David's team on course for victory

9:38am Thursday 21st February 2008

HE is known to his caddie colleagues on the European Tour as the jockey,' but you are more likely to find caddie Nick Mumford strutting his stuff at the Empress Ballroom than jumping the final hurdle on the home straight at Aintree.

Bag man to Swindon's David Howell since April 2007, former Wiltshire golfer Mumford has travelled the globe for the game he loves, but it's back home in Trowbridge where he has really found his feet.

During his month-long winter break, Mumford was introduced to Ceroc dancing - a form of modern jive - by his brother Gary, and he's been toe-tapping his way around the fairways and greens ever since.

Mumford has even taken a DVD abroad with him so he can practise his steps in front of the mirror - much to the amusement of his employer.

Said Howell: "One minute he's working out in the gym pretending to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, the next he wants to be the first caddie to make it onto Strictly Come Dancing. Brilliant!

"This is going to give me so much to talk about in years to come, I can just see it now."

Mumford however, maintains he can combine his bag-carrying duties with dazzling the women on the dance floor, and he has been busy busting moves in Howell's latest break from the tour.

"David might find the whole thing quite amusing, but I'm really into it," he said.

"My brother and his girlfriend are both really good. They go four times a week to classes in Chippenham, Bath, Trowbridge and Swindon.

"I took the plunge, went to the first class and absolutely fell in love with it.

"I always wanted to be able to dance properly. I did three hours that night and I was hooked. I ended up doing nine hours that week, but then I stopped for the new year.

"You get to meet new people and women love a man who can dance."

Mumford may not have persuaded his mentor to join his Ceroc group, but the pair have formed a bond which has helped Howell through some of the darker moments of a disappointing 2007.

The former Wiltshire team-mates spend plenty of time together off the course too, and they are fiercely competitive.

Mumford revealed: "We like to wind down in the evenings with a relaxing meal, but we also play other sports too.

"Recently I have been beating David at pool, but then he absolutely hammered me at snooker.

"We are both quite competitive, but it's all about enjoying ourselves too.

"David has been very relaxed since we came back to work after Christmas.

"He is swinging well and hopefully we will see a big improvement in 2008."

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