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…..my clubs made it to Lisbon, so after the previous week that was a great start to the Masters Pro Tour event at Quinta Da Marina outside Lisbon.  

It’s a tremendous hotel and golf complex close to Cascais, with a very challenging and tricky-to-navigate golf course. The first is a 570 yard dog leg left par 5, tree lined with around 330 yards to the corner and a tee shot along a 20 yard wide alley which you can see in the picture above.   My room was on the far end top floor so my concentration was on not hitting into my own balcony! Seriously though, it took me two goes to work out how to play the hole, which needed a 3 wood fade, away from the green, making the hole longer to allow a 5 wood over the trees on to the green – all a bit counter intuitive for me!   The rest of the holes also required working out the best route – great fun and great experience for me.

I think it’s fair to say that the field found the course challenging, with our scores improving through the 54 holes.  I finished 8th overall and 1st in 58 and over category !  Overall I was pleased with my week.  

I also took the chance to keep developing my short game in competition play, chipping everything when I got the chance.  This is something I’ve found challenging of late but improvement and confidence is coming with daily trips and drills at the practice green.  Coach Pete and I have improved my technique and now I’m taking all the shots on to the course.

There is a lot spoken about self belief and trust in your ability on the golf course. Easier said than done but, as I’m increasingly finding out, it’s an essential part of performing well.  The vision to see the shot and then commit to it while accepting the consequences is something I’m working hard on, so watch this space!

I’m off to putt a few balls now and continue to work on scoring ahead of the next tournament which is the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro Tour event at Blairgowrie in April.

All the best
Calum

It was off to Palma for my first tournament of the year, also my first time in Mallorca.  I was really excited and up for it, my game seemed in good shape in the build up and the Senior Golf Tour Europe events are always good.

I flew BA Edinburgh to London City and then on to Palma.  I still vividly remember confirming with the check in desk that my clubs were checked in through to Palma – “yes” came the confident answer !   You guessed it, I made it to Palma but my clubs didn’t – a real strange moment thinking “they must be here!” But after 30 minutes – definitely not.   The Iberia Airlines baggage desk were as helpful as a chocolate fire guard.  So no clubs.

I managed to rent clubs and bought the essentials such as shoes, glove etc and remember being so happy and relieved just to get on the golf course for the practice round.  Started with a par and immediately decided that these hire clubs were the ones for me !   However it didn’t really last and went down hill a bit. I can’t blame the clubs – it was me on the end of them that was the problem.  So no fairytale of a high finish with borrowed clubs.    A couple of my fellow competitors loaned me a set of TW Nike blades, a blast from the past and a solid Taylormade driver. So it was a great week on two great courses trying different clubs, but not from a results point of view finishing 18th.   The full results are here.

A real helpful lady from BA restored my faith when she called to say she had tracked down my clubs and got them out to me on the Friday. Too late for Mallorca but in time for the next tournament in Lisbon……it was an emotional moment meeting my clubs again !

More to follow on my Portuguese experience…..

All the best 

Calum

Happy New Year everyone and all the best for 2022.

Now we’re into January my mind has shifted to the coming season and tournament dates are starting to fill up – getting excited already.  

I was due to be in Portugal last week for the Algarvian Invitational. However I made a call not to go. With the uncertainty of the Government’s restrictions and the test to travel home having been reintroduced, the thought of 10 days in my Portuguese hotel room didn’t excite me.  The time is better spent here practising with Coach Pete, and playing some winter golf.

It’s also given me time to reflect on my first full year as a pro.  It feels like I have come a million miles in terms of my game and understanding of what’s required to play pro tournament golf.  I’m not there yet, and know I never will be as there is always some aspect that can be improved. To be honest that’s the exciting thing about this journey. It feels like I’ve learned more in the last year that I did in my six years larking about in class at Bell Baxter High School – I did learn to play the guitar though!!  

Anyway, back to last year’s golf. I played lots of tournament golf and finished 22nd in the Order of Merit on The Masters Pro Golf Tour and 21st in the Order of Merit on the Senior Golf Tour Europe.  Overall I’m happy with that and have something to build on this year coming.

There were many off-course highlights as well through the year including some great days with Coach Pete, being interviewed by Edinburgh Golf Podcast and fitting for a new driver head that’s allowed me to add 10 plus yards off the tee.  I’ll share more about that in another blog.

In terms of the winter work, Coach Pete and I are working on short game, wedge play and some minor adjustments to my long game swing which should improve ball striking consistency.  Fitness wise I’m working on increasing my lower body strength, cardio and maintaining flexibility, while at the same time improving my diet to support my body’s increased activity. 

I’m hoping for a couple of tournaments in Mallorca and Portugal in February so will keep you updated as that develops.

