Checking in from China and the Hainan Classic with tour caddy Chris Simmons
When you’re fresh out on tour, coming over to China is an incredible experience. Seeing the country for the first time, visiting The Great Wall, heading over to Hong Kong… There are so many amazing experiences to take in and I would recommend visiting to anyone.
As I’ve gotten older, and having been here at least 10 times now, these trips have become relatively normal and I know they come with a unique set of challenges.
With 24 hours of flights from the UK, coming over is really tough on your body. For the guys based in Europe, it’s one of the longest trips east of the season. I spent 27 hours on the go and this year we’re only here for one event before we head to India, so we all know our bodies won’t catch up.
That’s where your professionalism and experience kick in, both for the caddies and the players. It’s not auto-pilot, but you know you’ve not slept, the jetlag is the worst it will be all year, and you have got to get your head in the game on the golf course.
You also have to try and nap at the right time, and be prepared to be up walking around in the middle of the night when you’re wide awake. It’s tough to manage as your mind thinks you’re back to work but your body is miles behind and won’t catch up until you’re ready to fly out for the next event. Asking everyone how long they were up last night is always a bit of a running joke during these weeks.
Being so out of sync makes everything tougher. That said, we have the familiarity of the tournament, and the tour staff do such an amazing job of making each week as consistent as they can for us when we’re on-site.
One of the other struggles in China over the years has been the climate. We’ve played in some brutal temperatures and the humidity can be off the charts in certain places. This week, on the island of Hainan at Mission Hills Haikou, isn’t too bad and I’m very thankful for that.
You also have a big time difference to factor in, which is tough with a young family, though I’ve had the chance to speak to the kids each morning which is really important to me.
I hope that gives you an idea of some of the challenges we face playing a global schedule. As always, it’s tough sometimes but it’s incredible to have such a busy and lucrative schedule on the DP World Tour, and making these trips is essential for the players to earn points and progress their careers. For the caddies, it’s one of the toughest weeks of the year, but you can’t wish away opportunities to play for more than $2.5million. We’re back in Europe soon, and I’ll admit I can’t wait for the one- or two-hour flights over to the continent – and a good shepherd’s pie with the family when I get home!
