Tag Archives: comeback

The hacker’s
dream comeback

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My comeback after a major operation last week was so impressive one of my opponents asked for the name of my surgeon. It cheered me up no end.
I was apprehensive about my first 18 holes for over three months — and that’s what probably did the trick.
Five hours of surgery to remove the cancer involved a substantial rearrangement of my digestive system and, although brilliantly done, does call for a long recovery period.
The surgeon — himself a hacker but only on the golf course — urged me not to rush it and so I’d been quietly playing three or four holes every other day for a few weeks.
But I wanted to play a full round last week because I have the honour to be captain of the visitors in the annual Cardigan Golf Club v Visitors match.
This is a long established fixture in which any golfers on holiday in the area are welcome to play as guests. They put their names on the list in the clubhouse and, however many there are, the club will pick an equal number of members to oppose them.
Forty years ago it was one of the highlights of the summer with a sing-song in the evening that went on until the early hours. Unfortunately, the event faded out but Edryd Lloyd, Cardigan’s captain in 2010, has revived it and in this third year of its restoration we had a great day with 22-a-side.
It is a novel idea for a seaside course and speaks highly of the club’s generosity and hospitality which belies the traditional image of that part of Wales.
Added to which, it was lovely sunny day. Quite windy but there was great visibly over the superb views they enjoy over the Teifi estuary. The course is in terrific condition, especially the greens.
I’m not sure they intended their hospitality to run as far as letting us win but we did 7-4, and so, for the second year running, I was presented with the magnificent silver trophy which, sadly, they wouldn’t let me take home.
But even to briefly hold the silverware after my first game back was highly gratifying. Unfortunately, I can’t take too much of the credit from my magnificent team who were made up mainly from The Glamorganshire ably supported by redoubtable pairs from the Glynhir and Derllys clubs in Carmarthen.
Partnered by my club-mate, David Virgin, I had the pleasure of playing against Cardigan’s captain, Peter Rees, who plays off 24, and the club chairman, Barry Davies, who plays off 15.
David and I won 4 and 3 but that was largely down to David who never once missed the middle of the fairway and, for a 21 handicapper, had an excellent game.
But I had my moments and came in three or four times, including a par at the par five 13th. I couldn’t believe how well I was hitting the ball.
Peter Rees couldn’t believe it either and wanted to know if he could have the same operation as me. If the NHS pay recommendation fees, I could make a fortune.
Both Peter and Barry will be interested to know that back home in the club medal three days later, David scored 108.
It’s amazing what happens to a man’s game when he gets within range of the match and handicap committee.
The secret of my limited success was quite simple. One of the problems of my game has been that no matter how many times I was advised to slow down my swing, I couldn’t get over the habit of lunging at the ball like Conan the Destroyer.
When you have good reason to take it easy when you are swinging, it makes all the difference and I was amazed how well I hit it. I intend to maintain that tempo and persevere with a few other adjustments I’ve been mentally toying with for the past three months.
Going to try my luck at the Belfry next week with the Dregs — a motley bunch of veteran golf writers
who I am trying to persuade to give me a few extra shots because of my condition. If I can continue the progress there, a miracle could be in the making.

I’m planning a
big comeback

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It will do the game no harm at all to learn that I will be unable to cause any damage to golf courses for a few months as the result of an operation I am due to undergo this week. Thankfully, the rain relented long enough for me to make a competitive farewell in the Jubilee Cup at The Glamorganshire on Saturday.
Since the course had been a soggy mess and closed for most of the week, we didn’t think much of our chances of playing but it dried out enough to enable us play a truncated competition over 15 holes.
I was particularly pleased because I wanted to take into hospital a fresh memory of my latest form so I could dwell on a comprehensive reflection of my mistakes as I lay in bed — but I don’t think they’ll let me stay in that long.
As it happens, my play was an improvement on recent rounds so I have more bright than bitter memories to ponder. I also have a more important distraction. My son, James, joins the Daily Telegraph as golf correspondent this week and is even now in the US from where he will be sending daily reports of Tiger’s and Rory’s adventures at Quail Hollow this week and the following week at the TPC at Sawgrass.
Meanwhile, back to more mundane matters. Happy as my regular partners, Mike and Max, and I were when we arrived for our 9 am start we soon realised we hadn’t put enough clothes on. I had three layers, including a polo neck, but the rain had been replaced by an east wind that may have been dry but was fiercely cold. We don’t recall being more cold at any time during the winter.
The Jubilee Cup is an individual Stableford which gave me the chance of improving on my last Stableford score of 16 points which made me joint bottom in the last competition.
It didn’t look at first as if I’d even get that many last Saturday. I was determined to try to hit the ball straighter, which I did, but my swing was so deliberate the ball wasn’t going very far. What with the course being muddy and slow, I was taking an extra shot to get to the greens.
And the greens, not having been cut due to the weather, were so woolly and slow putting was a nightmare. So many putts were stopping way short of the hole. Of course, you then gave the putt a bit of extra beef and the ball went sailing past.
There was a happy medium to be found but I never discovered it. Although I was hitting the ball longer as the round wore on, I ruined my chances of a better score by at least three-putting every green.
After six holes, I’d amassed five points. I did better on the back nine and the boys said they hadn’t seen me hit the ball better for weeks. Nevertheless, I still managed a total of only 15 points. Max didn’t do much better with 16 and Mike got 20.
I took solace from the fact that 15 points from 15 holes was a distinct improvement on 16 from 18 holes. But there was better news to come. Instead of finishing joint last, I was one of a number on 15 and there were five players on lower scores than me. The lowest was 12 points and included in the bottom five was my financial advisor, the club president and Bob, my winter league partner.
It’s nothing to get excited about but at my low ebb a few bragging rights are very welcome. Certainly, I have enough to work on in my mind before I can tackle a full round again and I’m planning a big comeback.
In the meantime, I shall continue writing my weekly hacker column for this website and I’ll be keeping a beady eye on a few other hackers whose travails I can report on. I hope I can still rely on your company.