Former Components One champion Damon Hill recollects his favorite vacation hotspots and favorite {golfing} locations. Interview Matt Nicholson
I first picked up a golf membership when… I used to be about 10 or 11. Golf has all the time been a giant a part of our household’s life. I’ve obtained {a photograph} of my granddad enjoying within the Twenties when he was the captain of Mill Hill Golf Membership in London.
My dad [double F1 World Champion, Graham] took up golf after he broke his legs in an accident and he wanted to do one thing to maintain himself energetic.
He couldn’t run, so he took up golf. I began following him round on the course and we watched golf on telly collectively, so I obtained into it that means.
I simply began thrashing away and everybody used to say, ‘Oh, he’s obtained a beautiful swing’, which was the worst factor they might have stated as a result of I assumed I’d cracked it. So, after that I by no means bothered to have any correct classes – and that was a giant mistake.
My favorite golf course overseas is… Royal Melbourne. There are such a lot of nice programs throughout world, however at any time when I’m working on the FI in Australia we all the time try to get a sport in at Royal Melbourne Golf Membership. It’s a sand belt course and has a really linksy really feel.
I’m additionally a giant fan of Yas Hyperlinks in Abu Dhabi. Shock, shock, it’s additionally proper subsequent to the F1 monitor, so I’m typically capable of nip on the market and get a fast spherical in within the morning earlier than we begin filming, which is a lovely time to play because it’s good and funky.
My favorite course within the UK is… Hankley Widespread in Surrey. I’m a member there, so I’m considerably biased, but it surely’s a beautiful course and is all the time in nice nick all yr spherical, which is essential given our moist winters.
I’m additionally a giant fan of the Downs Course at Goodwood. The views are wonderful, the course has a fantastic number of holes, and also you all the time get nicely taken care of within the clubhouse.
My ultimate vacation for ball would come with… the identical group of fellows I’ve been enjoying golf with for the final 20-30 years. They know who they’re!
My most up-to-date vacation was to…. Mauritius. It was technically a part of a golf journey to play within the Legends Tour’s Movie star Sequence Grand Closing, however I took my spouse Georgie, so I’m going to rely it as a vacation! We stayed on the Constance Belle Mare Plage Resort, which was incredible.
My most memorable spherical… It would sound a bit odd, however I’ve nice reminiscences of enjoying Hankley Widespread alone a couple of years in the past.
I went spherical in about 21/2 hours and shot 75. I had solely meant to play 9 holes, however I simply obtained into the zone and simply carried on and performed the total 18.
Having lived most of my life at nicely over 100 miles an hour I discover golf could be very gradual, so the truth that I might simply whizz spherical with out having to attend for different individuals actually helped my sport.
The spotlight of my {golfing} profession thus far was… enjoying with Seve Ballesteros at The Oxfordshire. I used to be full in awe. He was an absolute god in {golfing} phrases and was an ideal gentleman, too. It’s all the time good when your heroes develop into good individuals.
The most effective lodge I’ve ever stayed in is… the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo. I stayed there the identical evening that I received the 1996 World Championship, so I used to be it additionally memorable for that cause alone, however I used to be staying in an enormous suite which had a grand piano and a boardroom, so it was all fairly loopy.
It was on one of many prime flooring, so it had this wonderful view overlooking Tokyo. It’s the place they later filmed scenes for Misplaced in Translation.
My most memorable meal…. was in a sushi restaurant in the identical Grand Hyatt in Tokyo. It was a sushi banquet, with course after course of probably the most wonderful sushi and sashimi. Recent tuna, salmon and yellowtail.
I’m a vegetarian now, however on the time, I wasn’t, and it an was unbelievable meal. I simply keep in mind waking up the next morning feeling massively invigorated in all probability due to all of the protein I’d eaten!
My favorite metropolis on the planet is… London. It’s my hometown and there’s all the time one thing to see and do and I simply love strolling across the streets and taking all of it in. Additional afield, I really like Barcelona, and Melbourne is a superb metropolis too.
My prime journey tip is… to get misplaced. Get on the market and discover. Don’t over plan issues and miss out on the chance to stumble throughout one thing new. At any time when I’m booked right into a lodge on my travels I simply must get out of my room and see what’s on the market.
