Me and My Travels With Damon Hill | Golf News | Golf Magazine

Former Formula One champion Damon Hill shared some of his preferred holiday hotspots and golfing destinations during an interview with Matt Nicholson.
Golf was always part of our family life; for instance, I have a photo of my granddad playing as captain at Mill Hill Golf Club in London in the 1920s!
My father [Double F1 World Champion, Graham] took up golf after breaking both legs in an accident; needing something active but unable to run anymore he decided on golf as something for keeping himself engaged with life. So as an after-thought I began following him around courses as we watched golf on TV together; soon thereafter it had me hooked too!
As soon as I started thrashing around on a guitar I heard people comment on its beautiful swing, which only confirmed what was already in my mind: that my talent had finally emerged! Because of that feedback and because my self-confidence had already grown so strong I didn’t bother taking proper lessons – which turned out to be a crucial mistake.
Graham Hill (1929 – 1975) with Damon at Silverstone Race Circuit (1967 Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).
My favourite golf course abroad is Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. There are so many amazing courses around the globe, but whenever working at the FI we make an effort to play Royal Melbourne GC; its links-style layout offers great playing conditions.
Yas Links in Abu Dhabi is also one of my favorites – no surprise there! Located right by the Formula One track, it allows me to sneak out early before filming begins for a quick round. My personal favourite hole there is 13, so this spot always seems cool and refreshing when playing there! /* ( 13th hole @ Yas Links Abu Dhabi (Click to view on map.
My favourite course in the UK is Hankley Common in Surrey. Since I’m a member there, so there may be some bias, but the course always remains in fantastic condition throughout its wet winters – something which Hankley Common can truly claim as one of its hallmarks!
Goodwood Downs Course has always been my favourite. Not only are its views breathtaking, but the course features numerous holes with different difficulty and offers excellent customer care in the clubhouse.
My ideal holiday for ball would include… playing golf with the same group I have known over 20-30 years at Royal Melbourne Golf Course – they know who they are!
My most recent holiday destination was Mauritius! Though technically part of a golf trip for Legends Tour’s Celebrity Series Grand Final, as Georgie joined me I count it as an enjoyable vacation and we stayed at Constance Belle Mare Plage Resort, which provided great accommodations.
My most memorable round… It may sound weird, but one of my most enjoyable rounds ever at Hankley Common on my own was shooting 75 in two and a half hours despite only planning on playing nine. Once in my zone though I couldn’t stop and just kept playing 18 holes without stopping! It may sound silly but that round holds great memories.
Given my life has mostly revolved around fast moving action, golf can often feel very slow for me; being able to pace myself along at Goodwood Downs 7th hole really helped with that aspect of my game.
My highlight in golf has been… meeting Seve Ballesteros at The Oxfordshire. He was such an icon – not only was he amazing golf-wise but was an absolutely lovely gentleman as well – it’s nice when your heroes turn out to be real people too!
My most memorable hotel was… the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo. Not only was it memorable because it happened the same evening I won the 1996 World Championship there, but they offered me an extravagant suite with both grand piano and boardroom facilities – so the whole experience was pretty surreal!
At one of the top floors, this apartment offered breathtaking views over Tokyo – this location later served as filming locations for Lost in Translation scenes.
My most memorable meal… was at Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s sushi restaurant; this special sushi banquet included fresh tuna, salmon and yellowtail for every course imaginable – truly unforgettable.
“Now I am vegetarian but at that time was not. However, this meal was amazing and left me feeling wonderfully rejuvenated – probably due to all the protein I consumed!” Hankley Common is Damon Hill’s home club.
My favourite city in the world is London – my home city! There’s always something new and interesting happening there and I simply enjoy strolling the streets taking it all in. Further afield, Barcelona and Melbourne also make excellent options.
My top travel tip would be… to explore! Don’t over plan things and miss the chance of discovering something unexpected; once booked into a hotel on my travels I need to leave my room to discover the world outside!