It’s been a busy but very enjoyable two weeks for all areas of Chris Hanson Golf – coaching, corporate and playing!!!
Coaching…
Along with many more breaking 100, 90 and 80 for the first time!
If you’re still looking to play your best golf yet… then drop me a msg below and let’s see if we can take your game to the next level and smash your own PB’s!!
MacKinnon Bruce International…
The back end of the week I then had back to back corporate events, first up I was at Moor Allerton with one of my partners Mackinnon Bruce International for their golf day.
I was on the 13th tee for the afternoon taking on their guests with a ‘beat the pro’ challenge. Bar an unthinkable shank in there, I hit a nice number of good shots and didn’t give away too many golf balls!
It was a great day all round and the MBI guests really seemed to enjoy the hospitality at Moor Allerton.
Ferox.
The following day I hosted Ferox. at Woodsome Hall for their golf day.
After collecting their goodie bag and fuelling up on a welcome breakfast I set them off on the first tee in front of the fabulous clubhouse and my FlightScope launch monitor to track the longest drives!
Followed by another ‘beat the pro’ challenge, a mid round beer and a prize presentation/meal to follow play.
From speaking to Ferox. and their guests they all enjoyed the day and loved Woodsome Hall as a venue, I’m already looking forward to planning a bigger and better day next year!
Simon Ainge MD “Thank you so much for arranging our annual golf day. The day was run very professionally and really well organised, we could just turn up and enjoy the golf. Would definitely recommended to anyone/company and we look forward to an even bigger event next year”
Europro Tour Round UP!
What a venue Spey Valley is!!
It’s one heck of a long drive, but with no traffic we cruised up in 6 hours with a few coffee stops along the way!
The Aviemore village has a great feel to it, it’s a real walking/hiking area but to then have a championship golf course too it just ticks all the boxes!
And if you’re a real outdoor adventurer you can come back in the winter and Ski!!
It was like the good old days on the EuroproTour this week, 3 of us rented a nice little holiday lodge on site at the course which keeps the cost down but also makes for a relaxing week.
You’re not just sat on your bed all the time, you get some down time on a sofa in front of the TV and the three of you take it in turns to cook a meal.
Not that it’s ever too creative, standard life on tour meals are, pasta bolognese, fajitas, chilli and rice!!!
How did the week go…
Round 1
I’ve been working really hard on improving my game off the tee and after another lesson with my coach Mark Pinkett with many videos sent backwards and forwards between us over the last two weeks I really felt I was improving.
And in round 1 it started to show, I played solid and through 11 holes I found myself 3 under par after birdies on 3, 9 and 11. I hadn’t put a foot wrong and the birdie I made down 11 was class!!
I was always a little apprehensive about the tee shot on 12, there just isn’t a miss, right you’re in knee deep heather, left you are in heather and trees, but with it playing 460 yards and into the wind it forces you to hit driver/3 wood, you simply can’t chicken out!
I passed on driver on this occasion and went for the stinger with the 3 wood, I hit a great shot but took a nasty bounce in the left semi and hopped left into the thick heather.
I was remarkably chilled in a situation which over the years would sometimes have rattled me. I took a penalty drop for an unplayable lie, then got my third shot down near the green and got up and down for a bogey.
I think by managing to stay relaxed I then got the reward to go on and birdie the next after a good break in the rough and then also finish birdie, birdie to shoot 66 (-5) and find myself up towards the top of the leaderboard.
Round 2
My round two ended up being my last round of the tournament and not because I missed the cut. The weather was shocking throughout the day Thursday so play was postponed and the tournament was cut to a 36 hole event.
I now had Friday to finish my final round.
The conditions had certainly changed, the wind had picked up and changed direction making the first 6 holes a lot tougher as they all played into the wind.
I made it to the 6th green level par but had played well, I missed an easy chance on the first and a few outside chances but the main thing was I drove it well into the wind!!
Time for a charge, especially now the SkySports cameras had turned up hoping the charge would come….. The leaders had all finished their rounds so I believe it was only me and a few others who could possibly catch them.
A perfect birdie on 7, then a missed chance on 8 and then an easier chance missed on 9 I was only -1 for the round!
Time for the tough middle patch, I holed a great par save on 10, and then hit the two best shots of the day into the wind on 11… stinger three wood and a 4 iron to 20ft, I was buzzing!!
I played some decent golf coming in but a weak 5 iron into 16 lead to my first bogey of the day from the trap. That was my chance of top spot over….
I still wanted to finish as high as possible and my caddie Lewis stepped up on 17 and gave my the confidence I needed and the perfect caddie talk on the tee.
A challenging risk reward tee shot that if you hit it well it almost sets you up for a certain birdie. In round one I hit 4 iron off the tee, but knowing I had to push for a strong finish I then hit the most perfect driver 320 yards down the centre stripe and hit 7 iron onto the par 5 green making a simple birdie 4!!!
Lewis Hopkinson (Bradley Hall, Pro) was amazing on the bag all week, said all the right things and at the right time. Can’t thank him enough for the help all week!!
So a nice little birdie down 18 to top off a decent event and a 6th place finish!!
It was now time for a 6/7 hour journey back down to Yorkshire with plenty music, plenty coffee and a smile on both our faces!!
I’m already buzzing to get out to compete again!
Final result: 66 (-5), 69 (-2) = -7 (6th place)
The things people don’t know…
I played my first Europro Tour event back in 2006 and in 2011 I went on to win the Order of Merit. The Europro Tour is the feeder Tour to the Challenge Tour which then feeds the DP World Tour, so my plan is to use the EPT tournaments as the perfect opportunity to test my game prior to DP World Qualifying School at the end of the month.
But here are some eye opening mini tour facts and even though the first prize is a healthy £12,500 with 2nd prize £6,000, it then drops drastically down the leaderboard with 50th place making a couple hundred pounds for making the cut.
The field size for each event on the EPT varies between 130-160 players due to daylight, so many players go home empty handed each week – in fact after the expenses most players outside the top ten would leave out of pocket!
Most people don’t consider the expense of pro sport, especially at the lower levels and only see the pay cheque or money earned on the website after the final round….
This week in Scotland cost:
£350 – entry fee (as a temporary member)
£150 – petrol (loooooong drive)
£300 – accommodation (caddy included, 4 nights)
£150 – food/beverages (5 days)
£16 – yardage book
= £916.00
Prize money for 6th place = £1500.00
– PGA 5% levy = £1425.00
– expenses = £509.00 profit (before tax)
And that’s exactly why I can’t thank my sponsors enough this year and over the years for all the continued support I’ve had in my playing career!
Health Connections PTS
MacKinnon Bruce International
GolfQuiz.com
Next up it’s the DP World Qualifying School in Denmark
