Parenthood behind Grant Forrest's glow in battle to become winner again

Life is good for Grant Forrest, even though his performances on the golf course this season have, by his own admission, been a bit disappointing and, on top of that, he is now looking for a new caddie after splitting up with experienced looper Dave McNeilly after their most recent outing.

Part of the reason for Forrest walking into clubhouse at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian on Wednesday morning looking a distinctly happy man was that, the night before in the same building, he’d witnessed some great work being done for charities through the Genesis Scottish Open, with a £1 million milestone in terms of contributions having been hit through funds distributed from the 2024 edition.

As both an East Lothian resident and the Official Ambassador for The Renaissance Club Charitable Foundation, Forrest is delighted to see a wide range of charities - they include My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, East Lothian Junior Golf, Stephen Gallacher Foundation, East Lothian Food Bank and Teapot Trust - being supported by the tournament, which is now co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and, clearly, is not just about making rich golfers even richer.

Genesis Scottish Open

Probably even more significant, though, in Forrest looking as though he was almost glowing is that he’s now a father and, after playing in back-to-back events on the DP World Tour in China, it had been extremely satisfying indeed for him to get back home to his wife, Christy, and their five-and-a-month-old son, Spencer, earlier in the week.

“Yeah, definitely,” said the 31-year-old in reply to being asked if parenthood had given him a different perspective after being consumed by golf for most of his life, having been a professional in the making from an early age. “There’s nothing really prepares you for it. It changed things a lot for me. All of a sudden, golf isn’t the most important thing any more and it’s trying to adjust to that. But we are both loving being parents.”

Forrest, who landed his maiden DP World Tour win in the 2021 Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews, would be the first to admit that he’s often been hard himself, which, in fairness, is purely down to his own expectations and being disappointed when those expectations are not fulfilled.

“I don’t think it changes you as a person,” he added of wee Spencer coming into his life, “but I think it brings an additional side to you that you didn’t know you had. The feeling when he was born is like nothing I had ever experienced before. It’s hard to describe, but it was amazing.”

Grant Forrest in action during the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa at Muthaiga Golf Club | Luke Walker/Getty Images

Does being a parent make it more important for him to be successful? “I don’t really see it that way,” he insisted. “Regardless of what I do on the golf course, I want to be the best dad I can be. Whether I play well or play poorly, it’s not going to change how good a dad I am so I try not to see it like that. And you want to do well all the time anyway.”

Though not this correspondent I hasten to point out, it was suggested to the former Scottish Amateur champion that today’s breed of professional golfers do more when it comes to being involved in the upbringing of children than was perhaps the case with some of their predecessors.

“I think the times have changed,” he replied to that one with a warm smile. “I think when I was born or around that time anyway, it was still pretty common for men not to even be at the birth or go to the hospital.

“Yeah, I think the responsibilities have changed a bit. I think there is a bit more expected now of men in general to help raise kids. Obviously with what we do and being away so much, it does put a bit more pressure on mums, but, when I am at home, I try to help out as much as I can and do my best.”

Heading into the the circuit’s European Swing, which starts with the welcome return of the Turkish Airlines Open at Regnum Carya in Belek next week, Forrest sits 139th in the Race to Dubai Rankings, with his best effort in nine starts so far this season being a tie for 23rd in the Hainan Classic last weekend.

Grant Forrest’s partnership with experienced caddie Dave McNeily came to an end after the DP World Tour’s recent double-header in China | Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

“There’s not been much to shout about results-wise this year,” he admitted, having linked up with Pete Cowen, one of the game’s top coaches, and also hiring the aforementioned McNeilly in a bid to spark an upturn in fortunes. “Yeah, things haven’t really clicked yet. I’ve had some better signs but other parts of my game, putting especially, have let me down at times when it is usually one of my strengths.

“You know, golf is hard. You are sort of spinning plates all the time hoping that everything comes together. It’s not really happened yet but I’m still quite optimistic for the rest of the season. There was a lot of good stuff the past couple of weeks, but I am no longer with Dave as of last Sunday.”

Within the last year, Bob MacIntyre has won twice on the PGA Tour while Ewen Ferguson and, most recently, Calum Hill have landed DP World Tour triumphs. “Yeah, definitely,” replied Forrest to being asked if that had made him more determined to taste success himself again. “It’s coming up for four years since I won and the hunger is still there to win again. I struggled a bit last year apart from a couple of results towards the end of the season and now I’m trying to get my game back on track and at a place where I feel I can be a bit more consistent.

“I don’t see it (other Scottish success) as adding more pressure. It’s more encouraging as you know that the next player could be you. Golf is such a fickle game. You could easily miss a cut then win the following week, so I think it helps when you see your peers doing well as I know I can do it as well.”

It would be a dream come true, of course, if he emulated MacIntyre by winning the Genesis Scottish Open when it takes place for the seventh year in a row at The Renaissance Club on 10-13 July, though it’s a different national Open that has brought the best out of him in the past.

“I always keep the Irish Open in my back pocket to get me out of jail every second year,” declared Forrest, laughing, of having recorded three timely top-five finishes in that event to pocket close to £400,000 and, more importantly, pick up priceless Race to Dubai points.