So… It has been quite a month. Let’s start with the bag work. Last month it was the Open pre qual at West Lancs which was great fun but ultimately unsuccessful. It was interesting to see how the group coped, or not, with the pressure of the event and some outside distractions from the overzealous R & A officials. I know you can be a punchbag as a caddy, but had I been on the bag of one of our group he would have been carrying it himself after three holes.
I followed that with the bag of Dylan Keating in the Open Final Qual. Yes he has a famous uncle which the media seemed to focus on but this was all about Dylan's fantastic achievement having won the pre qual at County Louth. Unfortunately he did not hole the putts to grab a slot at Royal Portrush. Having such a great experience with a cracking family makes me want to do more professional caddying as it fits perfectly with my psychology work. Working the numbers and lines is easy; it gets interesting when you bring in personalities.
The bag work for the month had not finished as we moved onto the Senior Open qual. I was lucky enough to get the bag of Tom Werkmeister who came over from the US with three mates to try and qualify. I spent three days with Tom and, out of the four of the group, two made it through to the Open. Unfortunately, Tom was not one of them solely down to a cold putter on the day but it was a great three days watching quality players tackle a tough links in seriously high winds.
Not quite finished the looping yet as the Pro Am and practice days bought more. A day with Barry Lane and David Frost on Irwin Langer’s bag was another great experience. On the bag of Victor Casado from Spain and three Argentinian professionals was another lesson in ball striking although I had exhausted my Spanish before we left the 1st tee. Luckily Victors English meant I could still feel part of the day.
Caddying provides a really good insight into personalities and how different individuals handle competitions or don’t. No coincidence that the more relaxed guys who started with good acceptance levels but a desire to master the individual golf shots that the course and conditions threw at them and see them as a challenge were the ones who succeeded. Those who felt that world was against them never remembered the good breaks and ultimately struggled.
The other two elements in my journey are my fitness and, of course, my golf. I have deliberately limited fitness to mainly stretching exercises due to increased activity level. I know some won’t believe it, but I am not sure my body could have coped with the shock otherwise. Even with that approach, 9lb has been shed. Still plenty to go at but it’s a good start.
As for my golf, I received some help at the start of the month with my driver (thanks Gaz) as the stats from last month told me I needed to. First competition round post that lesson was twice as many fairways hit as my June average, a 68 and a handicap reduction. It’s worth taking a look at what would help your game. There are plenty of products available or pencil and paper will soon tell you where you will get the most payback for whatever level of practice you are able to put in.
On to next month. Increased practice levels for me to try and get to grips with my flying right elbow. It seems to have a mind of its own, but I will get there. I have also qualified for the Captains Final mid-month which is always a good weekend. A step up in the fitness work which will include some road running. It might not appear to be running if you drive past but rest assured I am in top gear. I probably will accept any lifts just don't expect any conversation.
I am also looking forward to the upcoming psychology sessions with existing and new clients to witness their progression. Finally, an exciting new project is on the horizon with a golfer who is taking a more holistic approach to his game and wants to work on both technical as well as mental improvements which I am undertaking alongside a local pro.
More updates on that as it progresses.
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