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| Terfel at the 2010 at the Ryder Cup golf tournament. |
"The booming bass-baritone - an operatic superstar - seizes every opportunity to play courses around the world. And this week in Melbourne has been no exception with Terfel shuttling between Hamer Hall and Royal Melbourne Golf Club. 'Oh, it's the best, just beautiful,' the barrel-chested Welshman says of Royal Melbourne. 'I'm not a very good golfer. I'm a calm golfer and it doesn't faze me that I can't par every hole but if I have a couple of good shots, that always brings me back to the course.' But how does this powerhouse singer motivate himself?
Revealingly, Terfel looks to pro golfers such as Australia's Adam Scott who he "watched with awe" winning the US Masters. 'They're so confident about their game,' he says. 'When they come off for their interviews, they say 'I putted beautifully' or 'I drove the ball fantastically'...it’s always positive. 'We, as performers, can learn from that. Instead of listening to that other voice that says, 'You could have done better'' maybe we should think, 'No, the entertainment value was pretty good'. Maybe I should start reading more of these books about sports psychology.'Is the golf course a place where he can truly relax? 'Yes, it is a relaxation. You tend to forget about everything else that is going on in the world. But it's also a social game. In the opera world, there are certain singers who play the game and when you see those names on a cast list, it is always something to be welcomed and embraced.' Terfel's touring schedule puts him close to some of the world's great courses. In September, he will be in San Francisco - not far from Pebble Beach. But for now, Terfel only has eyes for the green fairways of Royal Melbourne. 'Every time I play there, I think, 'Goodness, what my father could do with his farm'. It would kind of lend itself to being a golf course.'" [Source]
