Luke Donald on being a Dad and travelling to Australia
We’ve mentioned the Golf Vacations Magazine previously on Aussie Golfer, most notably in the “Which golf magazine should I buy?” article a few months ago. The current issue (October 2011) is a beauty as per usual. It features a very cool list of six courses you must play in Victoria, as well as a great interview with world number one, Luke Donald.
Luke Donald has had an incredible year. Out of his 18 starts, he has finished in the top-25 on 15 occasions, 13 of them were top-10 finishes. He recently went a remarkable 434 consecutive holes without a three-putt and is heading to Australia for the first time in December to play the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Here’s a few excerpts from the wide-ranging interview in the October issue where the Englishman tells Golf Vacations just why he hasn’t been here before.
“Being a member of both the European Tour and the PGA Tour takes a lot of toll on my time. Last year I played 29 events all over the world, which considering the travel, is quite a lot. The off-season is short, so it has been very hard to fit in the Aussie events as they fall at a tough time in the schedule.”
So why is he coming now?
“My wife is due to give birth to our second child in November, so there is a good chance I will be taking some time off around that time to be with her. Not playing in November gave me the perfect opportunity to play a little more in December, so it seemed like a great idea to come and play in Oz for an event.”
What is he looking forward to most when he’s in Melbourne? The restaurants, sporting events, hanging out with Ian Poulter…
“Certainly not hanging out with Ian Poulter, I can do that anywhere, ha ha. I’m looking forward to seeing the sandbelt courses in Victoria and playing in a new environment. Travelling can be tough sometimes but it’s really the best way to improve. It’s easy to get comfortable playing in your home country, on the same courses week in week out. I find that playing different places all around the world is what makes me a better player.”
How do you find juggling professional golf with being a dad?
“Being on the road when my family is home is tough. I just went on a stretch of four weeks without seeing my daughter and that’s tough. She changes so much that you really want to be around to see it all unfold. Usually my family travel with me, which is great. The tough part will be in a few years when my daughter starts school then I’ll have to think about my schedule a little more.”
Donald also talks about his first foray into course design, his rivalry with fellow Englishman Lee Westwood and his determination to stay number one. for the full interview, make sure you grab a copy of the October Issue of Golf Vacations Magazine.
