Ava Romero
Sean Connery, the first actor to portray the fictional British secret agent James Bond, was a passionate golfer. His love for the game was sparked by his role in the Bond film Goldfinger, where he famously tricked Gert Frobe's character, Auric Goldfinger, in a golf match. Connery took golf lessons to prepare for the role, and his enthusiasm for the game continued long after he left the franchise. He was a member of the R&A and a regular competitor in club events at St. Andrews. In his later years, Connery played golf almost every morning at his home in the Bahamas. Connery's love for golf was well-known, and his ashes were scattered at St. Andrews, where he was a member.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Sean Connery |
| Profession | Actor |
| Famous role | James Bond |
| Year of birth | 25 August 1930 |
| Year of death | 31 October 2020 |
| Age at death | 90 |
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Passionate supporter of | Scottish independence |
| Known for | Playing golf |
| Golfing attire | Bucket hat, patterned golf shirt, shorts, high socks, golf shoes with tassels |
| Golfing skills | Pretty darn good golfer |
| Golfing habits | Played golf almost every morning |
| Retirement quote | "Retirement is just too damned much fun" |
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What You'll Learn
Sean Connery's love for golf
Sean Connery, the first actor to portray the fictional British secret agent James Bond in motion pictures, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983, was a passionate golfer. Connery's love for golf is well-documented, and it is said that his enthusiasm for the game was ignited by his iconic golf scene in the Bond film Goldfinger. In the scene, Connery, as Bond, plays golf against the gold magnate Auric Goldfinger, outwitting his accomplished opponent.
Connery prepared for the role by taking golf lessons, and it is reported that he even continued to play golf "almost every morning" in his later years. The actor was a member of the R&A and a regular competitor in club events at St. Andrews, known for his zealous competitiveness on the golf course. He was also a member at the prestigious St. Andrews golf club and owned a home nearby, with some of his ashes scattered on one of the courses per his widow's wishes.
Connery's passion for golf extended beyond his personal enjoyment of the game. He was a supporter of the Scottish National Party and a lifelong advocate for Scottish independence. He was also a donor to the Scottish International Education Trust, and he once promoted a Pro-Am tournament in Scotland to showcase the trust's work.
Despite his fame and public advocacy, Connery was elusive when it came to discussing his love for golf. He declined multiple interview requests from Golf Digest, even turning down the offer to be on the cover of the magazine. Connery's golfing style was also notable, with the actor favouring a bucket hat, patterned golf shirt, shorts, high socks, and golf shoes with tassels.
Connery's golfing prowess even extended to his real-life friendships, as he played golf with the Scottish industrialist Iain Maxwell Stewart, leading to a connection that resulted in Connery directing and presenting the documentary film "The Bowler and the Bunnet" in 1967. Connery's love for golf was such that, upon his death, Daniel Craig, the current Bond, said, "Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course."
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Connery's iconic golf scene in 'Goldfinger'
Sean Connery was a Scottish actor and the first to portray the fictional British secret agent James Bond in motion pictures. He starred in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Connery's portrayal of Bond owes much to his physical grace and presence, which made him a major sex symbol in film.
Connery was also a keen golfer in real life, introduced to the game by his friend Iain Stewart. He received golf lessons from the English professional golfer Peter Alliss before the filming of the 1964 James Bond film *Goldfinger*. The golf scene in the film is often described as one of the most iconic golf scenes in cinematic history.
In the film, Bond, played by Connery, engages in a high-stakes golf match with the gold magnate Auric Goldfinger, who is the richest man in England and the world's top gold smuggler. The match starts as a ""shilling a hole" contest, but ends in a battle for a bar of gold bullion worth £5,000. Bond beats Goldfinger at his own game by tricking him and winning the match.
The golf scene in *Goldfinger* is not only memorable but also significant in the context of Connery's life. It sparked a decades-long love affair with golf and introduced the game to millions of Bond fans worldwide. Connery became a zealous competitor on the golf course, and his enthusiasm for the game was well documented. He was a member of the R&A and a regular competitor in club events at St. Andrews.
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Connery's golfing style
Sean Connery, the first actor to portray the fictional British secret agent James Bond in motion pictures, was an avid golfer. He was introduced to the game by his friend Iain Stewart, and his passion for the sport was ignited when he took golf lessons from English professional golfer Peter Alliss to prepare for his role in the Bond film *Goldfinger*.
Connery's enthusiasm for the game was well-known, and it was said that he played golf "almost every morning" at his home in the Bahamas. His love for the game was so great that he even turned down multiple interview requests from Golf Digest, the game's most popular magazine, despite their promise of a cover feature.
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Connery's golf courses
Sean Connery was a member of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, one of the world's most exclusive golf clubs. St Andrews, known as the "Home of Golf", is a historic links course that has hosted many major championships, including the Open Championship, the oldest golf tournament in the world.
Connery was also a member of the R&A, which has a worldwide membership of 2,400 and is among the hardest golf clubs to join. He was introduced to the game by his friend Iain Stewart, a Scottish industrialist. Connery took golf lessons from English professional golfer Peter Alliss before filming the iconic golf scene in the 1964 James Bond film "Goldfinger".
Connery's passion for golf was ignited by his role as Bond, and he soon became a zealous competitor on the course. He was a long-standing member of The R&A and a regular competitor in club events at St Andrews. He was also known to play at the Lyford Cay enclave in The Bahamas, where he lived with his wife since the 1990s.
In addition to St Andrews and Lyford Cay, Connery was also seen playing at County Sligo in Ireland and Walton Heath Golf Club in 1972, where he filmed the television program "Master Golf". Connery's golfing style included a bucket hat, patterned golf shirt, shorts, high socks, and golf shoes with tassels.
Connery's love for the game was such that he once said, "I began to see golf as a metaphor for living, for in golf you are basically on your own, competing against yourself and always trying to do better. If you cheat, you will be the loser, because you are cheating yourself."
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Connery's golfing partners
Sean Connery was a passionate golfer. He was introduced to the game by his friend Iain Stewart, and received golf lessons from the English professional golfer Peter Alliss.
Connery was a member of the R&A and a regular competitor in club events at St. Andrews, where he owned a house. He was also a member at the Lyford Cay club in Nassau, where he had a home.
Connery also played golf with English professional golfer Peter Alliss, who gave him lessons, and with Lee Trevino, with whom he shared a laugh during the filming of the television program "Master Golf" at Walton Heath Golf Club in 1972.
Connery was a zealous competitor on the golf course, and his enthusiasm for the game was well-documented. He was a single-digit handicapper and was said to have loved the game, always believing he could improve.
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Frequently asked questions
Sean Connery was a keen golfer and played almost every morning, often with his wife. He was introduced to the game by his friend Iain Stewart. Connery was also a member at St. Andrews.
Sean Connery was not a professional golfer. However, within a few years of taking up the game, Connery was good enough to play against professionals in competitions.
Sean Connery was elusive when it came to talking about golf. He turned down multiple interview requests from Golf Digest.
