“I was forced into it,” she admits. “Initially I was dragged out kicking and screaming, not wanting to go out anywhere near the golf course. I used to play every week in the competitions with my mum. I was given 36 shots and we beat everyone we came up against. Then I started losing a few strokes off my handicap and really getting into it. We were big news in Stockport golf circles.”
Di’s handicap has been as low as 5.6, she remembers every detail of the two eagles she has scored on par fours and she blurts out the story behind her Hole In One before I’ve even had the opportunity to finish asking her if she’s ever had one: “It was at the second at Rhos-On-Sea, a 145 yard par three, with a 5-iron...” She pauses, as if she needs to justify her club selection. “…I was 16. It was a windy day, I was a lot younger… Anyway, I knew it was going in straight away. My dad was like, ‘Bloody hell, Di, I’m going to have to buy everyone in the clubhouse a drink now.’”
The rest of the family have rejoined the Stewart Cult Of Golf and now compete for the family silverware in a three-day tournament held every August Bank Holiday.
“When it started about eight years ago,” explains Di, “it was open to anyone who knew us, but now there’s a committee – my mum — and a selection process to make sure you’re good enough to play. The committee gives you your shots, we have a Stableford competition, Texas Scramble and Yellow Ball competition — it’s a four ball with everyone taking it in turns to play the yellow ball. Each hole you pick the best score from the three white balls and the score with the yellow ball has to count. Obviously you play like an idiot every time you have the yellow ball…”
An idiot who plays off ten, anyway. Suggest to her that there’s an edge of ruthless competitiveness to her and she’ll laugh, but won’t deny it. “It’s ingrained in me.” There was a time when she thought about pursuing a career in golf seriously — going to college but focusing on the golf rather than academic pursuits. But in the end she stuck to her German degree at Newcastle University and kept golf as a passionate pastime.
Any boyfriends have invariably had to present their handicap certificates at the door of the family home. ‘Do they play golf?’ was always the first question my mother would ask any of us,” says Di.

» Di Stewart part 3