‘School boy’ error in N.Ireland!

Tour Diary

I’m pretty sure it was my 4th visit back to Galgorm Castle in Northern Ireland last week, but it’s a course/venue of which I have very fond memories.

In 2011 I won my second Europro Tour event of the season there, which then secured me my Challenge Tour card for the following year.

 2011 Europro Tour – winning putt!

But this year was going to be a pretty memorable occasion too!
I hit the big 30 on the Wednesday of the week, but that’s 30 years young of course!! Not sure I feel it after 10 years of professional golf though!!

Laura came out with me for a couple of days which was great, too; she’s lived every minute of the ten professional years … And I think at times she rides more of an emotional roller coaster than me, watching the scores on-line from home.

That’s the dream, to get on Tour and be in a position for Laura and the girls to be able to travel when and where they want with me … I know Laura wants to travel the world, and it would be an amazing experience for Jess and Olivia to see the world whilst growing up.

So I need to start playing better!!!

I know back home all you see is a scorecard on the web and can only really guess how I’ve played.

Sometimes a 70 could be great golf, sometimes it could be shocking golf, and that just proves how crazy this game is … But there is always a story behind every round! 

   And last week was no exception, but this time a very disappointing one!! As always, I tell my blogs how they are, the truth, and never hide away from bad weeks, I hope that’s why you enjoy them…?

So if I play bad you get to know about the week too!

But this week was different, I arrived at the course two hours before my 12.30pm tee time.

A bit of short game and putting was the plan before a bite to eat, put the pins in my yardage book, then I would start my warm up…

Everything seemed to take a little longer though that morning, I chipped for 20 minutes instead of 10, putted for longer, lunch took longer and then I was out to warm up …

For some reason AGAIN I chipped for longer … Laura had gone off to walk around the food and drink festival and garden centre in the grounds of the golf course and had come back ready for the start of my round …

What then felt like out of the blue she asked: 

Loz: “what time are you teeing off?”

Me: “12.30”

Loz: “Well it’s 12.25, what are you doing?”

My response can’t be repeated but I set off like Usain Bolt to the 10th tee!!

I made it with a couple of minutes to spare, and arrived at one of the least inviting tee shots at Galgorm …

Now I like to hit 40 ish balls before I play, so to hit none didn’t fill me with too much confidence … But I tried my best to calm down my jelly legs and laugh it off! 

I ended up just missing birdie, but disaster soon struck down the next and I was on the back foot already!!

I carded a 76 (+5) and was gutted with how I had let it happen, I don’t know how, but it won’t happen again that’s a promise!!

It felt like a waste of another week on Tour and a lot of money, and I apologise to everyone who supports me! 
I really do pride myself on good preparation, so this really shocked me, but I have to move on. There are 8 events left on the Challenge Tour and some big money opportunities to move up the OOM and challenge for a European Tour card at the end of the season!

So I can’t wait to try and make amends in Finland this week!

That’s now my focus!

Speak soon!

Regards 

Chris ‘needs a watch’ Hanson

Last modified: June 3, 2019