Yuvraj Singh Reveals How COVID Sparked His Passion For Golf: "I Thought Golf Was Too Slow"

Fascination often leads to passion. That is exactly how Yuvraj Singh discovered his love for golf.

Fascination often leads to passion. That is exactly how former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh discovered his love for golf, having once dismissed the sport in his younger days. A two-time World Cup winner, Yuvraj now spends his retirement driving golf balls on lush green fairways after hanging up his cricket boots. However, he never realised how quickly golf would become a hobby, despite once vowing never to set foot on a golf course during his playing days.

All of that changed when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill. Speaking at the launch event of the new season of the NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am, Yuvraj had a freewheeling chat with NDTV Executive Editor (Sports) Gaurav Gala, during which he revealed how the pandemic transformed his perception of golf and sparked his passion for the sport.

"I remember when I was young and travelling for cricket practice, I would often pass the Chandigarh Golf Club and tell myself that I'd never step foot there because it looked too slow. Then COVID happened. A new golf course opened and there was hardly anyone around, so I started hitting a few balls. One day I drove the ball really well, and for the next six days I couldn't do it again. That's when I became curious about what this game was all about," Yuvraj said.

However, Yuvraj admitted that golf remains a work in progress for him. He also spoke about the stark contrast between cricket and golf, highlighting the vastly different mindsets required to excel in the two sports.

"Six years later, I still haven't figured it out. That's golf for me. I just found the challenge fascinating. In cricket, you have to react instantly to the ball. There's no time to think. In golf, you have plenty of time, and a lot of thought goes into every shot. While both are hand-eye coordination sports, they're completely different in terms of mindset and thought process," he added.

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