It was in 2019 when actor and multi-sport athlete Derek Ramsay heavily focused on his golf game, even winning an international tandem golf tournament in the US where he met and was awarded by international golf icon Jack Nicklaus. During that same year, Derek had shared plans to consider going professional, which he says is not the case for him anymore.
“I just love the game. I think I’m too old to try and go pro. I play against some professionals. I can hang with some of the professionals but it’s just really a sport that is me time. I have a lot of peace on the golf course. Of course I’m very, very competitive so I play a lot of the amateur tournaments,” he told PUSH ABS-CBN in an exclusive interview.
Last January, Derek played in his first ultimate frisbee tournament of the year, which signals his return to the sport. He had originally been part of the Philippine ultimate national team from 2012 up until 2017. Derek was happy to explain the difference between his love for golf and ultimate.
“Golf is more mental, it’s a great sport. It’s the hardest sport I’ve ever played. In frisbee, you can play defense if your offense is bad. There’s other things you can do where you can contribute because it’s a team sport. Unlike in golf, it’s just you against nature.
"On some days, you just feel like Tiger Woods, some days, you’re doing the same thing but why isn’t it the result the same? So you just have to battle through and if you let your emotions get the best of you, it’s really going to reflect on your swing. So that’s the aspect of golf that I really, really love. It’s a mental game. No, I get pretty intense in the golf course. I get mad at myself, you know. But if you let your emotions get the best of you, you can’t play golf. It’s just really going to reflect If you tense up, your swing won’t be flowing and it just won’t help your game,” he said.
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When asked what made him go back to one of his original sports which he basically stopped playing since starting his own family, Derek admitted missing his fellow athletes and teammates in the sport.
“Honestly, it’s just really the community, the friends that I haven’t seen in so long. Just to come out. There’s not a lot of cardio in golf. I still take care of my body. I still do my everyday routine. But I miss the explosiveness of the sport and the community. And I’m just out here to have some fun and be competitive at the same time. I only know how to play one way and it’s all out. Now, all the teams are getting better, the players are getting much better. You have to be focused every time you get out on the field,” he added.
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Having to compete with athletes that are sometimes half his age, Derek shared how he keeps himself fit and still competitive on the field.
“I have a gym at home. You have your body weight which I believe is the best, pushups, squats, lunges. Just keep the body moving, you know. Every morning before I go do my thing, I go do 10 to 15 minutes of my workout and then that’s it for the rest of the day. I enjoy life. I have cheat days. I love my donuts. I love my ice cream. But I keep it to one or two meals a day only. I don’t overeat. If I miss a meal, my next meal will be a small one and then I’ll slowly get back into it. But I don’t excessively eat junk food and stuff like that but I do live life and enjoy every now and then,” he revealed.