These are a few of my favourite..

"Let me tell you something. I came here to win a trophy…for sheer bloody pride at being the best, that's why we do this." Harry Vardon, The Greatest Game Ever Played.

They say you truly fall in love only once. I've fallen hard, twice over, and it's been for a sport both times! Or maybe it is just winning, that I love so much. It was a summer afternoon two years ago; I'd just moved from Bangalore to Pune having retired from 20 years of professional swimming. The life of a professional swimmer is very demanding with long hours of training in the pool and gym, and having achieved more than I imagined possible in the sport for India, I was figuring out what to do next. I do a lot of motivational speaking these days, and one of my main messages to people is that you should try to find something you love doing and are willing to work hard at. When you find that something you are willing to go the distance for, you will be successful. Someone gave me this movie to watch in my suddenly very empty day – The Greatest Game Ever Played - and suggested that I try golf. I went to the Pune Course the next day, and after hitting a few balls, found what I think will be my calling for the next 20 years!

Over the last two years, as I've travelled for work and leisure, I've had the privilege to play across several courses in the world and here's a list of my favourite courses so far.

Emirates Golf Club, Dubai: I recently watched Rory McIlroy win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at this beautiful course, and am also playing there again this week.  A stunning clubhouse, combined with the natural rolling desert terrain for serious golfing on two of the cities finest must-play courses (the Majlis and the Faldo Course), the EGC is the recipient of a host of awards including Golf World magazines 'Top 100 Golf Courses in the World' and  'Best Course Middle East' in the Asian Golf Monthly Awards 2010. And if you've had a busy day at work, it may interest you to know that EGC also is the only 18-hole course in the region to offer night golf. A host of F&B options to unwind over, Le Classique the club's award-winning French fine dining restaurant with a menu that includes both classic favourites and new dishes with a modern twist, has my vote for an unforgettable dining experience.

My All-time Favourite Monsoon Retreats

There's something about the monsoons that have always had the poets very inspired. And while the city's an unbelievable mess if you're trying to dodge potholed roads, pavements crowded with hawkers and pedestrians or just the traffic that's moving at a snail's pace, there are some places that immediately take you right back to that inspiring, sweet spot like the poets, even in the urban jungle.

As a professional swimmer, you need to swim all year round to keep up with your fitness routine. So rain, hail or sunshine, we'd have to be in the pool everyday swimming that mandatory 15 kms; anything except if it thundered, really, when the coach would reluctantly agree to let us off because of the imminent risk of electrocution. And trust me this gives you an even deeper appreciation for how pretty the rain looks - out there!

So here's a list of some of my favorite monsoon retreats:

1. The Palladium Hotel, Mumbai

One of my favorite monsoon retreats in Mumbai is the Palladium Hotel, with its floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city, Mahalaxmi Race Course and the Arabian Sea. The hotel's plush contemporary interiors with opulent chandeliers, marble and traditional mosaic motifs, blend with rich velvets and dramatic sculptures, to create a warm ambience. It's the perfect setting to sit back with your cup of espresso and that special someone and watch the monsoon clouds break the sweltering heat and wash the city clean. If you're getting restless, you can walk down to the luxurious High Street Phoenix Mall, watch a movie, shop for a range of labels, relish a delicious meal or just lie back in your room and enjoy the view!

Must Try: The Tiger Tear Maki at the award-winning Japanese restaurant Yuuka is one of Chef Ting's signature dishes.