One of my favourite tournaments on the Legends Tour calendar has always been our visit to Jersey…why?…because the people are fabulous, the golf courses are wonderful and I get to catch up with a few friends that live there. The other benefit is that I drive there by getting the Poole to St Helier ferry (which after 30 years of flying) is a massive treat). Flying used to be fun back in the day, but these days, i do what I can to avoid it.
I got to Jersey on the Monday evening and had a game organised with a relatively new friend…Craig (whom I played with at La Manga near the end of last years Legends Tour). Being a Jersey resident (and a really good player) I wanted to garnish any and all local knowledge Craig could afford me! We played La Moye GC at 8am on Tuesday morning and were greeted with 25 mph winds, which made the course very challenging indeed, but given that the forecast was for the wind to continue for the majority of the week, it made for a worthwhile practice round.
Early morning Tuesday
An early morning look around
On Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to go play Royal Jersey GC with my good friend and Head Professional, James Evans. We were joined by his assistant professional Elliott Pritchard and my pal Craig. Once again we were hit hard with a strong wind but this gave me valuable experience in remembering what to do in said circumstances. Out of the window went technique and back into play came feel and imagination, which was going to be required for the week ahead.
My swing felt good and dare I say it, I was looking forward to the week because I’m a stubborn bugger and playing in challenging conditions is something I actually and somewhat sadistically, quite enjoy!
James very kindly offered to caddy for me and off we set on Friday morning teeing off the 10th tee and straight into the wind. A hole that I would normally hit a 5 iron for position and a sand wedge to the green played flush 3 wood and a 9 iron! After making an easy par, we walked to the 11th, an awkward 500 yard par 5 played once again straight into the wind. After missing the fairway left, I flushed a 6 iron down the fairway and falling a yard off the fairway. I had 120 yards to a back flag and was punching a PW for my third. I made a good swing but as soon as I looked up I realised I’d got a flier and the ball took once bounce over the back of the green and disappeared into a bush. This was not the start I was looking for! A penalty drop ensued, I caught a terrible lie on the path and chose to belly wedge my 5th shot back towards the hole. I executed it perfectly and left myself a 4 footer for a bogey. Needless to say the hole moved and I walked off with a double bogey. For the second tournament in a row, I’d got off to the worst possible start. I’m not going to bore you with all the details but I started with a 4 over par 76 and felt sick to the stomach. In just a few hours I felt I’d played my way out of the tournament.
James Evans on the bag
Round 2 saw me openi up with a 3 putt bogey at the par 3 first hole! Then another bogey at the par 3 third hole! At this point I just felt embarrassed at my dreadful start. Ball striking wasn’t a problem but could I get the darn ball into the hole….the way I was feeling, I couldn’t find a hole in a doughnut! Anyway, I grinded hard and managed to shoot a minus one round of 71. Respectable at least. James and myself discussed my putting and I begged him to bring me a selection of putters from his broom cupboard for the final round. I just needed to look at something different to hopefully change my putting fortunes!
On Sunday morning, James appeared on the putting green with 5 mallet style putters for me to try. I’ve used a Ping Anser style putter forever but something was seriously wrong and I thought a different putter would give me a different perspective on my putting.
Sunday morning fog but at least there was little or no wind!
The final round quickly became my most annoying round of the year so far. After making par at the first, I hit my second shot into the second hole into a bush. A penalty drop later and a pitch to 8 feet and another missed putt saw me +1 after two holes. I then went 8 iron to 5 feet at the third, birdie. Three wood, seven iron into 3 foot at the fourth, birdie. Driver, wedge into 3 foot at the fifth, birdie. Driver, seven iron into the par 5 6th to 25 feet and 3 putted again for par. At the eighth I hit four iron wedge to 20 feet, 3 putts. The ninth, Driver, seven iron to 25 feet, 3 putts. I was devastated. I literally missed one shot on the front side and was level par. The back nine was a further display of flushing and I walked off the course with another one under par score of 71.
Over the three days I’d hit the ball very well, but I had 3 putted on 10 occasions and the longest putt holed all week was 7 footer at the 17th on Sunday! All in all I was very happy with my long game but my putting was an absolute disgrace. James kindly video’d my putting and I saw that posture was poor, my arms weren’t hanging down naturally and my stroke was… for want of a better expression, crap!
So the Tournament was won by the 2022 winner, Australian, Richard Green with scores of 70, 66, 71 (-9). I’d shot, 76, 71, 71 (+2). The ten 3 putts and the lack of any decent putting during the week cost me dearly. I finished tied 25th.
So, my work flow in preparation for the Senior Irish Open at Seapoint GC is clear….to maintain my long game and to work my nuts off on my putting. Stand taller, get my eyes over the ball, let my arms fall naturally, hold the putter lighter in my hands and start working on a longer, smoother pace of stroke to gain some consistency of stroke and pace. The work never stops and the hope never dies. Upwards and onwards.