Larry David would make David Wallace’s dream fourball

Former Munster and Ireland great David Wallace talks about his occasional sporting passion — golf — if only to annoy Donncha O'Callaghan.

1. You were back in action for Munster recently but with a golf club in your hand. I believe Malcolm O'Kelly was on the receiving end.

Yes, we won the Algarve Golf Challenge, which is organised by GolfVoyager.com. It's always good to get one over on Leinster, and it was great fun, and very well organised. There was a huge group and some great camaraderie. I think 40 of the 60-odd people who came were there last year made the trip again.

2. Malcolm can play!

He can. I got the better of him this year, but I had a lot of help from my partner Tom Ryan. I'm not a great golfer, but I managed to contribute a point or two along the way.

3. Is golf in your blood?

It wouldn't be a Wallace tradition, that's for sure. But I really enjoy it and just wish I had time to play more than a handful of games a year. If I have an hour free, I take the bike, but I got my kids some lessons last year, and that got me out to the range. Maybe I am a sleeping giant! (Laughs)

4. How did you get started in golf?

It was on an Ireland tour to New Zealand back in 1997. I thought that looks fun and not too difficult. Little did I know.

5. Golf is hard but so are the All Blacks on home turf.

It's a very different type of hardness. It's hard to find any similarities between golf and rugby, especially if you play in the back row. It's almost the opposite. In rugby, I was trying to hit everything harder than you probably should. Golf is about learning not to try and murder the ball. The halfbacks or placekickers are usually better golfers.

6. Does having some sporting discipline help a little?

You are always trying to improve, it's true, but I haven't been too successful yet. Maybe I will when the kids are older. When I see big Mal, all levers and limbs at 6'7" but still striking the ball beautifully, it's an impressive sight.

7. How do you fill the void after rugby?

I try to go to the gym and beast it out at least once a week. I find your body craves that kind of intensity. If I don't do that, I find I am a bit grumpier and more lethargic. So the gym helps. But I am very happy I had such a long career in rugby. I was near 36 when I retired, and I am thankful for that after seeing guys with a lot of promise forced to retire early.

8. What was your career highlight?

Winning the Grand Slam in 2009 was fantastic. It hadn't been done for 61 years, so it was historic too. Even though the emotional journey of the Heineken Cup was a big part of my career with Munster, that Grand Slam was special. The Heineken Cup win in 2006 was almost a relief because we couldn't let the fans down a third time. But when we beat Toulouse in the final in 2008, it felt more real become champions of Europe because of who Toulouse were.

9. There was never a dull moment with Munster - the fans suffered many a time.

That wasn't preconceived or anything, but we enjoyed being underdogs. We enjoyed being down and out and trying to fight back.

10. Golf is a bit like that most of the time. Driver or putter?

I'm not good at either! But I guess the occasional drive might be slightly better than one of my putts.

11. If I gave you a mulligan in your career, what would it be?

There are plenty and the 2000 Heineken Cup final jumps to mind. We had been on form all season, and I remember thinking we could go all the way. We were winning games at the death, we were playing well and with confidence, but when it came to the final against Northampton, we were a completely different team. We didn't perform. The occasion got to us. You have to get used to those great occasions, so they don't affect your game. I'd like that one back.

12. Pádraig Harrington has spoken of that in terms of golf — raising your game to such a high level overall that he didn't' feel he had to play the game of his life to win a major.

He spoke to us along those lines in 2008, saying Tiger Woods was the best golfer in the world, but if he could take his consistency level up a notch and have a good day when Tiger was perhaps not quite at his very best, he could take him.

13. Name your dream fourball.

Donncha O'Callaghan. He'd be great craic and hates golf so it would really annoy him. Plus there's a slight chance I could beat him. Larry David because Donncha also hates cringe comedy. And Usain Bolt.

14. Do you have you a favourite Irish course?

I played with Old Head of Kinsale when I was with Munster and it was a shame to let someone like me out there. Amazing. And Adare was wonderful and will be even more phenomenal now.

15. Who inspired you as a player?

My parents were incredibly supportive, the passionate Munster supporters, my teammates and people like Declan Kidney. And my brothers, Richard and Paul. Richard was playing with Munster and Ireland when I was 16 and I recall him coming back from New Zealand in 1993, saying lads were doing weight training from an early age so we had weights at home and I started training with him after school with the other Munster players. It was amazing to have that help because he was living and breathing this regime and I fed off that and got a massive jump during those years.

16. Who were your toughest opponents?

You faced guys with lots of talents - wily guys like Richie McCaw and guys like Trevor Brennan, who'd hit you the hardest. Victor Costello was probably the hardest guy to stop. And Neil Back was wily and so experienced.

17. Pick a warrior for battle.

There were many guys, but Paul O'Connell or Ronan O'Gara had such incredible mental fortitude and that ability to steer the ship. And Drico. Upstairs he was better than anyone, even coaches I had. He could produce a big moment when a team needed it.

18. We're having this chat before Ireland face France but do you have a prediction for the Six Nations?

The French will relish being underdogs, but if we win in Paris, it is set up for us with three home games and England on St Patrick's Day. With the depth we have in our squad, we will hopefully find ourselves in a very good position going to Twickenham.

This interview first appeared in the Irish Independent’s Tee to Green golf supplement on