21. Robert Lee: Discos, Seve & Sky Sports

Former European Tour winner and Sky Sports Golf commentator Robert Lee joins Dan Davies for a warm, funny and deeply reflective conversation about a lifetime in the game.

Robert traces his journey from a 10-year-old discovering golf on a pitch-and-putt course in Bournemouth, through his formative years at Richmond Park and Royal Mid-Surrey, to competing against legends including Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam during one of the strongest eras in European golf. Along the way, he explains why he trained as a watchmaker before turning professional, how he learned to survive the brutal Monday qualifiers of the early 1980s, and why winning on Tour required a complete change in mindset.

Robert also shares colourful stories from Tour life, including the truth behind his famous love of "discos", why he couldn't bear sitting alone in hotel rooms, his mischievous friendship with Mark Roe, and how he ended up winning the Cannes Open after a night out that finished at 2am. He reflects on his memorable Open Championship debut at Royal St George's in 1985, falling foul of the R&A in 1987, the pressures of keeping a Tour card, and why the real stress in professional golf isn't winning tournaments – it's simply surviving.

The conversation concludes with Robert's second career behind the microphone, his philosophy on broadcasting, the joy of family life, and why, after more than 40 years in the game, golf still remains his greatest passion after his wife and daughters.

Key Topics

Discovering golf through pitch-and-putt

Richmond Park and Royal Mid-Surrey's remarkable golfing culture

Choosing golf over a career as a watchmaker

Learning from Seve, Faldo, Langer, Woosnam and the great European Tour generation

Winning twice on the European Tour

The famous "discos" story and life on Tour in the 1980s

The 1985 Open Championship at Royal St George's