ME AND MY TRAVELS: BRIAN LARA – Golf News

After retiring from firstclass cricket in 2007, former West Indies captain BRIAN LARA has swapped his bat for a driver after being bitten by the golf bug

My first vacation was to…Maracas Bay in Trinidad. I spent lots of time as a child mountaineering over the hills into Maracas Bay, which is on the north coast of the island. Me and my six brothers and 4 sisters used to climb these mountains from our dwelling in Santa Cruz after which spend all the day on the seashore. I nonetheless do this now, possibly extra for health and taking buddies and exhibiting them, however today I’d somewhat drive my Mercedes spherical than stroll, however it’s nonetheless lots of enjoyable, and I can take my daughter too.

I first picked up a golf membership in…. 1994. I had three days to kill after a match I used to be enjoying in towards the Leeward Islands ended just a few days early. We performed this stunning course in Montserrat and I caught the golf bug immediately. As cricketeers we regularly had lots of break day between matches and I discovered golf a good way to get away from it and swap off for just a few hours.

I play off a 5 handicap, however I’ve solely shot beneath par as soon as for 18 holes. I’ve had 4 hole-in-ones although, so I’m in all probability extra fortunate than good. Though I used to be a left-handed batsman, I play golf right-handed. Possibly I might have been higher golfer if I’d caught to my pure handedness.

At any time when I’m on vacation I all the time take….my golf golf equipment. I really like golf, so if I’m on vacation usually play rather a lot in the course of the day, away from the outlets. I are likely to lose much less cash enjoying golf than I do once I buy groceries!

My favorite golf course…is a toss up between the Previous Course in St Andrews, Scotland and the course at St Andrews Golf Membership in Port of Spain, which is my dwelling membership! I’m additionally a giant fan of Sentosa in Singapore, Sunningdale and Sandy Lane. All of the S’s.

My favorite vacation meal….is sushi. I’ve change into an enormous sushi fan over the past 5 years or so, so I have a tendency to go to lots of sushi bars wherever I journey. I’ve not been to Japan but, however I’ve been to Hong Kong, which was nice.

My worst expertise on vacation was…when somebody purchased a automobile utilizing my bank card whereas I used to be in South Africa. My financial institution referred to as and requested me if I had purchased it, and I mentioned, ‘No’. In order that they needed to write off the debt. It was about £10,000, which I do know is some huge cash in South Africa.

At any time when I’m on vacation…I all the time attempt to meet and work together with native folks and native cultures and try to admire what occurs in every single nation.

On my vacation bucket record is…Iraq. It’d sound shocking, however I wish to contact down there, if solely only for a day or two. It’s a rustic that no person needs to go to, and I’ve been nearly all over the place, so I’d wish to expertise one thing new and see what it might be like.

My favorite favorite metropolis is…London. I actually love Sydney and Cape City, however London simply edges it – the nightlife there’s improbable. Again within the day, we’d go to Tramp nightclub and China Whites and all these stylish locations. And there are some nice eating places too – Zuma and Nobu are private favorite.

My most up-to-date vacation was to… the Hideaway Seashore Resort and Spa within the Maldives with my household. We stayed in a 4-bed villa straight overlooking the ocean and the reef. It was very stress-free journey, and though there wasn’t a golf course, they did have an indoor golf simulator and a observe placing inexperienced, so I did managing to swing a membership!

My most memorable vacation was to…Las Vegas. I used to be there for my buddy Dwight Yorke’s fortieth birthday in 2011. What occurs in Vegas stays in Vegas however let me inform you although we have been hurting on just a few events. We stayed on the Wynn Resort, which is gorgeous.

My favorite lodge…is any five-star lodge in India. There are beautiful motels all around the globe, however the ones that left a mark on me are the attractive motels in India. You’d stroll off a road stuffed with poverty and also you’d go into an oasis of marble and mahogany. These buildings and their places are superb; you look out of your window on the fortieth flooring and you’re surrounded by poverty. The juxtaposition is difficult to get your head round.