Following his F1 bestie Carlos Sainz’s path, Lando Norris is back on the golf course. The Brit is currently enjoying the summer break with his boss Zak Brown. It’s great to see the McLaren CEO bonding with his driver. But, are there any underlying implications? Probably not. Besides, a change of sport does not harm, right? Meanwhile, the F1 duo were accompanied by golf icons, adding a touch of professionalism to the lighthearted day out.

Lando Norris should thank his former teammate Sainz for introducing him to golf. For a lot of people, the sport is not just fancy or elite but also confusing sometimes. To be honest, golf is an acquired taste. Most people enjoy the sport only after playing it once or twice. A similar story happened with Norris as well- we can get to that later. But now, let’s talk about the happy respite the McLaren driver is relishing currently.

Zak Brown shared a picture on his X handle with the caption: “Awesome to get a round in with @ianjamespoulter @justinrose99 @landonorris heading into summer break.” The 48-year-old Ian James Poulter is an icon in the golf community and he currently plays in the LIV Golf League. On the other hand, Justin Rose is one of the shining stars of golf. He bagged the Gold Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, he isn’t participating in the ongoing Paris Olympics and that’s perhaps why he is spending his time ‘chilling’ with Lando and Zak Brown.

Having rubbed shoulders with these two pros, Norris could sharpen his skills with the golf club and eventually challenge his dear friend Carlos Sainz for a face-off. But knowing how good the ‘Smooth Operator’ is in the game, could Lando beat him? We can find out only if the ‘Carlando’ duo competes.

“It was Carlos who introduced me to golf “: Lando Norris credits Carlos Sainz for making him a golf fan

Lando Norris had never played golf until 2019. This was when Carlos Sainz joined McLaren to become teammates with the Briton. The duo began going to the golf courses in their free time and Lando picked Sainz’s passion for the sport. “It was Carlos who introduced me to golf when we were team-mates at McLaren in 2019,” Norris shared. And now, the 24-year-old is partly addicted to the elite game of golf.

He said: “Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am that a game I had never really played, has become such a big part of my life but somehow it has. I probably have Carlos Sainz to thank for that.” They started at Topgolf in Surrey, near the McLaren headquarters in Woking. Then Sainz suggested Norris should go out and play on the course. “I was hooked from the word go,” Norris concluded.

It looks like Lando Norris has grown passionate about golf now. Besides being a gaming and F1 pro, the McLaren No.1 has found his calling in golf too, thanks to Carlos Sainz for igniting the craze. And while Lando as well as Sainz continue to enjoy their time on the golf course, in the back of their mind, they can only think of F1. Once they return, they’ll be rivals all over again and the battle for the top spot will continue.

Who do you think is a better golfer – Lando Norris or Carlos Sainz?