Oh well, there's always next year.......

I'll start very quickly with the Sussex Open - 78 and a missed cut. Needn't say more, had I!

Dad and I travelled down to Weymouth for my last playing test this year on the sunday and I must admit I was extremely confident that I could do it this time. However, we both decided that we were just gonna enjoy the break, not take the golf too seriously and if it all came together, then great and to be honest for 75% of the day it did.

We played a practise round at Weymouth the day before and i didnt like the look of it at all. My dad, baring in mind he hadn't picked up a golf club for probably 2 or 3 years was awesome to watch. I really enjoyed playing that round and it would be great if eventually he got into golf properly because he has all the natural talent in the world but an abysmal short game (haha!)

Weymouth was in fact a very tight parkland course with lots of trees and not the links course I thought it was going to be but it was fairly and I knew that if I played sensible golf that i'd be in with a great chance.

My first round couldn't have started any better, a good par save at the first followed by playing my first 12 holes with all pars and 2 bogeys. But, unfortunately a huge ugly shank (remember those?!) into the adjacent gardens at the next tee left me feeling somewhat unsettled. If it wasnt for dad being there i think my head would've gone in a big way but he managed to get me composed and refocused and I completed the rest of the round in a fairly steady fashion with 76 - a score which left me a 7 shot cushion for the afternoon round.

I felt fairly relaxed at lunch but was a bit anxious because I knew I was prone to beginning afternoon rounds poorly and this was a huge obstacle for me to overcome. As it turned out, my worst fear was realised in a big big way! I got off to a shocker, dropping 6 shots in the first 5 holes and this left me feeling very unsettled indeed. I battled back well and with 7 holes left, I had a cushion of one shot remaining. But an awkward bunker shot led me to a treble bogey and a desperate attempt to eagle the par 5 16th led to another double and after signing for an afternoon 82, I was on the way home pondering my actions to prepare for the following year.

A moment to mention my dad, he was brilliant company all day and did a fantastic job caddying, even at the expense of very sore feet due to the shoes I got him being too small (whoops)! I have a very fluctuating temperament on the golf course which needs a lot of work and he was great at keeping me focused altho I did lose the plot a few times which I regret! I really enjoyed spending these last two days with him and although I failed, I would like to think that he was impressed with my game. Thanks dad.

So, to the winter! My main aim is look into ways I can improve ways I can whack a ball with a stick (sounds simple when put that way). I will endeavour to get in better physical shape, work hard on my golf game so that when next year comes round i'll put a huge lewis-sized stamp on it cos for this year, I just dont think I had the game physically, mentally or emotionally. These are all things I will work hard on because right now I dont think I have ever felt more determined to succeed!

Onward and upward as they say......