Yet another inept performance though my yours truly ! I was so looking forward to playing and doing well here, the sponsors are friends, the course I love, Tom on the bag..it was all set up for me. Coming off a promising effort in Scotland I was all revved up. Rounds of 73, 75,77 were shocking as I played some great golf and punctuated it with some rubbish and that I may add is being polite! My short game, normally a strong point was poor, no very poor if not worse! Sunday started well with a well worked birdie, then double bogey, triple bogey followed! ridiculous luck at no.3 in fact and a good fight back only to throw away 3 shots to finish with. A tricky day with a gusting wind and a bent 5 iron to boot, a tree root at the 1st not in temper!

So off to Mere G&CC Monday for at Water Aid day and a short game clinic! Then to Tourxgolf a new tour  workshop in Warrington to fix the 5 iron. Creiff GC on Wednesday for VWCV, then up to Turnberry [now that is heaven!] on Sunday and a day for Unicef with Monty, all that’s before I get my game head on for the Czech Open .

Cheers,

oh a ps…

sophie is doing well in re hab in States and hopefuly back in the UK by October x

And so it came to Monty’s moment, was he going to pick Padraig, Paul & Luke…well they were my choices, with the former the least in form, so was Rose going to get the ‘nod’. And then the Captain went and surprised us all, or most of us anyhow and left out the world number 9, Paul Casey! A former world match play champ, runner up to Poulter in the WGC event in March, has Monty really lost the plot? Or, is it a brave move for the sake of team partnerships?

I am really chuffed Edoardo has made it, chuffed for the Europeaness of the side if that makes any sense. 2 years ago this guy was making it through the ranks on the Challenge Tour, now a multi winner and world cup winner alongside his brother last November- that’s why in my opinion he got the nod, and of course he is bang in form and looks as if he genuinely  enjoys his golf.  Colin Byrne was on his bag I noticed, one of the best and most experienced caddies on tour, and bagman for many years to Retief Goosen. A fine correspondent too for the Irish Times, in fact wrote a book called ‘bagman’ of his time on tour and in winning 2 US Opens with the ‘Goose’.

Anyhow really strong Ryder Cup team, who probably go in as favourites at Celtic Manor – now is that a good thing….

All go for the TP Masters at Woburn for me this coming week, a far cry from the Ryder Cup but a great event at one of my favourite courses in the UK, keep your finger crossed! Cheers

With my 14 yr old son Matt making his debut ‘on the bag’, this was an exciting tournament  for us having not competed since the Open PQ 4 weeks ago. The course is superb and in fab condition, although we had a very testing wind each day none more so than the final day. Anyhow a score of level par 72 was a good start, though poor after dropping 2 shots to par over the last 3 holes. A  74 in round 2 was good after a dodgy spell in mid round, and in a share for 14th spot.

Day 3 was especially tough, the wind so strong the ball was being oscillated on the greens and the odd one moved by it! Putting was the hardest of all, the greens there are tough enough without being buffeted and blown off balance mid stroke! Anyhow a 4 over 76, sounds poor but in fact moved up to tied 13th, not too bad as I was going in with low expectations. A new Cleveland driver worked well, a little less spin into the wind AND I used the new Srixon Z Star yellow ball! Shock horror, Tom has disowned me! I can now see the ball through the air and finish, a revelation.

Talking of Tom , he is still in USA with Sophie who is making remarkable progress and it seems is in incredible spirits. The rehab-centre is next for her on her road to coping with life in a wheelchair…god bless her! She and my daughter will be looking out for their GCSE results tomorrow too, gosh I feel old now!

Have fun, AM

Life I suppose, has to go on of course and as I prepare for the Scottish Open next week at the St Andrews Bay it seems futile to say the least. Last week I attended a memorial day for a colleague from Cleveland Golf. I am not sure whether it’s my age , but we have to live for moment don’t we! In the auction for Paul at Bearwood lakes, I acquired a huge poster of Greg Norman, he has signed it, dated it and added ‘Attack Life’. That’s my new inspiration.

And then there’s the US PGA, will Tiger make the Ryder Cup and who from Europe may make a surge for our team in Wales later this year? What a circus it all creates! Can Woods shoot 63 and have a chance of winning? Will Rory win for Ireland, and will Woods get Captain Pavin’s wild card? An intriguing final day on BBC 5 Live of course!

St Andrews for me next week with son Matt making his debut ‘on the bag’, but much more important stuff going on with Tom, Deb and Sophie in the rehab unit in Cincinnati. x

But then some shocking news whilst we were there put golf, poor shots and the recession into perspective. A  very close  friend of Tom’s visiting family in the States was involved in a horrendous car accident, we are all devastated of course . Having undergone 2 major op’s in 48hrs, she is fighting on, such a delightful girl full of fun and I know all that know Tom will just say a prayer for her , whether you believe or not!

On a more upbeat note, Archerfield is definitely worth a visit or more, a magnificent set up and supreme hospitality, as is The Bay & The Dukes. This was my brother’s first trip to the ‘home of golf’ and he enjoyed it immensely and learnt lots from us I hope.

Tom is playing some great golf and is determined to play in this weeks Jamega Tour event in the south and win it for Soph.

Enjoy your golf, enjoy your life…go for it!

Cheers Andrew

A lesson from my other golf doctor Peter Barber today has helped my game still further, so another few practice sessions to get in better shape over the week end.

My inspiration this evening came from Herr Langer, in the US Senior Open, coming a week after his victory at Carnoustie he is right there again with another of my heroes Fred Couples. Talk about contrasting styles of play! I can’t wait to see the final round of that one.

enjoy your game y’all!

Andrew

Anyhow, together with a lesson from Adrian Fryer I feel that my game is back on track. Just 1o minutes with the ‘doc’ was all it needed to point out some flaws in my posture and swing plane. Nothing new at all, just my age old tendency to ‘lay the club off at the top’. Just the impetus I needed though to get practicing hard  and get some pleasure out of hitting proper shots again…so watch out I’m back!

enjoy your golf over the week end!

Andrew

I am coaching this week and next if required….cheers Andrew

In the end Louis beat the best, Tiger faded after  a good start for his new putter, Lee Westwood played fantastic golf and could not ‘buy’ a putt and still finished 2nd, and Paul Casey stuttered over the closing 9.

Tom Watson made an emotional farewell to Open golf here too, he missed the cut in the gloom of Friday after the weather delay.

A truly great Open, and for me now its off the the Senior Open qualifier , I need a top 8 to make it at Panmure at 12.50pm,

cheers