Philip Glenister - My Life in Golf
'It's the ball's fault if I'm having a bad round'. The star of Life on Mars and Big School talks about frustrations with his game, trying to get down to single figures and smashing up a billionaire's greenhouse.
As one of Britain's best-known actors, Philip Glenister is probably recognised as the straight-talking, no-nonsense, old-school DCI Gene Hunt. In the BBC hit Life on Mars and its spin-off series Ashes to Ashes, Glenister played a politically incorrect cop who sees things in black and white, with a fiery temper and a feisty put down for anyone who disagreed with him. He almost seems in character when we meet him midway through a pro-am round that isn't going to plan. As we wander over he tells Dougray Scott: "I'm using this interview as therapy... he's a therapist, not a journalist.
He mocks his golfing ability, even though he plays off 11. "The best tip I've had? Give it up or take up cricket..." In reality, though he has more good days than bad. "I play golf to unwind from the everyday pressures of life," he adds. "Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way... and it frustrates the hell out of me!"
I like to get out on the course as much as I can. I've been playing since I was a teenager. I got into it playing pitch and putt with my Dad, as something to do on a Saturday morning, to keep me amused and get me out of the house. Now I play at Richmond Golf CLub, and I@m a member of the tage Golfing Society, the second older golf society in the country, after Old Etonians. When I'm not working I try and play two or three times a week. Actors are in a way like professional sportsmen: the reason why you get a lot of good golfing actors is they're not working all the time. The same applies to footballers and cricketers.
Golf is a game of ups and downs. Well, my game is. I can be flying high one round and rock bottom the next. My preparation for last summer's Celebrity Cup - when I represented England at Celtic Manor - was typical. At the start of the week I played great but two days later at Richmond GC in the foursomes - I'm not a big fan of the format - I had an absolute shocker. I turned up at Celtic Manor with zero confidence. Like the vast majority or amateurs I'm so inconsistent. The fame can drive you mad at time, but you always go back for more knowing with a stroke of luck things can turn around. You've just got to be positive, but it's not an easy thing to do. Most of golf is in the head. If everything is right between the ears there's a good chance you're in for a good round. If not, you might as well forget it. Golf can be terribly cruel, but I love it and go back, time and again, for more. Personally, if i'm having a bad time I always think it's the ball's fault and change my ball. It's a psychological thing... that's what I'm going to do on the next hole!
i go through phases with my clubs. I've got this lovely little 17o hybrid in my bag at the moment. It's my 2-iron, and a little demon and rarely lets me down. It's all about confidence and I'm super-confident when I've got this thing in my hands. I'm not a hugely technical creature when it comes to golf clubs - to me it's all about feel. I'm not a huge hitter but I can give it a good hit if I connect with it - between 250-270 yards.
I love the social side of the game. The Stage Golfing Society is a thriving society involving anybody connected with the industry. We have some great days out, with people wandering around the course saying things like, "Two putts for a par, ducky," and "It's over there darling!" I've had some real laughs on the course but probably the biggest one came when a wild shot from one member of our fourball demolished a greenhouse at the back of a massive house owned by the late billionaire Jimmy Goldsmith. It was like a BBC radio drama sound effect, with a lenghty delay before the inevitable crash! But who on earth would put a greenhouse next to a golf course? I've been lucky enough to play in the pro-am at the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland It's such a beautiful course, one of the most stunning and scenic in the world. That was amazing.
Gene Hunt was voted the third most iconic TV cop of all time (behind Columbo and Sherlock Holmes). He beat Morse and Poirot! I do think it's great he's etched into people's memories because it was such fun to do. We had no idea it would be a success. I remember the director saying "This show is either going to fall on it's a*** and we're ever going to work again, o it's going to be something special." But I won't be re-visiting Life or Mars or Ashes to Ashes. It was great while it lasted but you don't want to start over egging it.
