Master Blaster romances the greens, tries golf! Back in the year in January, we had the chance of catching up with Sachin Tendukar about his interest in golf and voila he seemed pretty positive. Hopefully as Sachin wraps up much of his cricket earnings he will more definitely pick some clubs and get down to fixing his drives and direction in golf. Here are excerpts from the interview archive.
Q. You put the driver to use and there wasn’t a single bad shot. Driver is very difficult club to play.
A. I like hitting a ball. It doesn’t matter where it is – in cricket or golf. I have not yet played much golf except on a holiday. I like swinging the club. This morning was fun – I hit about 25 balls. I would love to play this at some stage of my life though not now.
Q. A lot of focus these days is on player psychology and the mind. As a cricketer do you draw inspiration and inferences from golf, known to be a game played in the space between your ears?
A. I haven’t played golf on a competitive level. Neither have I taken to the course regularly.
Of course it’s a lot about the mind and not just about connecting the ball but to be able to do it cons isteny. Plenty of mental training is important. You have got to be mentally tough to drive your game. It’s also important to have a vision to be able to execute your plan. It may not happen in the first go but you have to give it many chances. To be able to play 18 holes is not easy.
Q. What are the sports outside of cricket that interest you?
A. I enjoy racquet spots. I enjoy table tennis, squash. Golf yes is a great game. That connect of the club to the ball can bring a high. There is clearly something in it. I like the knowledge that golf is a game to be played in silence. In tennis too there is quiet before people play unlike cricket. The silence is a new experience for me.
Q. Will you consider buying into a golf team since league golf is coming back?
A. Thanks for giving me the idea, now I will certainly consider.
Q. Why have you chosen to be associated with golf in Ahmedabad?
A. Kensville is a fantastic club. I got not just golf but even when I want to spend time quietly, this is a nice spot to be in. I might play golf, I haven’t made up my mind yet.
