Golf can be a lot like a rollercoaster ride, and the last month has certainly been one, writes Chris Paisley
The past few weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster – both in terms of golf and emotions.
As I write, I’m coming off a four-week stretch on the road with events in France, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany. On paper, that sounds a bit hectic but in reality the travel was surprisingly smooth – one flight from France to Munich then a few scenic drives. Easy travel is a win when you’re living out of a suitcase!
The golf was a tale of two halves. The first two events were tough to take as I found myself in decent shape after around 30 holes – on the brink of being in contention, well inside the cut line and feeling in control. In both cases, I stumbled badly coming in. A few poor swings, some really bad luck, and suddenly I was packing my bags earlier than planned. Missing cuts is always frustrating, but when you’re in position and let it slip late on Friday it stings a little more.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling pretty low after Austria. Golf can be brutal sometimes – no matter how hard you work or how well things seem to be trending, it only takes a bad couple of hours to derail the week. But, as the saying goes, the only way out is through. I kept doing the work, trusted what I was doing on and off the course, and tried to stay patient.
Thankfully, the signs of progress started to show in the Czech Republic, where my game felt a bit more stable. I made the weekend and finished 42nd – not exactly headline-grabbing but it felt like a small step in the right direction. In Germany, things clicked a little more. I felt more comfortable in all parts of my game and managed to finish 23rd. It wasn’t perfect, and I still had a few loose spells, but overall it was a solid week that gave me something to build on.
That’s the funny thing about golf – sometimes you’re not that far away, even when the results don’t show it. The margin between missing cuts and competing is so small and often it’s just a matter of piecing things together at the right time.
So where does that leave me?
I’m not exactly flying, but I’m certainly in a better spot than I was a few weeks ago. My game is heading in the right direction and while I’ve still got work to do – mainly tightening up my consistency – the signs are promising. It’s all about staying patient and trying to enjoy the ride, bumps and all.
Next up, a bit of rest and some focused practice ahead of my next event. I’m looking forward to playing the Scottish Challenge at SCHLOSS Roxburgh as this edition goes to print – my parents will be there and I have a friend on the bag so whatever happens it will be a nice week.
