STANFORD-LE-HOPE’S Duncan Grover mixed it with some of the world’s best players at a stellar pro-am in Germany.

The 35-year-old, who is a member of Langdon Hills Golf Club, lined up alongside the likes of Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer at the Scheco Open in Dusseldorf, playing in front of 12,5000 fans.

Grover was given the opportunity to compete in Germany's largest invitational tournament after a winning performance at the Schueco UK Golf Challenge at Woburn Golf Club in May.

And he performed admirably on Dusseldorf’s challenging Hubbelrath course, winning the amateur challenge with 34 points.

Ryder Cup winner Poulter triumphed in the pro-am Winner’s Cup the following day, but Grover finished a respectable fifth among amateurs with 29 points.

Grover said: “I’m very pleased with my effort.

“It was an extremely tough course. Obviously it’s used for professional tournaments so it felt very long for me, and the crowds were just crazy.

“I’ve been to the PGA Championship at Wentworth before, but to experience those kind of crowds as a player was incredible. The spectators were 10 deep on the 18th hole and were lining the fairways throughout, so it was absolutely surreal.”

And the personal idols he played alongside were quick to offer him advice.

“We had a lot of help from the pros. On the first day Ian Poulter played three holes with us, and Miguel Angel Jiminez walked along the course too.

“They were always talking, trying to relax us since a few of us were pretty nervous,” said Grover.

On the Sunday, Grover was assigned a caddie and played in a fourball with Geoff Ogilvy and Gregory Havret.

While admitting to feeling slightly intimidated by the pair, Grover praised 2006 US Open winner Ogilvy and 2010 US Open runner-up Havret for their attitudes.

He said: “They’re fantastic people and they calmed me down a lot, especially since the first two holes were a bit disappointing for me. I improved though, and got a few pars.

“Geoff and I had some really good chats, and he let me keep his scorecard which he’d signed for me."

Grover has since played at Langdon Hills, which he accepts was a stark return to reality.

“It brought me crashing back down to earth, but I’ve been telling my story to everyone so many times that I think they’re getting a bit bored with it.

“I actually keep leaving a lot of my shots short now. Playing in Germany, it was like putting on glass. Now I’ve returned, it feels like putting on knitted wool.”