Colin Montgomerie has always harboured another theory about South Africans. Namely, that they tend to be all-round sportsmen. “They’re very well taught and have the kind of all-round muscular control that goes with having played plenty of sports in their formative years. Their schooldays are never all about golf.”
Grace played rugby cricket and hockey at the Outeniqua High School and was 15 years of age when his father sat him down and suggested he was engaging in too many activities for his own good. “I opted for golf,” he explained, before coming up with the mischievous counter question, “Good choice, don’t you think?”
You see professionals who will pick out a fresh club from the array of spanking new equipment on offer at a tournament practice range with not too much more excitement than they might reach for a bottle of water. Grace, whose eager enthusiasm smacks of an all-round amateur sportsman, is altogether different.
It was at last year’s end-of-season DP World Tour Championship in Dubai that his eyes lit upon the new Callaway driver, the Big Bertha Alpha 815 Double Black Diamond. He was keen that someone should share in his excitement at finding such a gem, one which was enhancing his ability to hit what the Callaway staff have described as, “a low, spinning knuckle ball, a real zipper.”
After dispatching a few more shots precisely as intended, he handed the black beauty across to this correspondent. “I can’t believe how well I’m hitting it,” he chuckled, disbelievingly.
"Are you going to use it this week?” I enquired.
"No, but I’m tempted,” he returned.
Pages
Click here to see the published article.
