sign in sign up
<<
Home , Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Garfield Sobers, Sherwin Campbell, Viv Richards

the times Saturday July 2 2016 7

GETTY IMAGES for the Gathering for Garry On July 28, 2016, Sir turns 80 and lovers home team the world have been invited to join the celebration. As a tribute to the Westmoreland Course, Apes Hill national hero, fellow Cricketing legend Golf Club and the Barbados Golf Club. West Indian cricket They’re all good golf courses.” Golf is, he greats and peers of the Sir Garfield Sobers says, one of the island’s big international realm, and appeals. , will take tells Tom Chesshyre He once played a round with Sir Viv charge of opposing Richards (the former West Indies ), teams in the Sir Garry Sir (the all- 80 : T20 of his love for the rounder), and Sir . “It was a Legends to Legacy four-ball with all the sirs. Botham is very cricket match at the island . . . and golf good, hits the ball a long way.” Golf talk over, Sir Garfield discusses in . the places he likes most on Barbados. The Barbados Iconic ir Garfield Sobers is one of “Bathsheba,” he says, referring to the quiet XI v Sir Garfield Sobers cricket’s towering talents so it is east coast fishing village. “I used to go XI match will pit island perhaps appropriate that we down to Bathsheba to have lunch on legends , meet in the Shard, London’s Sundays,thenvisitthebeachattheCrane.” and tallest skyscraper. The former The Crane Resort is a popular hotel on the Philo Wallace against S holder of the highest score in southeast coast. the likes of Windies — 365 not out So does he have a tip on where to stay? Test stars , (eventually exceeded by Trinidadian “There’s a new hotel on the south coast, , Courtney Brian Lara) — is sitting in a hotel lobby the SoCo Hotel. I go there. A friend of mine Walsh and Curtly beingpassedby guestsobliviousto beingin runs it. It’s small but doing well; on Ambrose. the presence of one of the game’s greats. the beach.” all-rounder Not that this bothers Sir Garfield. He is What about somewhere to eat? Sir Freddie Flintoff, Paki- in town to talk about his home island, Garfield is a fan of Champers Restaurant stan wicketkeeper Barbados, which gained independence and Wine Bar, also on the south coast. Rashid Latif, Sri Lankan fromBritain50yearsagoonNovember30, “The service is very good. It’s reasonable. captain Arjuna 1966. He has for many years acted as a They do most food there. I’m a flying fish Ranatunga and Indian consultant to Visit Barbados, batting for man. Fish and chicken, I like.” He also all-rounder , tourism rather than the Windies. speaks highly of Oistins, a south coast A statue of Sir Garfield Sobers in typical stance at the entrance to Kensington Oval one of four cricketers to But I don’t want to know about the latest fishing village with street stalls. have equalled Sir attractions or hotels. I want to know about One of his favourite bars is Daphne’s, on Brandons beach, not far from the Mount takes about three hours [to drive round]. If Garry’s feat of hitting Sir Garfield’s Barbados, his favourite spots the west coast, although “from most west Gay rum distillery. you go to Barbados you can come back and six sixes in an over, are and secret places. He leans forward with a coast hotels you can see the sunset.” He believes the compact size of Barba- say you’ve seen Barbados.” also due to appear. twinkle in his eye — he is 79 years old but Does he have a favourite beach? With- dos (21 miles by 14 miles) gives it a tourist Sir Garfield is hoping many tourists will Video messages from could pass for a decade younger — and his out hesitation Sir Garfield names the advantage over other bigger and more travel to the island to celebrate its big cricketing legends from first answer helps explain his good health. sandy beach by the Hilton Barbados mountainous West Indian islands such as Five-O in November. While you are there, around the world will Sir Garfield is a golf fiend. “I play nearly Resort on the edge of Bridgetown, the and St Lucia. headforagolfcourse.Youneverknow,you precede the game. every day,” he says. “At Sandy Lane, Royal island’s capital. He also recommends “You can see it in one day,” he says. “It may well bump into the legend. Great for driving but be wary of a dodgy service

sailing, kayaks and pedalos. By the time Golf may be king, you reach the island’s southern point the Atlantic wind is whistling offshore. At but road is Silver Sands beach you will see windsur- fers and now kitesurfers racing back and forth under their fluorescent sails, jump- the first love for ing the waves. In the pretty coves of the south east, many Bajans, writes Crane Beach, Foul Bay and Bottom Bay, where the water is a spectacular turquoise, James Henderson the waves are big enough for boogie- boarding. But for full-on, stand-up surfing head for the Atlantic coast, where the he protected west coast is a ocean rollers arrive after a 4,000 mile run- picturesque, balmy stretch of up. The island’s most famous wave, the Caribbean sea, with palms and Soup Bowl, barrels and crashes into the T lazy waves. It is perfect for shallows off Bathsheba. wallowing, or for a quick dip There are also plenty of sports on dry from your sun lounger. But you can also land to keep you occupied, both as a swim with turtles, or don scuba gear and participant and spectator. In fact, whole explore the corals and colourful fish of the villa complexes are designed around them deep. You might also want to take a day or — tennis at Sugar Hill, golf at Royal sunset sail; the slight breeze is enough to Westmoreland and Sandy Lane. Polo can catch the sails of a yacht or catamaran and be found at Waterhall/Apes Hill. uplands, with views carrying all along the A grass effigy of a native plank to let your car past on a remote carve through the calm water. If you are There are six main golf courses on the Caribbean coast. You can explore the green monkey awaits stretch of road, stop and watch. Road feeling more energetic you can hire a jetski. island. The Old Nine at Sandy Lane, canefieldsandforestsoverlookingthewild visitors to a bunker at tennis is played on an outsize table tennis The farther south and east you go, the whose fairways weave among stands of east coast on horseback. Sandy Lane Golf Resort court painted on the tarmac, to similar livelier the water and sports become. ancient mahoganies, is one of the prettiest And finally, look out for a home grown rules, and with a tennis ball hit by bat. It is Carlisle Bay in Bridgetown has small-boat in the Caribbean. Others range the Bajan sport. If some lads move aside a fast and furious. Until a car interrupts play.