Turning Pro at 57

It’s been a busy few weeks with a few tournaments to catch up on since my last blog, so here goes……

The Paul Lawrie Ladybank Masters was cut short due to a flooded course on the second day.  I was reasonably pleased with my two over par on the first day, with a strong finish with birdies at 14 and 15, giving me a top 30 finish.  Driving was good but iron striking was a little off resulting is some missed greens and a few up and downs. My putting stayed strong, building on the previous week at St Andrews.

Then it was down to Richmond on Thames on the Saturday for the Masters Pro Tour Sunday Pro Am followed by the two round tournament.   I had a great team on the Sunday. We played some good golf between us and importantly had some fun along the way, finishing just outside the top three.  The great thing is that it was a chance to play the course and pick up some local knowledge.  I carded two over on day one with a couple of birdies, but slumped to seven over day two due to really poor driving.  It’s so difficult when you can’t get the hole started, a struggle from the off really.  However limiting the damage and keeping the score in control resulted in a win for me in the over 58 years category. So, all in all, not a bad few days’ work, then back North and to the range to sort my driving.

This Thursday and Friday past it was the Paul Lawrie Panmure Masters, over the course at Barry, which I’m growing to really enjoy.  To me it’s a kind of shorter sister to Carnoustie Links and in excellent condition.  I was four over both days, a bit disappointing but still enjoyed the challenge.  My driving was back on, my putting continues to improve but my irons were a bit off…..the great thing for me was that I was able to sus out why and recover the situation and get my takeaway back on plane.  This for me is testament to the work Coach Pete has put in with me to improve my understanding of my golf swing.  Rather than just keep doggedly doing the same thing, hoping it will improve, I changed something and it worked…..that’s the difference for me now.  The penny Coach Pete gave me has finally dropped !!! 

After a real nice day today relaxing, it’s off back down South to Reading for the Masters Pro Tour Championship over The Caversham today (Monday) and tomorrow.  

Will let you know how we go.

All the best 

Calum

Last week we played the St Andrews Classic, on the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro Tour.  It was planned as a Monday and Tuesday event but out of respect for Her Majesty The Queen, the event was played on the Tuesday, with 36 holes in the one day.  Now I can tell you it’s a long time since I played 36 in a day with the customary 30 mins for lunch. However, throwing myself around the gym over the last couple of years appears to have stood me in good stead.

My golf was good, with solid ball striking and putting starting to return with increased confidence.  The course was yielding birdies so I’m glad to say I had my fair share. However, not as many as my mate, Russell Christie, who shot 10 under for the second round and won the tournament – delighted for him.  I shot 1 under in the morning and level in the afternoon.  I dropped a couple of shots late on, with tired pull shots, but overall was really happy with my showing.

The big thing for me on my journey was that I felt so comfortable under par.  I wasn’t thinking about scoring but just the shot I wanted to play to give myself another birdie putt.  In the past I’ve been the guy who gets under par then immediately feels the pressure until he blows it and gets back to his comfort zone over par.  I like it in the new world and I can tell you it’s an amazing place to be……. and I’d like to go back there this week at the Ladybank Masters – the next Tartan Pro event.  Can’t get much more local either.  My mate Jim is caddying for me so looking forward to giving it a go.

Catch up soon.

Calum

It’s a little time since my last blog….I know I need to get better at getting them out!  

Since my last one I played the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro Par 3 Championship up in Aberdeen and also The Masters Pro Tour down near Harrogate.  The Par 3 was great fun and really competitive, played at Paul’s golf centre outside Aberdeen.  The course was in great condition with lots of water and deep rough and holes ranging from 87 yards to 263 yards.  I played well both days with the work Coach Pete and I have been putting in on my long game starting to pay off.  My holing out putting was really poor on the first day but I managed to get it back for day 2.  Scoring was 6 over on day one followed by 2 over on day two resulting in a 24^th place for me.

Last weekend was Pannal outside Harrogate, a course of two halves with sloping fairways and tabletop greens first nine and then tall pine tree-lined fairways back nine.  Reflecting on the two days again my long game and scoring irons were in great shape, which I’m delighted with, and I did hit some great shots which was really satisfying.  However I only shot three birdies over the 36 holes, and they were all two putt birdies.  I gave myself so many  chances but no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the ball to go in the hole from 15 feet and closer.  I ended up 9 over for the two days but still managed 13^th place to scrape some of the prize money. So that will cheer up my accountant!

Another highlight was an amazing breakfast in the famous Betty’s Tea Room in Harrogate……so good in fact that I had to queue to get in.  It was a good old one-and-a-half-hour breakfast complete with Sunday paper…….they must have thought I was never going to leave!

