My Blog

So, my week off the tour has consisted of a trip north to Lundin Links in Fife for a corporate day with GA Valves and then a dash south to Cheshire to play in my mind, the best inland course in the North of England, Delamere Forest.

The GA day was fantastic, a bright breezy day on the Fife coast, at a venue I played in the 1995 in Open Qualifying event. The boss Bob Mills invited me along to conduct a short game clinic, and we as a company organised the event for him and his guests- the weather was all his doing though!

I had forgotten quite how good Lundin Golf Club was, the opening 4 holes into a stiff breeze with the beach all down the left wing, a tough start for anyone. The catering and hospitality first class too, at this point I have to say  Janice looked after us all so well its tough to imagine service better anywhere!

280 miles south and a 10am start today at Delamere Forest in the company of son Tom, Andy & Colin Brown, this a long awaited challenge match, Colin & I taking on ‘anyone’. In fabulous weather on greens just about as good as any I have played all year we LOST! Tough to believe such thoroughbreds could be beaten, but 10 under was enough to win 3&1. Through gritted teeth I say well done boys, next time! We must organise a corporate club event in November to Delamere its such a treat. Anyone wishing to play there  though can call Martin the pro, he’s a star too.

Next up for me is hosting the Ibstock Golf seminar in Marbella the first week of October- tough but someone has to do it.

Lots of new equipment news to come soon too, new grooves for the PGA players will halt the back spin around the greens, that rule comes into play on the Senior Tour from May1st 2010 , new irons to come for me soon too, having just changed drivers last month. The R9 is a very special club, both driver and fairway woods too. Call me to try one!

cheers

The Casa Serena Czech Open was hosted at a private, very private golf club close to the beautifull old village of Kutna Hora, an hour out of Prague. When I say private, suffice to say only a dozen people have played the course since the 2008 tournament that Bernhard Langer won!!

The course is owned by a family that have a huge computer parts business in that region and visiting guests from the Far East are invited to play….from time to time only. The team of English green keepers maintain the place immaculately and then go and play themselves by the sound of things, a really good course with undulating fairways and very tricky greens indeed. My old friend David was ‘on the bag’ for this massive event, run by Langer Sports with fantastic Germanic efficiency.

The staff in the clubhouse [ that is only open for this 1 week a year!] were brilliant, food to die for and all in all , my golf apart a great tournament. Peter Mitchell won from my pal Glenn Ralph & Pete Senior, 13 under par was terrific and just goes to show that you never know when form will return. He has had , by his standards a quiet season and been struggling with the putter…then hey presto he wins the 2nd biggest event on tour and beats the host Herr Langer in the process.

As for my result, plus 2 total 71,75,69 and 34th spot after playing well on day 1, shocking on day 2 and ok on day 3, such a frustrating game we all love! The Benhavis Masters is Spain is now my last chance this season to get into the coveted top 40 of the Order of Merit and full exemption for 2010.

That being said the tour will expand far and wide next year and I think now is time to re think and perhaps spend more time building the coaching and corporate side of things here in the Cheshire. You never know though as a pro golfer when the next ‘hot’ putting week will come…just ask Mitch’!

Lots of coaching half days coming up in the next 6 weeks or so, please e mail us for details,

good luck AM

This has to be one of the best events on tour, a great course and brilliant hospitality!

It’s sponsored by TP, and the Dukes course at Woburn is one of the truly great courses in the UK. A tree lined layout, through huge pine trees, sandy subsoil and greens to die for. What more can the players need, true surfaces running at 11.5 on the stimp.

A pro am kicked off proceedings, I played with John Carter CEO of TP and guests John & John. ‘Good shot’ John covered the lot! We unfortunately did not trouble the scorers much, but had a good game. The tour dinner was then hosted at Woburn Abbey Sculpture Room, what a place! The evening of awards to the ‘player of year’ etc was dominated by Woosie- a worthy winner of everything inc Rookie of the year.

Windy conditions prevailed for the 1st 2 days of the tournament proper, and my first 12 holes were fab, -4 and then it all started to go a tad awry, 71,76 & 74 completed a slightly disappointing week as I really wanted to do well and move up the money list to secure a spot in the top 40.

Anyhow it was not to be, son Tom was on the bag and that is always special for me. The Czech Open is next so a good finish there may do the trick. Bernhard Langer is defending his title on another good course, near Gutna Hora close to Prague. The TP Master for this year was incidentally Tony Johnstone who has defied all odds in fighting MS and is back to his very best, 10under was terrific and 1 ahead of former European Open Champ, Aussie Pete Senior.

Office for me first thing Monday to greet Sandra back from hols and sort the coaching days we are scheduling around the country for the Autumn. Any info required for these please contact us.

cheers