So, back to Spain for my 6th week of 2015 already! But this time I was flying to Madrid for the Challenge Tour event at El Encin Golf Club.
They’ve played European Tour here and also Challenge Tour a few years back but I’ve never actually been myself, so it’s always nice to play new courses and experience new parts of the world.
I’d heard the course was pretty long, quite wide open but with very sloped greens, so knew it should be fun and I was looking forward to building on what was an ok opening account to the season in Kenya.
For some reason it was a Wednesday start for this tournament, and the flights on the Monday did not really suit my planning, so myself and Adam Walker (caddy) flew out of Liverpool airport on the Sunday evening ready for a full day practice Monday!
So how did the preparation go…?
When I said the greens were very sloped, I think I can now safely say that was an understatement! They were crazy, I’ve never seen anything like it! You have to check out the picture of the 17th green.
But in practice they did seem worse! Once you get into the tournament and you’re playing to sections of the greens they never quite seem as bad; a lot of the pin positions become very easy if you’re playing well as the ball feeds off the slopes to the hole. But if you’re off … you’re struggling to save par on so many of them!
Golf round up…
So how did the week go? VERY VERY well!! I was delighted to build on my result in Kenya and challenge up at the top of the leaderboard this week!
And after rounds of 68, 70, 69 and a closing 65 for a -16 total, I finished the week in 4th place!
I really did play solidly all week; only a handful of bogeys, and the double on the 18th in round 1 was only because I was being positive and just failed to clear the water by approximately one yard.
Again the fitness work (Dynamic Golf) and technique work (Mark Pearson) through the winter really felt to show. I have taken lines off tees with driver that I never would have done before and hit some really long drives which made that golf course a lot easier when you have wedge into the green not a 7 iron.
Through the week I also had 9 two putt birdies on the par fives, meaning I’ve found the green in under regulation 9 times … That sure helps!
Thanks…
A huge thank you has to go to Adam Walker on the bag this week! A true professional all week, he went out and walked the course before every round to check the pin places, safe sides to hit it, and where not to miss!
Adam kept me so positive on every hole, and that had to be a factor in why I made so many birdies! His own game sure rubbed off on mine! SMASH IT!!
Where next …?
I’ve now got a week at home before the season really kicks off … And I could pretty much play every week for the next 15 weeks if I chose to, but that’s not going to happen; family time, time away from the clubs, will surely be needed before I crack up … I just don’t know when yet …
My plan so far is to do the next 9 weeks in a row:
– Turkey
– Denmark
– Austria
– Czech Republic
– Switzerland
– Belgium
– France
– Scotland
– Germany
But home time is always busy and this week is no exception, it’s Jessica’s belated birthday party, a trip to Wentworth to visit Taylormade for the new product fitting, and a morning with my coach to keep the swing fined tuned!
And most importantly, loads of time with the girls, and loads of fun things for Jess to do!!
I can’t wait!!!!!
Look forward to blogging again soon, hopefully from a week of building some more momentum in Turkey.