A Whole New Ball Game

Scott Brown’s first love will always be football but golf provides an outlet to relax away from his day job

SCOTT Brown’s place for escaping the pressure-cooker of being Celtic captain is on the golf course.

Walking the fairways for a few hours allows the 33-year-old to relax, unwind and enjoy some respite from the demands of skippering the dominant force in Scottish football.

Although finding time to play during a hectic season can be tough for the midfielder, during the short summer shutdown, he managed to get some extra rounds in, including out in Marbella.

And as The Open Championship gets underway this Thursday at Carnoustie, the Celtic View caught up with the Celtic skipper to chat about his other sporting passion.

“Golf just gets you away for four or five hours and lets you chill out and enjoy something,” he explained. “Football is a hobby and I’m lucky enough to be paid for it.

“Golf is also a hobby of mine but I’m definitely never going to get paid for it! My handicap is 11, which isn’t too bad. That’s been my best for a while but I’m sure I’ll get it down once I retire. I don’t practice that often, particularly when you play SaturdayWednesday- Saturday, then there’s no time to go to the range, especially when you have three kids as well!”

His passion for the sport has also seen him become friends with Scottish golfing star and Celtic fan, Stephen Gallacher. And that has given Brown a greater insight into the dedication and mental strength required to become a top professional.

“Stevie’s given me quite a lot of tips and when he came through to my golf day, he helped a lot of people out,” Brown said.