Have a great year on and off the course.
Cheers
Calum

I’m writing this thinking about last week’s 20 degrees of sunshine on the Costa Del Sol while  storm Barra seems to be reaching us and gaining strength.  We had the Marbella Senior Open last week outside Marbella played over two stunning courses at the Villa Padierna complex – Flamingos around the hotel and Alferini up through the hills above. 

The courses were in great condition with fast, grainy greens.  I’ve never experienced two courses with so many spectacularly stunning, tight and challenging holes.  There was just no opportunity to bale out anywhere if a shot didn’t come off.  The practice rounds taught me the need to commit 100% to every shot and deal with any consequences, as any attempt to reduce power or steer the shot always ended poorly.  As always, I learned a lot about myself in terms of the satisfaction I felt when committing to a challenging shot and it coming off.

In terms of performance I was pleased, to be honest. I worked out how to play the holes, stuck to my plans and ground out two reasonable scores, finishing tied 10^th place on 9 over par, banking a cheque for the week.  I was also pleased that, given how undulating, fast and grainy the greens were, my birdie count was 6 for the 36 holes and my holing out from inside 4 feet was real solid.  I did again have a couple of right to left putts that simply refused to take the break as the ball battled into the grain.  Another plus was my driving – I had a new driver fitted a few weeks back and ended up with a Titleist TSi2 replacing my vintage Titleist  910 D2 .  At the fitting it gave me 10 yards’ extra carry and 15 yards’ overall increase in distance with the same swing, and I’m pleased to say it was delivering this in play at Marbella.

The tournament was part of the Senior Golf Tour Europe, which travels around Europe throughout the year.  I played with a great mix of golfers from Belgium, England, Portugal and Spain and learned so much, particularly from my Spanish playing partners on Friday – they just all seem to be a version of Seve!!  The locals are great down there too – I found a couple of nice Spanish restaurants where I ate all week and feel like I am best friends with the owners now!!  

So next is the Algarvian Invitational down in Portugal in January, a 54 hole event on the same tour so I’m looking forward to preparing for and competing in that.  A bit of nostalgia as that was the tournament I played in as an amateur two years ago where a chance discussion resulted in me turning pro. 

As always I’ll let you know how we go.

Cheers

Calum

Last week saw me competing out in Portugal at the end-of-season San Lorenzo Invitational with the Masters Pro Tour.

It was a great event, with substantial sponsorship.  I finished tied 13th over a challenging, but beautiful golf course.  I encountered greens with grain, meaning that on a couple of putts the ball seemed to break uphill – wow it blew my mind!!

We had a few days after the tournament finished before being transported home by Ryanair, so I can vouch for the apres golf in Portugal too which most of us tried!!

I had four days in the build up to the tournament just along the coast at Penina, where I spent my time practising, mainly my short game.  In fact I wore out a patch of grass just trying different techniques and slight tweaks on essentially the same chip for 5 hours each day.  I suspect the locals and green staff thought I’d lost my marbles a bit!!! It has paid off though in terms of building up some trust and confidence for me.  

I proudly was letting Coach Pete see what I’d been working yesterday until my fingers went numb in the freezing cold, back in Fife.   As I have long suspected, I think I am a warm weather golfer!!!

In case anyone’s wondering, the Covid travel requirements went really smoothly.  Full vaccinations, a locator form and two day testing once back here was all that was needed.  Despite some stories to the contrary, the border control at both ends was really smooth and straightforward.

Next is out to Marbella on Sunday for the Marbella Senior Open with the Senior Golf Tour Europe.   It’s played over two courses at Villa Padierna which looks real good with lots water involved.

Will let you know how we go.
Cheers
Calum

Lat week it was the end-of-season Masters Pro Tour Championship over both links courses at Saunton Golf Club, North Devon.  It was a great event played in big winds and rain – a great challenge and some real shot making was required which I’m happy to say I pulled off most of the time.  You know it’s a tough gig when you can’t get up to some par fours!

Anyway I posted a score on the Wednesday of level par, which left me sitting eighth, but dropped a bit on the Thursday to 11th – a reasonable result and a cheque banked!

My mate made the journey from Newmarket to caddy for me which was fun and a great experience.  I used to think caddying was just about carrying the bag, which of course it is, but the big learning for me was it buys the player so much time to think through options and assess shots – the result being increased commitment levels on each shot, vital for a good outcome.  I have to say that support like that in rainy conditions makes staying dry – or drier – much easier too.I like it and now need to work on him for caddying duties next year!

So in terms of the Masters Pro Tour, I finished the year 22nd on the Order of Merit.  I would have liked to be in the top 20 but still very pleased with my result after my first full year on tour……and now looking forward to next year.

So now it’s off to Portugal for a tournament over San Lorenzo and on to Marbella later in the month.  My game’s been good for the last few weeks and feels like scores are coming…….I’m in that place where I can’t wait for the next competitive round.

