HAVING A BALL
AND WIFE LINDSAY TELL HOW THEY HAVE MARRIED LIFE DOWN TO A TEE AS THEY SHARE MEMORIES OF THEIR BIG DAY
When their lavish wedding at Kensington Palace had to be called off due to the pandemic, golfing legend Sir Nick Faldo and his bride-to-be pulled out all the stops to make it happen at home in the US.
Joined by only 16 guests, the former world No. 1 golf champion said “I do” to fellow golf enthusiast Lindsay De Marco – known to family and friends as just “Lindz” – in a romantic scaled-down ceremony on a beach in the Florida Keys.
“There was a great atmosphere, and it was fun,” recalls Sir Nick, speaking about their big day for the first time as the happy couple set the record straight about the deep love they share in this exclusive interview and photoshoot with hello! at Bride Hall, a magnificent 16thcentury grade II*-listed manor house in Hertfordshire.
Both of them have multiple previous marriages, but the 64-yearold father of four knew this time he’d found The One.
“We love being together and feel
so connected,” says the Golf Channel CBS analyst, who develops golf courses around the world, chairs his 25- year- old junior golf charity and was recently in the UK offering expert commentary on the 149th Open Golf tournament at Royal St George’s Golf Course.
“We enjoy travelling and just feel comfortable together,” adds New York- born Lindsay, 58, who previously worked in fine art and multimedia design for major league sports and entertainment in LA and New York, and is active in animal rescue and rehabilitation philanthropy.
The couple tied the knot on 18 December, a fortuitous date for Sir Nick, one of the greatest golfers in the history of the game, with triumphs that include three Masters and three Open Championships.
“As a golfer, the number 18 has been lucky for me all my life,” he smiles.
Here, they share with hello! memories of their big
‘We love being together and feel so connected’
Nick
day and their exciting plans for their future.
Congratulations! How was your wedding day?
Nick: “Fantastic. We had beachside cocktail sand, after dinner, gatecrashed a karaoke party on the property and went mad, dancing and singing. When the Kings of Leon hit Sex on Fire came on, our friend Chris Coleman, a musician with the band, got up to sing. People who didn’t know him said: ‘Wow, he’s good!’” Lindsay: “That was our first dance! Although our wedding wasn’t on the same scale as the one we’d planned, we were very happy. Our friends Chad and Malinda, who spend a lot of time in the Keys, whipped it together for us and it was amazing. We spent our wedding night in a beach bungalow and woke up to the sound of crashing waves. For breakfast, we dined on the most incredible banana pancakes and champagne.”
Lindsay, where did you find your stunning wedding dress at short notice?
Lindsay: “American-born but longtime British designer Ben de Lisi was
creating a gorgeous custom gown for me, but it wasn’t finished yet, nor could I see him for fittings, so I had to pop out to a local bridal shop instead.”
What were your original plans?
Nick: “To have a ceremony at Kensington Palace with 250 guests, and celebrations during the week including lunch at a traditional English pub, afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason, a private evening tour of the Crown Jewels with a tasting of Louis XIII cognac in their exclusive sunflower Baccarat glasses, slapup English breakfasts, and a trip up The Shard for a Sunday roast.”
You’ve both been married several times. Why was it important to do it again?
Lindsay: “We’re hopeless romantics and wanted to make that commitment. We’re together all the time and it feels so right. We’re also fine just doing our own thing. I love to garden all day long, and he leaves me to it because he knows it makes me happy. I feel so much more mature and smarter than when I was 20. I’m calmer and more settled and know what I do and don’t want.”
Nick: “We’ve both had experiences and have moved on from them. Although you can’t change the past, you can learn from it. We live in the now. Lindsay and I are really connected. Some people find silence uncomfortable, but we can sit in silence together and feel happy in each other’s company. When we have disagreements, we defuse them with humour.”
How did you meet?
Lindsay: “I play amateur golf, and we met briefly first in 2014 and then again in 2016 through mutual friends in the golf world. I’d been living in the desert in California for 15 years and if you want a social life, you play a lot of golf. Nick and I are both range rats and golf was a common interest. We started out as friends, but then it became an oldfashioned long-distance courtship. At the end of 2017, Nick said: ‘I think we’d be good together; shall we try it?’ That meant changing our lives and me moving from
‘We’ve both had experiences and have moved on from them. Although you can’t change the past, you can learn from it’
California to his home in Florida. I said: ‘Give me some time to think about it,’ but in short order said: ‘You’re on.’”
When did Nick propose?
Lindsay: “In March 2020, two days after Covid- 19 hit. We’d just had our morning coffee and when Nick started buzzing around, I could sense something was going on. He said: ‘Wait here, I’ll be right back.’ I had no idea he was going to ask me to marry him but replied: ‘Yes,’ straight away.”
Nick: “I’d been thinking about it for a while and had already seen a cool art deco-style diamond engagement ring I knew Lindsay would love. I saw the picture in a magazine while I was sitting next to her on a flight, so I dropped it on the floor to take a photo without her noticing and asked a jeweller friend to make it.
“But then Covid struck and I looked to get it made in the States. Nobody knew what direction the virus would take, so I seized the moment. Because I couldn’t present Lindsay with the ring, I gave her a white gold necklace with a blue topaz and diamond, which I’d hidden in my golfing bag, and went down on one knee with that instead.”
What’s it like to be back in the UK for a while?
Nick: “I love it. Our home here overlooks the river at Windsor, and we can see the castle from the balcony. I’ve travelled for most of my life, but my one goal was to spend time at home to see my children and recharge the batteries – now I’ve been able to do that. I’ve eaten way too many scones and crumpets, full English breakfasts and meringues, though!” Lindsay: “I love British history, culture and the arts. My ancestors [Maxwells/Pollocks] are Scottish, so Nick took me to my ancestral home, Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland, which was so romantic.”
Tell us about your new ranch in Montana…
Nick: “We both love the outdoors and last year found this 21-acre chunk of land with a twobedroom house we now call Faldo’s Farm.
“It’s the perfect place to do what we enjoy. Lindsay rides horses and we both love golf, cycling and hiking. We have three sibling Weimaraners and will get llamas, alpacas, chickens, miniature highland cows and ducks too. There’s a river on the property where I’ll trout-fish and have some woods to explore.
“We’re also building a sports barn to include a bowling alley, indoor courts and a gym. We love our sports cars, but I can’t wait to drive my new boys’ toy – a Case skidder tractor.”
What are your future plans?
Nick: “I’m developing my own production, 18 Pars Entertainment, and give golf lessons on YouTube and other platforms. Covid has taught us that you never know what’s around the corner, so Lindsay and I will organise less and just enjoy life more.”
‘I had no idea Nick was going to ask me to marry him but replied “Yes” straight away’
Lindsay
‘You never know what’s around the corner, so we will organise less and just enjoy life more’ Nick