Ex professional golfer and TV commentator Dale Hayes

Commentator, champion golfer, TV personality and golf course designer

Dale Hayes has been a figure in the golf industry for decades. Despite his busy schedule, he still manages to find time to enjoy the good life.

 

WHAT was the first bottle of wine that made sense and why?
After winning the Spanish Open at the age of 18, Selwyn Nathan, Gary Baleson and I had dinner. I hated beer so I drank wine. I’ve celebrated the same way ever since.

WHAT was your most memorable wine experience?
The trouble with wine is that the experiences are great but by the end of the evening you have usually forgotten everything.

WHAT wine that you have not yet tasted do you most want to?
Anything from a collection that belongs to fellow golfers John Bland or Simon Hobday. They have never bought me a drink, but then I’ve only known them for 90 years combined.

WHAT was the last wine that you bought?
A signed bottle of Welbedacht wine from Schalk Burger Senior himself.

HOW big is your wine collection and where do you store it?
About 150 bottles which are kept in a small wine room next to our dining room.

WHICH are your favourite South African wine producers?
Haute Cabrière, Rupert & Rothschild and, for great-value everyday drinking, Leopards Leap.

WHAT was your most embarrassing moment to do with wine?
Enjoying a glass as I finished a round of the Madrid Open Golf Championship. In front of me was a group of South African players and I noticed some nuts on the table. I reached over and threw a handful into my mouth, too late to notice that they weren’t nuts but rather a pile of freshly discarded olive pips. My choice was to run for the door or to swallow – I knew I wouldn’t make the door without being sick so I swallowed and washed them down with a glug of red wine. The crowd was too stunned to speak and I’ve never eaten an olive again.

WHAT do you like least about wine?
One glass is too many and 1 000 isn’t enough.

WHAT is your favourite meal?
I’m ashamed to say it’s meaty – a steak, lamb shank or Eisbein, although I also love chicken peri-peri. You don’t get a figure like mine if you don’t enjoy your food!

WHAT are your favourite restaurants in South Africa?
Joops in Durban, the Wild Fig in Cape Town and a lovely little ‘local’ Italian place called La Trinita in Kyalami run by a mother and daughter. Both are characters and the food is great.

WHAT is your greatest extravagance?
Owning a golf course, which I’m told is similar to owning horses or a wine farm.

WHO are your favourite writers?
James Dodson and Peter Dobreiner.

WHO are your favourite musicians?
Kenny G, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond and Simon and Garfunkel.

WHERE did you spend your last holiday?
St Francis Bay. Definitely one of the best spots in the world. It’s quite beautiful and has good weather.

WHAT is your favourite city in the world and why?
Cape Town. I’m a loud and proud South African.

WHAT is your idea of perfect happiness?
Quiet time at home with our dogs, cats and friends.

WHAT do you love most about your job?
Golf is not a job. When I retire I’ll do exactly what I do now.

DOES golf share anything in common with wine?
George Burns once said; “Give me a good golf course, a bottle of good wine and a beautiful woman and you can keep the golf course and the wine.” For me you can keep the beautiful girl – but then I am 58!

Dale lives in Johannesburg with his wife Alison. He won 21 professional golf tournaments, including four European Tour events.