wade Graham taking part in off a decent 6.
Dragons duo Blake Lawrie and Zac Lomax are stated to “charge themselves” on the course, whereas Joe Stimson is the Titans finest golfer.
Beau Fermor, Jayden Campbell and Phil Sami additionally love their golf whereas the Warriors have a number of avid gamers, together with hooker Wayde Egan.
The New Zealand hooker hails from Lithgow within the Blue Mountains, NSW, the place he and his two brothers lived close to a golf course.
Wayde himself performs off 3, whereas his brother Tallan Egan additionally comes off 3 and is presently within the Warriors’ SG Ball facet.
However essentially the most spectacular of the Egan brothers is Brock, who performs off a staggering +3.
Observe all of the of the motion from this yr’s PGA Championship reside and unique on Fox Sports activities and Kayo Sports activities from Thursday, Might 16 to Monday, Might 20.
GOLF HANDICAPS OF AUSTRALIAN SPORTING STARS
NRL
COWBOYS
Kyle Feldt – 6
Coen Hess – 7
Valentine Holmes – 8
Chad Townsend – 8
Scott Drinkwater – 15
Tom Dearden – 12
Sam McIntyre – 15
Heilum Luki – 17
Griffin Neame -17
RAIDERS
Jordan Rapana – 2
Josh Papalii – 7
Hohepa Puru – 8
Tom Starling – 12
Joe Tapine – 15
Zac Woolford – 17
Corey Horsburgh – 18
SHARKS
Wade Graham – 6
Rob Willis (media supervisor) – +1
WARRIORS
Wayde Egan – 3
Tallan Egan – 3
Dylan Walker – 6
Jackson Ford – 9
Shaun Johnson – 12
Freddy Lussick – 12
AFL
Jeremy Cameron (Geelong – 6)
Tom Hawkins (Geelong – 6)
Brendon Goddard (St Okay/Essendon – +3)
Don Pyke (West Coast CEO – 0)
Mitch Lewis (Hawthorn – 0)
Jeremy Howe (Collingwood – 4)
Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood – 8)
Finlay Macrae (Collingwood – 9)
Jack Riewoldt (Richmond – 2)
Daniel Wells (Nth Melb-Collingwood – 3)
Steve Johnson (Geelong-GWS – 3)
Jack Gunston (Hawthorn – 5)
Luke Bruest (Hawthorn – 5)
James Sicily (Hawthorn – 6)
Supply: Australian Golf Digest, AFL Gamers Affiliation
CRICKET
Glenn Maxwell – 1
David Warner – 4
Andrew McDonald – 5
Matt Renshaw – 6
Scott Boland – 7
Daniel Vettori – 8
Usman Khawaja – 9
Josh Hazlewood – 9
Mitchell Starc – 10
Travis Head – 12
Pat Cummins – 12
Mitch Marsh – 14
Supply: Code Sports activities