The Desert Swing part 2 + competition time….!!

I was quite surprised after landing in Doha and driving to the hotel Sunday evening, as I don’t think I expected it to be so built up; everything looked pretty new – I expected more desert and less high rise.

But I guess it’s the ‘World Cup’ effect, if it ever goes ahead, who knows, but they’re sure building for it!!

The skyline driving to the hotel that evening was rather impressive; it’s pretty much a coastal road around the bays and every high rise building is lit up along the way!!

And this is not Blackpool illuminations, this is really tasteful and well thought out!!

The Tour has been coming here for 20 years now, and you soon realise after speaking to the players and caddies that Qatar is pretty much like all the other Middle East countries…it has totally transformed over the years!!

THE COURSE….

Again, another desert course but if possible it felt to be more in the desert this week, lots of waste land around the course; it looked a bit scruffier on the eye, and nowhere near the definition we had the week before in Abu Dhabi.

But in their defence the fairways were struck by disease before Christmas, hence the reason it was preferred lies, but in general it just looked more rugged and off terrain, where as in Abu Dhabi any wasteland is landscaped, gardened and all the sand is raked. Here it wasn’t but it was equally effective.

I did like it, though; it was very windy and a very different challenge to Abu Dhabi; big slopes on the greens, but in the wind you have to control your ball well to get into the pin positions and be careful at times you’re not above the hole as the wind makes them super firm and fast!!!

As we got there Sunday night again, I had three days’ preparation, and as much as you do need some downtime I find it hard to take. You’re near the course, there is not too much to do around the hotel, so you end up at the course practising.

But my game felt in good shape, no coach with me this time, but with Trackman it’s easy to send data and videos back to Mark in Leeds and make sure the swing is ticking over nicely.

The front nine in round one I struggled a bit from the tee, but when in position I did hit a couple of really good iron shots and nearly holed out for an Ace on the 17th.

The back nine I was a little better off the tee, but again I hit a couple of really good iron shots, and nearly holed out for an Ace for the second time on the 8th, so a cheeky tap in birdie there and then a solid par up the last, I signed for 68 (-4).

A very pleasing start when my game didn’t feel 100%…

Round two started off pretty similar, some distinctly average driving but never too far out of position. I stayed super patient and when off the fairway I took middle of the green as a good shot.

Walking to the tenth a fresh swing thought clicked, and that timed nicely with an easy par 5 tee shot with wind down off the right, I hit a much better shot and it filled me with confidence. An up and down birdie and everything felt a lot better.

Then I got my reward for being patient down the next; in the semi off the tee, I hit my best shot of the day, I say it was my best shot as I was super disciplined with wedge to go left of the pin to 20ft… then the reward… I holed it for birdie!!

I parred in from there without much bother and was pretty happy to sign for 69 (-3) and be in the mix for the weekend!!

So after a 4am alarm for round 2 and a 6.50am tee off, we were back in the clubhouse before 12 and just missed out on a second breakfast. But a good feed, a bit of a chill, some time to get the stats in the system and a quick de-brief with the coach, we then headed back out for some practice to get the driver fine-tuned!!

A job well done and my thoughts were right, so it would be nice to take those feelings to the course the next day, but as we all know with golf, if you get out of bed the wrong side you’re never too sure which swing you might have – ha ha!!!

Once you’ve solved one puzzle there is always another that needs solving!!!!

The above couldn’t have been more true; in round 3 I must have had one of my best driving rounds of the year, but together with the worst putting round in 18 months. That’s golf – and a battling finish left me shooting 73 (+1) and because of a tricky afternoon wind, I didn’t fall too far down the leader board.

T23rd with one round to go! Here goes….

The perfect start, birdie, birdie to get some early momentum! Ball striking felt great and I’d holed a few putts to start with… Could this be the day it all came together??

A great shot into 3 but I missed from 12 feet, but all is still good and a few pars later I was standing in the middle of the 6th fairway ready to press on! A poor shot and lack of focus, I made my first bogey which was disappointing from such a good position, but a nice bounce back with birdie birdie and it was soon forgotten.

Back to back par fives with the tees moved up, probably two of the best chances on the course today, par, par…. That didn’t go to plan and then followed that rubbish with two bad bogeys!!!!

In four holes a great round soon looked like it was going to be distinctly average!!

But a quick pep talk from Steve (which I can’t elaborate on here!) and I bounced back again, holing from 30ft on 13, 8ft on 15, drove the green on 16 and made birdie!

So, soon back to -4 for the round with two good chances to come, I then lipped out on 17 from 15 feet, then smashed a drive down 18 leaving me 5 iron to the back half of the par 5 green.

That still left me a 65 foot putt as the green is huge and super slow up the hill; I shaved the hole but ran it 5ft past…

Disappointing to miss the return putt as I had three putted it in round 3 too, but very pleasing to post 68 (-4) and move up the board to T18th and record my 4th top 25 in five events this season.

68, 69, 73, 68 (-10) T18th

Then it was a quick flight to Dubai, and I’ve never been more excited to get on a plane. It was three weeks since I saw my family and they were in Dubai waiting to see me and spend a week together at the Dubai Desert Classic.

I’ve only heard how amazing this event is, how busy it gets, how good the course is, and this year it has the Tiger factor too – I can’t wait!!!!

MAX GOLF PROTEIN COMPETITION – www.maxgolfprotein.com

This week we have a great competition from one of my sponsors MAX GOLF PROTEIN and if you would like to be in with a chance to win a crate of their fantastic Max Protein shakes, then just answer the question below and send it to me on hansonprogolf@googlemail.com

Or…

– on Twitter (@MaxGolfProtein) just tweet them #hansonprizedraw and your answer

– on Facebook (Max Golf Protein) just post on their page #hansonprizedraw and your answer

Question:

How many birdies did Chris have in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters?

*entries close Thursday 2nd February from the Dubai Desert Classic, with winner to be announced during the week of the comeptition*