Mahela Jayawardene wants to perfect his swing; Jacques Kallis is wondering why it’s difficult to hit the stationary ball; and Mark Boucher is just happy to be wearing knee-length shorts as he makes his way up from a bunker.

It may seem that the three have taken a wrong turn and ended up at the Wanderers Golf Course rather than the cricket ground. But as Paul Harris, Andy Bichel, Adam Bacher and George Bailey follow suit, it becomes clear that swapping the willow for irons is a deliberate move. In fact, if it wasn’t for the 7:30am tee-off time, too early for the cricketers who have played on the previous night, many more would’ve walked the fairways.

So why do cricketers have a fascination for golf? “It’s a very relaxing sport, and great fun,” says Jayawardene, as he prepares to embark on the backward journey, after saving par on the ninth. “Even though cricket and family take a lot of time, I try to play golf at every opportunity available — it’s a great stress buster.”

And it’s not as easy as it may seem. “Believe me, it’s difficult to get the swing right and select the right club. It looks easy, but it isn’t,” adds the Sri Lankan.

Kallis is so passionate about golf that he carries his equipment wherever he goes. With a handicap of +5, the all-rounder is a serious player.

“For some reason, I really don’t know why, it’s difficult to hit the stationary ball,” he says, still asserting that golf is a natural sport for cricketers to take up. “I guess there are a lot of similarities between the two. The way you hit the ball and take into consideration the wind and slope. It’s relaxing, but also similar to your strengths,” he says after hitting three birdies.

... contd.