Some say golf and tennis go hand in hand and in terms of ball control the two sports overlap, but many more tennis players play golf, some with scratching disabilities, than golfers who pick up a tennis racket intermittently. And this is not a recent occurrence, for decades players have replaced tennis rackets with golf clubs – enjoying the peace of golf while admiring many of the world’s famous golf courses. words April dies
Former world number one tennis player Ivan Lendl was addicted to golf long before he retired from tennis and decided to make his mark on the professional tour. However, no matter how hard he trained to perfect his game and played once in the Austrian Open alongside seasonal pros, he could hardly believe the precision needed to get anywhere near the top 100 in the world. However, he still enjoys playing recreational golf. While Australian tennis phenom Ash Barty, who is a powerhouse in several sports including cricket, is also a golfer. Barty surprisingly announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 25 to focus on playing competitive golf and played the last Icon Series event before the announcement that she and her husband, Gary, were expecting their first child and he has put golf on the back burner for the time being.
Other former players are less ambitious. “Dad” golfer Tim Henman has a better-than-scratch handicap and once shot a 69 in Augusta. He still enjoys playing competitive golf but never considered joining the pro tour.
Many of today’s best players find hitting golf balls a form of relaxation and play whenever they get the chance. Recently, during an Acapulco tournament, the ATP organized a “Long Journey Contest” for players, where some players who were hitting golf balls for the first time appeared to take the sport like ducks to water resulting in incredible long journeys while apparently their players More experienced golfers have little trouble hitting the 200 mark. The overall winner at the event was none other than Sabastien Korda with a 278 engine – well, Seb’s sisters Nellie and Jessica are two of the best golfers on the LPGA Tour.
Known as the Three Musketeers, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic who have dominated tennis over the past two decades also boast low golf handicaps. Rafa leads the trio with a scratch handicap, but then began hitting golf balls in his early teens and played incessantly, once boasting that he had never had a golf lesson in his life. Rafa’s dislike of pets is also known to be his dislike of engaging in conversations while playing golf.
Novak Djokovic is another player who frequently swaps tennis rackets for golf clubs and readily admits to finding solace on the golf course. Often seen playing golf during Wimbledon, he once appeared at a local club in jeans and a baseball cap walking nonchalantly through the club house only to be told by the club manager that jeans and baseball caps were not allowed in the club house. An enraged Djokovic simply turned around, jumped into a waiting chauffeur-driven car and left without hitting a ball in anger.
Former tennis brat John McEnroe is now mature and plays golf as much as tennis he was once invited to play The Richmond Golf Club by former doubles partner Peter Fleming a member and also invited the club’s general manager to join them knowing he was . Also a big fan of McEnroe. Despite being a stickler for club etiquette, he somehow manages to look the other way whenever Mac gets angry over his game or the number of trees on the field!
Not many have heard of the 23-year-old Casper Ruud who is currently a four-player in the world, but he is also an experienced golfer. When he was young, he was split between the two sports and grew up playing both with the same passion. However, by his 13th birthday, he had to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former professional tennis player and give up golf for tennis. He recently fulfilled his childhood dream and played the famous but challenging Winged Foot tournament in the US, where he finished a commendable 77 – achieved in between playing matches during the US Open tennis tournament.
Another surprising player to emerge with hidden golf talents and is now considered an ATP golfer is Mardy Fish who made his PGA Tour debut at the recent 3M Open. Avid golfers include Andy Murray who plays alongside Sky TV presenters Markus Buckland and Barry Cowan as time permits. American Jack Sock, a former top-ten player, is another golf junkie who together surprisingly, the Skupski brothers are equally passionate.
With Wimbledon just around the corner, watch out South West London there could be a flood of tennis players chasing tee times on local courses in and around the two weeks before this year’s tournament!