Catch up soon
Calum

You may have noticed a distinct lack of blogs lately…..there’s been a lot of competitive golf and my blog has taken second place, falling into the “I need to get round to…..” list.  We all have one!

Anyhow, I’ve played five 36 hole tournaments, the Tartan Pro Tour at St Andrews and then Blairgowrie, the Masters Pro Tour at Richmond on Thames and the Tartan Pro Tour at Renaissance and also Royal Aberdeen.  While my shot making and ball striking continue to improve, along with managing my way better round the courses, the scores have remained distinctly average.  I did post a couple of good scores at Blairgowrie and Royal Aberdeen so I know it can be done.  I figure that so long as I keep doing the right things with rigour and discipline, the scores will come.

Some disappointing news regards the Senior European Tour (now the Staysure Tour) – the Tour Qualifying School, historically held in January, will not take place again in 2022. This will be the second year that there has been no opportunity to qualify. Frustrating, as this was one of my targets.  There is word of Monday Qualifying being introduced so we’ll wait and see.  Just need to get ready for the Champions Tour Qualifying next year in the States I guess!

Next is the Masters Pro Tour Championship down at Saunton in Devon for the top 36 players in this year’s order of merit.  That was one of my targets this year, so pleased to get in.   Two great links courses that will require some decent shot making given the wind that’s forecast.  Looking forward to it and I’ll let you know how we go.
All the best
Calum

It’s been a couple of busy weeks with a Masters Pro event down near Southampton and then the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro event at St Andrews last week….and in between Sandy’s Pro’s Day at Ladybank…..a much more relaxed affair!  

Competition wise, still no scoring like I’m looking for and to be honest a bit of me wondering if it’s ever going to happen. However, golf being the very personal game it is, there are also many positives from the four rounds to build on as my apprenticeship continues.  A good session with Coach Pete on Thursday helped to check a few things out and get ready for this week. I’m sure many of you will have experienced the roller coaster of emotions that go along with the great game. 

Speaking of which, what about the Ryder Cup…..not the result Team Europe wanted but when all’s said and done the American team played some tremendous golf and, as far as I could tell, deserved to win this time.  I think with such a young, talented and battle hardened US team, the next few will be tough for the Europeans.  One thing I noticed with the coverage was that the many less-than-perfect shots reminded us that golf is difficult and is not a game of perfect.

So next for me is the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro event at Blairgowrie over Lansdowne and Rosemount Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  I’ve played both before so excited to tee it up this morning.

As always I’ll let you know how I go.
All the best
Calum

Last week three great friends and I had a game at Silloth and then on to Carus Green for a couple of rounds there.  If you get the chance to go, say yes and have a game at Silloth.  It’s a corker of a course on the edge of the Solway Firth so it’s a bit off the beaten track, but seriously worth the journey to play a traditional links of championship standard.  Carus Green at Kendal is a great set up, with accommodation and tremendous practice facilities and golf course – perfect for both golf and apres golf.
Then it was back to the Masters Pro Tour at Enville Golf Club, home to two marvellous heathland courses with hospitality to match. No cheque but some good golf interspersed with one or two big scores at a few holes which I seem to be good at just now!   Moved up three places on the Tour’s Order of Merit to 28th so going in the right direction into the last quarter of the tournament schedule.
Couple of takeaways for me from this week – I lost my striking with my irons but managed to nudge it round on day 1 and almost got away with it.  Managed to get something going after various videos and chat with Coach Pete.  Also I had to play the second course blind on day 2 and built my confidence at reading the holes and choosing the right club and shot type.  
So frustrating yes but more progress again which feels great.
Off down to Corehampton, near Southampton next week so watch this space. 

All the best
Calum

What a journey this is…..every outing I learn something new about myself and the game of golf.
You might think I’m crazy but I decided on a little experiment last week in the first round at Blackwell.  I played good relaxed golf during the practice round so decided to try the mindset of letting it flow more naturally on Thursday’s first round.  I let it flow – to an 86…Started okay but wasn’t striking it well with my irons and made a few poor shot choices. And believe me, scoring then got out of control very quickly,  and I just couldn’t get it back under control…..a real weird feeling.   The most “in the wilderness” I’ve been on a golf course since this journey began.
Friday was completely different, I went back to my process and routines and struck the ball real well with a sound strategy for each hole.  It was close to a score but still came out with a 75.  Birdie count was up though, which is the aim.
My main disappointment from the event was not picking up any Tour Order of Merit points leaving me in 31st place – slipping 5 places.
This week I’m looking forward to getting back to Cumbria and the Lake District with three great friends for games over Silloth and Carus Green.   It’ll be competitive as always with some laughs and apres golf thrown in.
Then it’s down to Enville Golf Club near Birmingham for the next Masters Pro event on Monday and Tuesday.
Catch up soon
Calum