This week Coach Pete is away as team coach with the Scottish Seniors Mens Team at the European Championships in Estonia so all the best to him the boys.

Next will be the Tartan Pro Tour at St Andrews on the 19^th and 20^th September over the New and Jubilee courses, with the time before then spent on my putting so I can start taking more of the chances I give myself.

Catch up soon and all the best.

Calum

…..so I promised to update you on Leeds.  Well, it was a bit of a shambles from my scoring point of view.  I wasn’t ready, ended up allowing myself to rush on to the tee and subsequently started very poorly, which then became irrecoverable.  My playing partners were great, including Clayton Blackmore who played for Manchester United and Wales. Also my mate from Doncaster came across to walk round with us on the Friday, which I really appreciated.  As Forrest once said: “That’s all I gotta say about that”.

Then it was on to the British Senior Open Qualifying at Ladybank – my home course.  You’ll understand I was feeling good and felt well prepared, apart from having to swing at full tilt in order to keep my strike going.  I ended up just the wrong side of a few tee shots by a couple of yards each time and found myself seven over at the turn – not what you want in an 18 hole qualifying round.  It turned out that the one overs played sudden death for the last places at Gleneagles.

I don’t know if it was the frustration, the disappointment or the fact that this had been my big target for the year to get through the Senior Open cut and get some ranking points for the Legends’ Tour, but I was really tired and down after it and stayed away from golf until yesterday, Saturday.

Then, as it goes, I had a great session with Coach Pete where he listened to me, we worked on a later hit and got my strike and finesse back.  So now I’m back on the horse and looking forward to the next tournament, Paul Lawrie’s Tartan Tour Scottish Par 3 Championship at his course in Aberdeen on 4th and 5th August.  

As always, I’ll let you know how it goes.

All the best

Calum

We had a great week across in Italy with the Senior Golf Tour Europe, playing the Padova Open.  It was played across two courses, the Golf Club Frassanelle among the vineyards outside Venice and the Albarella Golf Links south of Venice.  

The field was made up of golfers from eleven different countries.  My golf was good and I managed to get myself into joint second after day one at 2 over.    I played in the last group on day 2 which was a new experience for me.  I thought it was great and remember thinking the night before: “Should I just try to score as low as I can or should I try to beat my playing partners?”  It ended up a mix to be honest and back nine I decided to try to beat my playing partners, which I managed but dropped a few shots in the process – mainly pushing a bit too hard.  

However the result was second place for me behind Jorgen, who was already in the clubhouse.

The experience was great though and combined with the 32 degree heat and Italian cuisine created a great week.

I played back in Leeds the following week which is a another story – the next blog will explain that.

Meanwhile enjoy Open week.  I’ll be getting ready for the Senior Open Qualifying at Ladybank next Monday – my home course – so watch this space.

All the best

Calum

Last week I was down at Carus Green in Kendal with three great pals for some golf along with some apres golf – a laugh a minute as always. The golf complex there is brilliant with accommodation, driving range and golf course in great condition. Oh and the sun shone…..until Friday that is. We played beautiful Silloth on the Friday, teeing off in a 30mph wind. Then the rain came …and came…and came…..game abandoned after 5. I was in the shower within 15 minutes which was great but I overlooked one thing in my haste….a towel…which you can only get from the bar! Great fun though and a character building game of golf!

You can’t have failed to be aware of the hype surrounding this year’s Open at St Andrews. Everything about it seems bigger this time round. Including some massive temporary buildings and stands. Regards the golf, the R&A held Regional Qualifying yesterday at 15 venues around the UK involving something like 1800 golfers I guess trying for around 150 spots through to final qualifying.

I played at Panmure yesterday but missed the qualifying by a few shots. I shot 3 over 73 which included me chasing for birdies on the last few holes, I would have needed 2 under to get into the playoff for the last 5 spots with 10 in total going through. Fighting for birdies I hit a stinger drive at the par 5 14th which ran for ages leaving me a 7 iron to 20 feet above the pin, the eagle putt would have taken me back to 1 over with birdie chances on the way in – the putt was in the cup all the way but was 6 inches short. A great feeling to have a chance though and feel the competitive juices flowing again. Last night was a really odd mix of emotions, while disappointed at not getting through to Final Qualifying next week, I was really happy with the way I played and the account I gave of myself. A better score like this is what we’ve been looking for as my game has improved. Panmure was playing pretty tough with a stiff southerly wind on the way out, fast running baked fairways and whispy rough. The course was in fabulous shape with tremendous greens. All in all, a great experience to be part of it and better scoring than I had in last year’s qualifying.