It's a tall order but it would be great to get down to single figures in the next year or so. That would be something special.
Here are the original scans of the article. Thanks to Ruth for providing these.
As one of Britain's best-known actors, Philip Glenister is probably recognised as the straight-talking, no-nonsense, old-school DCI Gene Hunt. In the BBC hit Life on Mars and its spin-off series Ashes to Ashes, Glenister played a politically incorrect cop who sees things in black and white, with a fiery temper and a feisty put down for anyone who disagreed with him. He almost seems in character when we meet him midway through a pro-am round that isn't going to plan. As we wander over he tells Dougray Scott: "I'm using this interview as therapy... he's a therapist, not a journalist.
He mocks his golfing ability, even though he plays off 11. "The best tip I've had? Give it up or take up cricket..." In reality, though he has more good days than bad. "I play golf to unwind from the everyday pressures of life," he adds. "Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way... and it frustrates the hell out of me!"
I like to get out on the course as much as I can. I've been playing since I was a teenager. I got into it playing pitch and putt with my Dad, as something to do on a Saturday morning, to keep me amused and get me out of the house. Now I play at Richmond Golf CLub, and I@m a member of the tage Golfing Society, the second older golf society in the country, after Old Etonians. When I'm not working I try and play two or three times a week. Actors are in a way like professional sportsmen: the reason why you get a lot of good golfing actors is they're not working all the time. The same applies to footballers and cricketers.
Golf is a game of ups and downs. Well, my game is. I can be flying high one round and rock bottom the next. My preparation for last summer's Celebrity Cup - when I represented England at Celtic Manor - was typical. At the start of the week I played great but two days later at Richmond GC in the foursomes - I'm not a big fan of the format - I had an absolute shocker. I turned up at Celtic Manor with zero confidence. Like the vast majority or amateurs I'm so inconsistent. The fame can drive you mad at time, but you always go back for more knowing with a stroke of luck things can turn around. You've just got to be positive, but it's not an easy thing to do. Most of golf is in the head. If everything is right between the ears there's a good chance you're in for a good round. If not, you might as well forget it. Golf can be terribly cruel, but I love it and go back, time and again, for more. Personally, if i'm having a bad time I always think it's the ball's fault and change my ball. It's a psychological thing... that's what I'm going to do on the next hole!
i go through phases with my clubs. I've got this lovely little 17o hybrid in my bag at the moment. It's my 2-iron, and a little demon and rarely lets me down. It's all about confidence and I'm super-confident when I've got this thing in my hands. I'm not a hugely technical creature when it comes to golf clubs - to me it's all about feel. I'm not a huge hitter but I can give it a good hit if I connect with it - between 250-270 yards.
I love the social side of the game. The Stage Golfing Society is a thriving society involving anybody connected with the industry. We have some great days out, with people wandering around the course saying things like, "Two putts for a par, ducky," and "It's over there darling!" I've had some real laughs on the course but probably the biggest one came when a wild shot from one member of our fourball demolished a greenhouse at the back of a massive house owned by the late billionaire Jimmy Goldsmith. It was like a BBC radio drama sound effect, with a lenghty delay before the inevitable crash! But who on earth would put a greenhouse next to a golf course? I've been lucky enough to play in the pro-am at the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland It's such a beautiful course, one of the most stunning and scenic in the world. That was amazing.
Gene Hunt was voted the third most iconic TV cop of all time (behind Columbo and Sherlock Holmes). He beat Morse and Poirot! I do think it's great he's etched into people's memories because it was such fun to do. We had no idea it would be a success. I remember the director saying "This show is either going to fall on it's a*** and we're ever going to work again, o it's going to be something special." But I won't be re-visiting Life or Mars or Ashes to Ashes. It was great while it lasted but you don't want to start over egging it.
It's a tall order but it would be great to get down to single figures in the next year or so. That would be something special.
Here are the original scans of the article. Thanks to Ruth for providing these.
