In a frank revelation Martin Kaymer explained the burden he faces of dealing with a new-found stature in sports-mad Germany.

The former World No. 1 was competing last weekend in the now annual Schuco Open when he rushed home to shower and change ahead of a formal dinner.

Martin Kaymer dealing with the burden of fame. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

However such was the enormity of the crowd that had been following himself and the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Geoff Ogilvy, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Colin Montgomerie that Kaymer was overcome.

The 26-year old prolific winning golfer immediately halted his dinner preparation plans to take stock.

“I found myself having to sit down for 15 minutes on my balcony of my house,” he said.

“I got myself a slice of bread and drank some milk, and just stared into the trees.  I just chilled out a little bit, because it was all too much for me.

“Sometimes this new role I find myself entering or this new life I find myself in, needs getting used to.

“So it was important for me to take time out to realise and to adjust a little bit in order to handle those things.”

The Schuco Open began last Saturday with Kaymer and a young upcoming German professional taking on the American Johnson and Watson.

“The organisers were expecting about 5,000 people on Saturday, but there was nearly 10,000 present,” said Kaymer.

“There was just so many people, and most between 20 and 35, and I’ve never seen that before in Germany.

“But golf now is becoming so popular and especially around Dusseldorf where I live, and then on the Sunday we had 14 or 16 professionals competing, along with the amateurs, and the place was just packed.

“There was just so many people and security people.”

Since capturing last year’s U.S. PGA Championship and also in becoming World No. 1, Kaymer’s found himself now one of the most popular sports persons in Germany.

And while Kaymer used to look up to some of the country’s great football stars, he now finds those players phoning to ask if they could have dinner with him or help them with their golf game.

“The last three to four months has been ridiculous in Germany as there has been so much media attention around me, about my family, about my personal life, about a lot of things,” he said.

“A lot of soccer players from Bayen Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, from those big soccer clubs, big national players.

“Those players were my role models and then they call me and want to have dinner with me, want to know more about golf and how I feel about certain things in my sport, and it’s just very interesting.

“I’m not shocked it’s happening to me but just surprised how much is going on in my city about me.

“I was just very surprised and that’s why I had to sit down on my balcony.  It was nothing negative, not at all.

“That is where I want to go, in that direction but I just didn’t realise that it could happen so quick and so fast.”

And the best way Kaymer has been able to cope with his new found sporting status is to confer with his father and older brother.

“It’s something that I need to get used to, and I’m sure I will feel comfortable in that situation in the future.”

And when asked by www.golfbytourmiss.com if he had sought advice from other Major winners how to deal with this change in lifestyle, Kaymer said:  “It’s not about winning Majors, it’s not about winning anything, it’s about all of a sudden you’re kind of like a celebrity.

“I just need to get used to that.  It’s like people are following me home and taking pictures of your house or your car and of your friends, and they ask you or call your friends for information.

“I’ve read that about other people, but you don’t think it will happen to you.

“So I’m in that process now of dealing with that, but it’s fine.  I just need to realise it and think about how I can handle those situations.”