Also on the positive side, Coach Pete shot 2 under and qualified from the playoff for a spot in next week’s Final Qualifying at the Fairmont. I’m delighted for him and wish him all the best for next week – him qualifying will make the 150th Open even more special!

Next for me is Italy tomorrow, I’m off to Padova for a three day tournament over two great looking courses. After yesterday I’m so excited to get back on a golf course. Will let you know how I go.

All the Best

Calum

I was down in the Lake District last week for two Masters Pro events at Kirkby Lonsdale and Carus Green, Kendal.   My scores were awful, so much disappointment and frustration.  I was very close to melting down my putter and recrafting the metal into something that was actually useful !!!   So not much more to say about that.

My feelings are that both my course management and the way I conduct myself and approach the game is way better, and the range of shots I can play have really increased over the last couple of years.  These things are becoming second nature now as Coach Pete promised.  Now I’m thinking it’s time to reap the rewards of our efforts but no, it’s not coming yet.  I know I’m better but it’s not reflected in my scoring .  After lots of soul searching last week and questioning myself I subjected Coach Pete to my “why?, why?, why?,” routine. To his credit, his response was “keep going I want to hear it”.   He’s a glutton for punishment !!

We then started work on how I implement these new skills I have and we landed on my intensity levels. So I thought okay I’ll be more intense but ha! –  it doesn’t work just trying to switch it on.  So now we’re working on the next stage of my development and identifying the things that will increase my intensity such as really painting the picture of the shot I want to play.  It’s fascinating how we’re working on minute things to deliver improvement.

So I’m now working on that and to be honest not sure where the next tournament will be.  Watch this space and I’ll keep you updated.

All the best

Calum

This time I’m writing on the way home from Vienna, via Naples!   The tournament starts tomorrow so, yes you guessed it, I didn’t qualify for a spot in the tournament proper from Monday’s 18 hole shoot out.  

I shot 79 which was way too high and learned two things from the experience – you can’t have double bogies in 18 hole qualifying and I need to allocate much more time to understanding the greens during practice.  Looking back I was knocking different putts around during practice but I wasn’t spending enough time really getting to know the greens, their pace and how to read them. I gave myself ten chances inside 15 feet and only converted two.

The whole experience was brilliant though, and hopefully I’ll manufacture more chances to start a Legends event.  We also had the excitement of Austrian lightning which stopped play for an hour or so.  By the way the qualifying scores for the two spots were 3 and 2 under par – tidy golf.

GolfClub Murhof was really brilliant, both the course and the set up.  Their hospitality was tremendous and they run a really great event. 

Next we’re back in the UK and off to the Lake District at the end of the month, so a few things to work on with Coach Pete ahead of that.

Catch up soon……Calum

I’m writing this on the flight out to Vienna, heading to Monday qualifying for the Austrian Senior Open at GolfClub Murhof south of Vienna, a beautiful looking parkland course in the Austrian valleys.  I’m particularly excited as, apart from the Senior Open, this is my first Legends Tour event and a potential route into a Legends tournament.

I was away last week with some great friends social golfing. Three games with loads of encouragement from my mates was great preparation for Monday.  My game seems in good shape so am really looking forward to giving it a go.  Another step on this amazing journey…..

So an 18 hole shoot out to try and gain one of the two wildcards into the tournament up for grabs……as always will let you know how I go.

All the best
Calum

The Season’s Tee-ed Off ……

Last Monday and Tuesday was the opening event of the Paul Lawrie Tartan Pro Tour – the Blairgowrie Masters over the Landsdowne course. It was great to get back to tournament golf and I wish I could say my scoring was better, but honestly my 15 over for the two days didn’t reflect my golf. I would have loved to score better but the main thing for me was that the part of my game that I’ve been working on over the winter, my wedges and short game, were both great. My driving was off but hey that’s golf !

It was also brilliant to see Coach Pete compete in the event and return a creditable 3 over for the two days, particularly since he held his normal debriefs each evening with me and his other pupils who were playing in the event.

An added bonus was the four cans of lager to every competitor by tour sponsors the St Andrews Brewing Company. Very nice and “can” highly recommend trying it.

My next outing is an exciting chance to qualify for a Legends Tour event out in Austria, something new for me. The Riegler and Partner Austrian Senior Open at Golfclub Murhof is the only event in the schedule with Monday qualifying, offering two places in the event. So my focus is now on getting ready for this one.

Enjoy your golf now the season has started and catch up soon.

Calum