Irish/Australian comic Jimeoin is certainly one of showbiz’s true workhorses. When he agreed to take a seat down for an interview, a peek at his tour schedule revealed a gruelling 50 exhibits in simply two months all through October and November. But, between these back-to-back nights on stage, the place he holds the viewers with nothing greater than himself and a microphone, one can’t assist however marvel if the strain of golf might ever faze the Irish star.
Within the intricate comedy of existence, the place golf and mirth be part of palms for a spirited jig on any given day, it’s clear that Eire and golf share a connection as limitless because the glee one derives from observing an newbie’s slapstick routine on the hyperlinks, zigzagging in a bewildered quest for fortune, ceaselessly satisfied they’re a swing away from placing gold, even when gold lies in the other way. Jimeoin is not any rogue newbie nonetheless, having been schooled within the recreation as a teenager in Eire, flirting with the fringes of the ’A grade standing’, he would possibly simply take a ‘tenner’ off you if he can get the flatstick working.
Are you able to bear in mind your first recreation of golf, who bought you into it?
Jimeoin: My Dad bought me into golf. My first time was in all probability not even a full recreation. As soon as we bought away from the clubhouse my father would let me have a crack. Then we used to sneak on on the second gap, as youngsters.I’m from Portstewart. The Irish Open has been performed there. Portrush is three miles away, the place Shane Lowry received The Open in 2019. Consider it or not, again then golf was a really accessible, low cost recreation…particularly whenever you didn’t pay and sneaked on on the second gap.
Have you ever ever had a beer with Shane Lowry or any of the opposite Irish champions?
Jimeoin: I went to highschool when Heather, Darren Clarke’s spouse who sadly handed away from most cancers. I’ve met Darren as he lives in Portrush. However we didn’t actually discuss golf to be trustworthy.
Like a few of the sports activities stars we’ve got interviewed lately, is golf one thing you are inclined to do to calm down whereas on tour?
Jimeoin: Sure, it’s one of many few sports activities I can nonetheless play and I actually get pleasure from it. May be actually annoying as nicely. I’m in Eire as we converse and I’m enjoying Portrush on Thursday. I had a putt for a birdie the final time I performed there on the primary gap. Obtained a par. However Rory McIlroy took an 11 there, so I beat him by 7 photographs.
Are you able to title some nice programs you’ve gotten performed all over the world?
Jimeoin: Portstewarts, Portrush, Castlerock, Bonville. All of the Melbourne sand belt programs. That one on Hamilton Island. That’s ridiculously arduous, however stunning. Cottesloe in WA. The Heritage, The Nationwide. I might go on.
You will need to have a humorous golf story or two….
Jimeoin: Lucas Parsons (Former Australian match skilled ) gave me a driver at “The Jack” that he couldn’t hit. All he might do was slice it. I couldn’t imagine my luck till I performed with it and nothing however slices. I gave it to my father who took it again to Eire and will do nothing however slice it, so he traded it in for a putter. The next week he performed in a contest match play, with a man he had by no means met earlier than. The man at Portstewart sliced his drive onto the seaside and turned to my father and mentioned ‘that bloody driver, I simply purchased it within the Professional store second hand.’ It was the identical one which Lucas gave me. It had been all over the world slicing the entire manner.
Are you able to inform us about your relationship with the late Jack Newton, what number of instances you will have performed ‘The Jack’ and maybe a narrative from that occasion.
Jimeoin: I performed within the Jack initially in 1991 or ‘92 and have recognized the household since then. Clint was a little bit shit at 9 or 10. Anyway he’s alright now that’s the principle factor. I liked Jack’s tales that I might generally faux I wasn’t listening to, however actually I used to be as they have been gold. Jack Newton was fairly the storyteller. Just like the time he broke the Irish golfer Christy O’Connor Jnr‘s ribs in a bear hug as Christy had unintentionally hit him….after which his father and Christy O’Connor senior practically got here to blows over. Laughed my head off.
Do you get invited to play some other superstar ‘pro-ams’, and who’re a few of the skilled golfers and superstar varieties that you’ve performed with?
Jimeoin: I marked Wayne Grady‘s card as soon as at “The Jack” as we performed collectively. I’ve performed the Australian Masters on the Wednesday a number of instances and carried out at a black-tie operate for the Greg Norman occasion. There was a dancefloor in entrance of the stage, and John Daly wandered in a pair of shorts and a Hawaiian shirt holding a six pack, and stood on the dancefloor, listening to me and laughing.
Lowest handicap?
Jimeoin: A 77 was my finest rating. I’ve had two gap in a single’s. One among them, I had a journalist and a photographer with me, on the seventeenth Barwon Heads, Victoria. The second was at Noosa Springs. 10.6 is my lowest handicap.
Are you extra more likely to be ‘chipping for par’ than placing for birdie?
Jimeoin: Can’t chip. Shaking in my boots with a pitching wedge in my hand. Desire the Texas wedge.
Are you able to see some type of similarity with the strain a professional golfers feels to what you’re feeling on stage?
Jimeoin: Dion Kipling (a fantastic golfer) noticed me happening stage as soon as, and mentioned there’s a stage of focus there that’s not unfamiliar to a golfer teeing up in a match. I see the life of a professional golfer similar to that of a touring comic. Resort rooms, making an attempt to make a dwelling out of it, and the subtlety of one thing working or not working in your act. Some jokes you could possibly simply be overswinging on it.
When again in Australia, the place are you probably to play golf?
Jimeoin: The Heritage, Metropolitan or Royal Melbourne.
Should you might have a spherical with anybody, title a really perfect group?
Jimeoin: Alice Cooper is sweet. I like enjoying with my buddies that I went to highschool with. That may be my splendid recreation and I’ve finished it so much.
You’re enjoying a bunch of gigs in Australia in December?
Jimeoin: jimeoin.com offers you particulars of the place I’m performing. However the huge one is “The Jack” in December. Mate, see you there.
The Jack
The Jack Newton Superstar Basic is the longest operating and most profitable superstar pro-am golf match in Australia, with the inaugural occasion held in December 1979 on the Tewantin Noosa Golf Membership on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
A two-day occasion, ‘The Jack’ options loads of enjoyable each on and off the course, whereas supporting Diabetes (ENDIA) and the Jack Newton Junior Golf Basis, with over $7million raised for 2 charities which have been near Jack’s coronary heart.
Jack Newton handed away in April of 2022, nonetheless the occasion which pairs celebrities, golf professionals and people searching for a novel {golfing} expertise, continues in 2023.
Jimeoin is certainly one of various celebrities who’ve been a long-time supporters of The Jack.
This yr scheduled for December 18/19/20 on the Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort within the NSW Hunter Valley, anybody excited about collaborating can entry extra info or entry types from the match web site at www.thejackclassic.com.au
