There’s much more to golf than improving your swing and perfecting putting. Yes, there’s always that primal instinct of sport – the challenge and exhilaration of competition, whether you’re watching or playing. Then there are those who simply enjoy a hit, inhaling the fresh air, soaking up the scenery, exercising the body and brain – socialising, eating… drinking. In absoluteness, the ultimate day of golf goes beyond the greens to which this column observes the neurological receptors, the gustatory and olfactory senses of both amateur and professional golfers all over this planet. We take a cross section of the golfer’s stomach and we probe the visual, the tactile, the fine motor controls of pleasure, going where no golfing publication has been before, right to the dopamine receptors and intestines of – the Golfer’s Palate.

Our second Golfer stepping up to the 19th tee is:

Peter Bessey, Amateur Handicap 9

Club Member of: Spring Valley Golf Club Melbourne Australia

Golfer's Palate - Peter Bessey (left) with Mike Clayton

Which Golf Club 19th Hole (bar, beer, wine list, food) has impressed you the most?

The tap room at Pebble Beach, just a great cozy pub feel after 18 great holes! http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf

Where is the most memorable meal (restaurant) you have had on a golf trip?

“Snapper soup” at Pine Valley Golf Club http://www.pinevalleycountryclub.com/

Where have you dined recently (restaurant) that impressed you?

Bar Lourniha in Melbourne  http://www.barlourinha.com.au/

Do you have a favourite regular restaurant?

Bistro Maison in Mt Eliza, Victoria http://www.bistromaison.com.au/

Do you cook at home and is there a dish you have perfected?

I’m pretty good with hot spicy chicken wings

Do you enjoy wine? What wine are you drinking at the moment?

A nice aged Clare Valley Riesling is in the fridge at the moment

Have you had a new wine discovery lately – new region, variety or style?

I had my 1^st Schiava from Alto Adige, Italy yesterday, loved the length & texture

What is the most enthralling golf course you have played on, in terms of dramatic scenery?

Pebble Beach or Barnbougle Dunes http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf – http://www.barnbougledunes.com.au/

What is the most memorable golf holiday or destination you have been on?

My 50th birthday with 8 gents at Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania http://www.barnbougledunes.com.au/

Golfer's Palate - Peter Bessey 50th birthday with 8 gents at Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania