WinstonGolf Championship

So last week I travelled to Germany and onto the WinstonGolf course (one of my very favourite venues) which is located about 90 minutes east of Hamburg. It was a last minute decision to play as I had been dealing with a bad back given that my pelvis and sacrum was out of alignment in the weeks leading up to the event. Having spent a small fortune on Chiropractors and Back / Body Specialists I was hopeful that I could swing freely and actually compete with my Legends Tour Colleagues.

My good friend Mike Jennings had driven from his home in Poland to come and caddie for me as we have enjoyed success at WinstonGolf in previous years with two top 10 finishes (last year 3rd). Now WinstonGolf has two courses and I’d previously played on the WinstonOpen Course which is a great track. A little hilly in places but big greens and everything is laid out in front of you with no surprises. This year though, we were playing the WinstonLinks Course, a course I didn’t know!

I was specific in not “overdoing” it practice wise as I didn’t want to cause my back any stress so I played the first 9 holes on Wednesday with Van Philips and the last 9 holes on Thursday with Chris Hanell without any physical issues and I was hopeful for a good week. The course was very hilly and humpy and the walk itself was challenging. Even Mike was shattered after only 9 holes!

Come the first day, Friday, I was set to play with the Scot, Greig Hutcheon and two amateur partners both from Holland. The start (from the 10th tee) was smooth with my 5 wood finding the middle of the fairway and a 6 iron finding the middle of the green. Two putts from 20 feet and we’re off and running with a par. The 11th was a 200 yard par 3 and my 5 iron found the middle of the green about 20 feet from the hole. In for a birdie! I calmly pared 12 and 13 before hitting the fairway at 14 and hitting a 9 iron from 142 yards to 5 feet. In and 2 under through 5 holes…happy!

At the 15th, I hit 5 wood into the middle of the fairway and another 9 iron from 148 yards to 2 feet and my 3rd birdie of 6 holes. I felt calm, felt very within myself and focused. I missed the green at the 16th and made bogey and then finished the back nine with two pars to be minus 2 for the day and leading.

The first hole was a dogleg to the right and I hit my 5 wood through the fairway into the rough. The problem was that when I took my address position, the ball was significantly below my feet and I couldn’t get a steady stance with my left foot. I took a swing at it with an 8 iron and the instant I made the swing, my back went into spasm. I knew I was done.

I made bogey there, I pared the next two holes and then when I tried to hit driver at the 4th, my body just ceased up and I pulled it left. I had to reload with a provisional and did the same again. Having lost both balls, I went back to the tee and 15 minutes later, I’d walked off with a 9. I pulled a 6 iron at the next hole, the par 3 5th and proceeded to 4 putt from 25 feet for a double.

I limped into the clubhouse after shooting an 80 and was distraught, disappointed and frankly…embarrassed. I tried to remain optomistic and hoped that physiotherapy might do the job so I saw the Tour Physio Orlaith on Friday evening and Saturday morning but after 4 holes, I was done and was forced to retire fro the Tournament.

This game is hard enough when you’re physically fit but when your body lets you down and when you’ve had the kind of year I’d had, you can’t help but to question whether its worth continuing trying to compete. I could set up a golf academy somewhere (if I could find the right venue) and coach the public in all areas of golf and enjoy that challenge. Perhaps I should start considering this idea for the future? I’m not going to lie, my mind has a bunch of different ideas (all golf related) flowing through it but coming up with a specific area of focus hasn’t happened just yet.

For now, I just want to get fit again as I have a few more events left in the calendar that I’d like to compete at. See you all soon again…hopefully ;-)