20. Gordon Smart: The Game That Brought Me Back

Broadcaster, journalist and lifelong golf fanatic Gordon Smart joins Dan Davies for one of the most entertaining and revealing conversations yet on This Golfing Life.

From hosting Jon Rahm and Tom Grennan at The Open to following Scotland at the World Cup, Gordon shares remarkable stories from a life spent at the heart of sport, music, broadcasting and Fleet Street. But beneath the laughter lies a deeply personal story of resilience.

Gordon reflects on growing up in the golfing heartland of Fife, learning the game with his grandfather, the magical pull of St Andrews, and why golf remains unlike any other sport. He also opens up about the devastating period that saw him lose his voice, his radio career and much of the life he'd built during the pandemic — and how walking the fairways of Kinross Golf Club became the therapy that helped him rebuild.

Along the way, there are tales of Sean Connery and Michael Caine's legendary clubhouse nights, Alan Hansen's house at Royal Birkdale, playing The Old Course in reverse, Fleet Street excess, Scotland's unforgettable World Cup adventure, and why golf is ultimately about far more than the scorecard.

This is a conversation about friendship, identity, resilience and why the game we love has an extraordinary ability to heal.

In this episode

• Hosting Jon Rahm and Tom Grennan during Open Championship week
• Why Tom Grennan fell in love with golf
• The magic of The Open at Royal Birkdale, Portrush and St Andrews
• Growing up between Gleneagles and St Andrews
• Childhood golf in Fife and the influence of family
• Hidden gem Scottish golf courses
• Golf and mental health during the pandemic
• Losing his voice—and rebuilding his life
• Fleet Street, celebrity journalism and life at The Sun
• Playing The Old Course backwards
• Scotland's World Cup journey and the spirit of the Tartan Army
• Why golf remains the greatest game of all

Chapters

00:00 Introducing this week’s guest, Gordon Smart

01:43 Hosting Jon Rahm and Tom Grennan at The Open

03:03 Tom Grennan's extraordinary journey to golf

04:47 Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish and Open week at Birkdale

07:21 Why The Open is golf's greatest championship

08:13 Growing up between St Andrews and Gleneagles

10:25 The magic of St Andrews and unforgettable Open memories

12:56 Jim Leishman, the R&A and golfing royalty

15:40 Why elite sportspeople become obsessed with golf

18:31 Learning the game in Kinross

22:45 Scotland's hidden nine-hole gems

24:12 Golf tours, Jimmy Nesbitt and surviving Portrush

26:12 Losing everything during the pandemic

30:42 Golf as therapy, memory and healing

35:18 Football dreams and choosing journalism

38:09 Fleet Street, celebrity culture and life at The Sun

43:41 The impossible balance of celebrity journalism

49:37 Playing The Old Course... backwards

53:08 Scotland, the World Cup and the Tartan Army

57:54 France '98, football memories and what sport means

Links

Gordon Smart on Instagram

Dan Davies on Substack

RNGC - Dan Davies’ backyard golf course

Kinross Golf Club

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