He is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers ever to play the game, and on Saturday at The Grove, Shane Warne proved he’s not bad with a golf club in hand either.
The Australian leg-spin legend teamed up with Your Golf Travel to host the Shane Warne Golf Classic, which offered more than 100 golfers a terrific day of entertainment at one of the most luxurious venues in Europe.
Guests had the chance to test their skills on The Grove’s renowned Championship Course, host for the 2006 WGC American Express Championship (won by World No.1 Tiger Woods), in a Fourball competition format.
The Kyle Philips-designed layout was in remarkable condition for this time of year, particularly considering the recent rain that has battered the south east of England over the past few weeks.
[youtube width=”600″ height=”315″ video_id=”2k_zEPFw57k”]
Warne’s team, “Warney’s Warriors” – featuring England cricket greats Michael Vaughan and Darren Gough and Sky Sports presenter Ian Ward – were the eventual winners with an impressive -11 total.
Warne, who plays of a 10 handicap but famously shot a 1-under 71 during a pro-am on the Old Course at St Andrews, described himself as a keen golfer who doesn’t “play anywhere near enough”.
“Sometimes I hit them OK, but I genuinely love the game and I love to get out and play as often as I can,” Warne said.
But it wasn’t just about the golf, with a champagne station on the opening hole setting the tone for the day. Players enjoyed a number of treats throughout the day, including succulent beef courtesy of Gaucho restaurants along with Malbec wine tasting.
The afternoon provided one of the real highlights, as guests were treated to an intriguing Q&A with Ashes heroes Warne and Vaughan.
After a delicious three-course dinner, the event ended on a fitting note with an auction in aid of the Shane Warne Foundation. Since its inception in 2004, the Foundation has raised more than $7 million to assist the lives of seriously ill and underprivileged children in Australia.
