Lazy Days, Injury and The Winners Circle

Wow...what a crazy few weeks it has been...well...hardly crazy Lee...but very different from how my life has gone over the last 8 years...

8 long years of office life staring into a computer screen...he says' sat here looking at one now...but in a whole different set of circumstances.  This time I am relaxed and pretty much carefree...so what am I up to?  Why am I so relaxed?



I've mentioned before about the caddying I've been doing and the fact that I now have the opportunity to caddy for a Euro Pro Tour player called Stuart Archibald...well...it's now taking me to places I've never been and giving me experiences like never before whilst at the same time, clearing my mind...a proper detox!!!

My first event was a washout...literally...Lingfield Park Hotel & Country Club...we played in the Pro-Am, didn't light up the course but got a good feel for how things are done and what the course was like...wet...very wet

We then played round 1 and only shot +3 and had good hopes of making a mends in round 2 to make the cut...but mother nature intervened and dumped a whole load more rain...constantly for another 36 hours..which led the tournament officials to make the tough decision to make it a 36 whole tournament and therefore, and 18 hole cut...which meant we were out...gutted!!!

So 3 weeks go by and I enjoy many a good day walking the fairways at Queenwood,  the great course, the people and some colourful golf!!!!

...and so we hit the road...Stuart, Matt Allen and myself...road trip...down to Devon...Bovey Castle in Dartmoor to be precise.  Wow...what a stunning place...not only is the golf course set in beautiful grounds but the weather was outstanding for the whole tournament...here...take a look...

A 3rd player was to join us in the cottage we had rented within the grounds...a fine young gentleman by the name of Paul Reed...aka...Reedy.  Now Paul would appear to an outsider as a nice polite, wouldn't say boo to a goose type of lad...when in fact, he has a wicked sense of humour and is a top top lad...£20 please Reedy.

We play the Pro-Am...oooooppps...and Stuey carded a 76...not great but we were still in high spirits...the sun was shining, the course was playing tough, we were 4 lads on tour...happy days!

Rd 1 & 2 completed and it was a mixture of good and bad news...unfortunately, Matty and Reedy missed the cut, but Stuey didn't...we were in a tie for 6th going into the final round...come on lad...we can do it...

Stuey played great golf and was 2 under after 3 holes...the leaders all falling backwards and all of a sudden, we were just 2 off the lead...and then...unlucky for some...namely us...the 13th hole kinda sucked...a double bogey 6 and Stu's hard work was undone...'it's ok Stu, we have plenty more chances ahead...let's stay focused'...which he did and we ultimately finished bogey birdie to finish in a tie for 6th...out of an original field of some 156 players...great work Stuey lad.


So there we are, traveling back and the thoughts of the following week are still running round my mind...the boys were off to Northern Ireland to play at Galgorm Castle...'One of our favourite events' they say...right...I'm in...I'm hooked...I'm loving this traveling and caddying life so much that as soon as I get back home, I book my flight to Ireland!!! YES...I confess...I'm a full on, 100%, pure golf perv...I just love it...especially when I see this photo posted on the Euro Pro Tour Website this week...action from Bovey Castle...and me helping Stuey read a green...'give me a misread more like' I hear Stuey say LOL...

He hates to admit it, but I am a very good green reader...but by my own admission...I do make mistakes..at which point I tell him 'You don't have to agree with me...you're the one hitting the ball' LOL.


We arrive into Belfast International Airport...which we later discover, is just 5 minutes from the house we've rented...bonus...and the house is just 20 minutes from the course...not too bad...considering that's how long the walk was from the cottage to the driving range last week in Devon :-)


The lads play a practice round on Monday afternoon which see's them all shocked by the length and thickness of the rough...brutal!!! but hey...it's not meant to be easy...right?  

Pro-Am day Tuesday and we greet our team...the sun is shining...and Stuey is absolutely flushing the ball...can't miss...it's like he's playing darts...golf is such an enjoyable game when you feel like you have the ball on a piece of string and everything happens naturally...hence why wouldn't we have high hopes for the week...


The boys feel they need some putting practice...I feel I need a lay down...aaaaahhhh lazy days...

But life can be cruel sometimes...we turn up at the course smiling and loving life...we go through our normal ritual, Stu stretching, me organising his golf bag, making sure we have everything we need...plenty of juice, cereal bars, sandwiches and golf balls...preparing his clubs for the warm-up...and then...boom...Stu feels a tweak in his right shoulder...

He tries to stretch it out...carries on with the warm up in pain but feels he can play through it...so off to the 1st tee we go...we play 4 holes and I can see he's in pain...quickly losing the ability to turn back fully and through the ball...I can see and feel his frustration building...and then on 6, he hits what I can only describe as 'one of my shots'...a low thinned wedge to the back of the green...and that's when he turns to me and say's 'sorry lad...I think that's it...I'm really struggling'...he grits his teeth and tries to fight between the pain and reality...and facing the fact that he's gonna have to pull out...a pulled tee-shot into the water on 9 and that seals our fate... we have to withdraw after 9 holes...gutted...for him.


We get back and one of the other lads staying with us had to withdraw to to a wrist injury and later goes straight home.  Matty also had a bad day and shot +5...but Reedy...now there's a different story...Paul played solid golf and ended the day in 4th...oh the twists and turns.


But in golf, a new day can bring new fortunes and we set out for day 2...this time, I'm caddying for Matty, after a quick call to the PGA to make sure caddies can swap players...as Reedy already has a caddy for the tournament.


Matty and I tried hard but the flat stick just didn't warm up...and we shoot 2 over...his tournament is over...but Reedy was flying...and ends day 2 on -10 in 2nd place just 1 shot off the lead and puts himself in the final group going into the final day.


Let the battle commence...myself, Stu and Matt have all vowed to follow Paul to support and encourage him...come on lad...you can do it...


Friday morning and the final round is upon us...the weather forecast says no rain...not too warm, but almost perfect golfing conditions...Reedy awakes early just like me and we make our first brew of the day...time for breakfast...which in this house hold, usually consists of eggs and beans on toast...Matt and Reedy's favourite!!!


There's a great buzz in the air as we prepare ourselves for the day ahead whilst packing all our bags and tidying up the house...we leave for the airport as soon as the round is over so we need to make sure everything is ready...hopefully we'll be celebrating a good finish for Reedy...we have everything crossed....standby for the result.................(I wrote all this before we headed out for the final round)...

Well...I'm delighted to report that Reedy played solid in the final round...typical fashion...straight...fairways and greens...a mild slip up on the 17th but never the less, he held his nerve to go on and WIN the tournament!!!...AMAZING...congratulations to Paul.

Here's some pictures of his victory... 

What an fantastic end to a very difficult week for Stu and Matty...to see their pal get across the finishing line for the 2nd time on the PGA Euro Pro Tour.

As we now head off to Burhill for the Kerry London PGA Euro Pro Tournament, I bid you all fairways....hahaha...I mean farewell!!!

Fingers crossed Stuey can pull out a repeat performance of his victory at Burhill last year...of course...I'm on the bag again and the weather forecast is not looking great but we'll see what happens...stay tuned!!!