| It is a quintessentially British trait to be | | | | includes every amateur, off any handicap, and that's |
| self-deprecating, and the actor Hugh Grant has made | | | | difficult. I see them shaking on the first tee." |
| a career out of it. From his portrayal of the hapless | | | | Still, the chance to play with the best golfers on |
| Charles in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to the | | | | three of the world's top links courses isn't one that |
| simple bookshop owner in "Notting Hill," he's earned | | | | any amateur would pass up in his right mind. And it's |
| global acclaim for being the loveable, but dithering, | | | | virtually the only profession -- certainly the only |
| fool who seems destined to take the most tortuous | | | | sporting endeavor -- where an amateur can walk in |
| route in the quest for true love and happiness. | | | | the same shoes as the professionals. |
| It seems that often his personal life has imitated his | | | | "Golf is the only sport where you could do this", says |
| art. At 46 years old, he remains a bachelor; | | | | the NFL legend Marcus Allen. "If you tried this in |
| frequently the subject of celebrity gossip columns, | | | | football, someone would get hurt." |
| but ultimately single. However, there is one true love | | | | With so many egos involved, the only thing likely to |
| in his life, and he's about to apologize for it. | | | | be wounded at this event is a bit of pride. According |
| "I'm a proper sad golfer," he told me recently in | | | | to the Eagles guitarist Don Felder, "it's easy to play |
| Scotland, and he makes the day he was wooed by | | | | guitar, anybody can learn a few chords. But to play a |
| the game sound like a personal disaster, "Your life is | | | | good round of golf is really difficult. I can play music |
| gone. So too your personality, and your interest in | | | | to 50,000 people, but this is frightening." |
| life. Nothing but golf interests me now." | | | | Also playing in Scotland were the actors Michael |
| He clearly feels that admitting to being a golfer is | | | | Douglas, Bill Murray and Grant's good friend Kyle |
| something to be ashamed of, and something he | | | | McLachlan. Their incredible success allows them to |
| never thought he'd admit to. "I played for a year or | | | | indulge their golfing fantasies on beautiful courses all |
| two in my 20s and then one day I thought, 'I hate | | | | over the world, and Grant is no exception. |
| this, this is miserable,' and I threw my clubs away." | | | | |
| He didn't play again for 12 years, whereupon one | | | | He belongs to some of the world's most exclusive |
| good shot got him hooked. | | | | golfing establishments, including the Queenswood Golf |
| Now, having worked hard enough to achieve a | | | | club in Surrey. With joining fees reputedly approaching |
| handicap of seven, it's an obsession he can deny no | | | | the three hundred thousand dollar mark, it's by far |
| longer. "If there's a new gadget for sale, I'll buy it. | | | | Britain's most expensive club. |
| I've never not bought anything that's been offered, | | | | It would be a cliché to say it, but to most of us |
| and there's now a whole room in my house | | | | this is another world -- in more ways than one. |
| dedicated to golf equipment. You can't get in there | | | | Take, for example, the golf handicap. It's a status |
| for clubs and impact bags." Has any of it helped? | | | | symbol for amateurs -- the lower the score, the |
| "None whatsoever," he scoffs, "A lot of it has done | | | | better the player -- but in the make-believe world of |
| me a lot of damage. I'm in a real mess. I feel like | | | | Hollywood, Grant reckons that sometimes they are a |
| running away." | | | | works of pure of fiction. "I once played with Dennis |
| He doesn't appear overly stressed, calmly sipping a | | | | Quaid, who's very good. He plays off 1. Although it's |
| mug of tea as we chat in front of the clubhouse at | | | | what they call a Hollywood 1. It actually translates to |
| Kingsbarns, but if Grant is feeling any apprehension, | | | | about 12 here!" |
| it's because the next day he's due to tee off in the | | | | Men like these need big bank accounts to fund their |
| Dunhill Links pro-am championship. | | | | recreational time, but I got the sense that Grant's |
| Some of the game's top stars -- including practically | | | | work now actually gets in the way of his golf. |
| all of Europe's successful Ryder Cup team -- will play | | | | He blames the "collapse" of his game on the decision |
| alongside the best amateurs from the respective | | | | to make a film earlier in the year. "I try to work as |
| worlds of business and show-business. And as you'd | | | | little as possible these days. When I'm filming I hardly |
| expect from a top PGA tour event, the drama will | | | | play at all and then when I come back my swing is in |
| be played out in front of thousands of fans and | | | | disarray. I'll become frantic to try and repair it." |
| dozens of live television cameras. | | | | At times, it's hard to tell when Grant is joking, but his |
| But nothing he has ever learned as an actor will be of | | | | description of himself as a golfer is quite intriguing. |
| any assistance on the first tee of The Old Course at | | | | "I'm extremely unpleasant," he says of his on-course |
| St. Andrews. "In my world, you can be relaxed by | | | | disposition, "I'm the worst. I like it very competitive, I |
| take 5. But here there's only one take. It's just | | | | like a lot of money at stake, and I don't like any |
| completely terrifying." | | | | chit-chat or jokes. I hate all that. I just want serious |
| Every golfer can relate to his phobia. In most other | | | | brutal golf and if it goes badly, I get very nasty." |
| walks of life, one can adopt a confident swagger -- | | | | "Nothing very interesting like that has ever come up," |
| even with insufficient talent to justify such an air. We | | | | he mused, "but it would be nice to get paid to get a |
| all know that positions of seniority are not always | | | | better swing!" |
| merited. Not in golf though, it's a profession where | | | | Ah, the pursuit of perfection! And Grant is |
| any pretenders are cruelly exposed. | | | | undoubtedly hooked. Counselors will tell you that in |
| In the wrong sort of company, a sliced, hooked or -- | | | | order to succeed, a relationship needs a lifetime of |
| even worse -- an air shot can be humiliating; and | | | | work. So I reckon that, regardless of what happens |
| often the pressure of the situation can make such | | | | with Hugh's birdies off the course, this particular love |
| catastrophes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Colin | | | | affair has a very bright future indeed. |
| Montgomerie -- one of Grant's former partners at | | | | In recent times, Grant has confessed that he is |
| the Dunhill Links Championship -- has seen it all first | | | | weary of the film industry; describing it as "just a |
| hand. | | | | miserable experience, so long and so boring." The golf |
| "The first fairway at St. Andrews is the widest in | | | | course now provides his excitement. |
| golf and so everybody's expected to hit it. That | | | | |
