This week’s guest is Sunday Independent golf writer, Dermot Gilleece. Dermot has been working as a journalist for more than 60 years, and has written several books including _Touching Greatness: Memorable Encounters with Golfing Legends. _He is one of the most respected golf writers in the world, and was recently bestowed with the inaugural PGA in Ireland Service to Golf award.

He has met and interviewed all of the greats in the game, and he recently made time to sit down and chat with me in his Dublin home and, as you’re about to hear, everything could have turned out very differently.

Dermot talks openly about his drinking problem, how it spiralled out of control, and how he managed to wrestle his life back. We also discuss his remarkable family history: his father served with Michael Collins in the War of Independence.

And, of course, there is lots of golf talk: on meeting Tiger Woods, and Arnold Palmer, the truth behind the public image of Jack Nicklaus, and the maddening genius of Rory McIlroy.

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If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this podcast, considering contacting-

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