An Introduction to My Golf Game
When I was young, aged between 12 and 18, I was mad for golf.
It started with the context of my Grandad (and Grandmother) being particularly enamoured with the game and also the fact that this game was played for them at Turnberry; golfing nirvana.
I started out caddying for Grandad regularly throughout my summer holidays whilst knocking about in the field behind the garden. This blossomed into being a junior member of Turnberry as well being a junior member of Troon Welbeck which played its golf on the three still fine public courses at Troon; Fullarton, Darley and Lochgreen.
In that time as well as playing I worked at the 1986 Open at Turnberry on the practice ground which was the greatest week of my young life. I also worked on the scoreboard at the second hole at Royal Troon in the 1989 Open, another pleasurable week in my early years.
I have no doubt many anecdotes from this time of my life will find it's way on GIAWOL but it is but a context I am setting.
By the time I was 17 i was turning into a not bad player mainly down to my short game obsession and the fact I was pretty fearless with the putter. I broke 80 round the Ailsa course a few times off the yellows, which considering my skinny frame was a reasonable feat. I can't remember exact figures but I think I was off around 8 at my peak.
I turned 18 and within 6 weeks I had moved to Glasgow and I was at university. Golf was forgotten as partying and the fairer sex took up most of my time for a good few years. I studied a bit too. I played a wee bit one summer when I worked at the Turnberry hotel and also for anoter summer at the end of my post grad with a mate who was member of Haggs Castle and that was it.
The new era began with a few rumblings the previous summer. I had been to the driving range a few times with my now wife and the previous summer she had bought me a new set of Nike Irons for my 36th birthday.
It was always at the back of my mind getting back into the game but I wanted to approach it in a certain manner - to take an almost professional approach to the game.
At that time I was short of the thing that I needed most for this quest, time. I am self employed and work within the music business which has served me well and continues to do so but sometimes you can be involved in 100 hours of work on various projects and sometimes you can work a 20 hour week. So the quest went to the back of my mind as winter arrived and I cracked on with work (and getting engaged and therefore being a pawn in the planning of a wedding).
One thing looming which i knew would inspire me to get back on the golfing horse was The Open returning to Turnberry, my golfing mecca. Myself and a good mate, spent the opening Thursday of the 2009 Open spectating in perfect golfing conditions. The memories this evoked were stronger and more vivid than I could possibly imagine. I had some of the best times of my life (certainly my teen years) at that wonderful corner of Ayrshire and this came back to me and more, returning 15 years on.
Then whilst watching the second round coverage on the Beeb, Sam Torrance mentioned a book by someone called John Richardson. 'Dream On' basically chronicled the authors quest to break par within a year and caught my imagination big time. The similarities to our backgrounds were scary; the similar break from golf after a similar upbringing with the game. The similar self employed lifestyle and as well as unfufilled golfing goals AND it all happenning in our mid thirties.
To be fair to John, he had a very understanding wife and more stressfully a kid, so fair play to him. Anyway, I read that book and combined with the Turnberry awakening, the quest was on, Big Time. Within two weeks I had joined Mearns Castle Golf Academy in Glasgow. It had a driving range, with good teaching facilities, a short game practice area and a tricky nine hole course. A new chapter in my life had begun.
Next post concerning My Golf Game I will cover how I faired in my first year.
