A Very Wet Q-School and a Very Sunny El Rompido
13.10.2017 22:54
After a short "visit" back home in Sweden I have now arrived back in El Rompido, Spain, again. I first arrived in El Rompido on September 19th and I stayed for eleven days before going back to play in the Nordic Golf League qualifier. I was very happy to see how wonderful and welcoming everyone was in the staff, both at the golf course and at the hotel. I am working together with Bo, a veteran in the golf hosting area of work. He helped me a lot to settle in fast and get familiar with the new facilities and surroundings. The first guests came to us on September 23rd, and I was a little nervous initially to be honest, but then again I guess most of us get nervous when trying something new, especially when other people count on you. Fortunately, the guests that came that first week were all relaxed and understanding. I had a blast and got to give a bunch of teaching lessons which I really enjoyed.
A week later I flew back home to participate in the Nordic Golf League Q-School at Vasatorp Tournament Course, a really nice course with a great layout. The day before travelling down there, my fiancé came home from her stay in the US. I picked her up at the airport and we drove down south together. She was going to caddie for me down there. It was great seeing her again! It's tough not seeing each other more than maybe 3-4 months of the year, and now that I will be in Spain until May it might even be less than that. This is the hardest thing about both of us pursuing our dream to play golf for a living.
We arrived in Helsingborg on Monday afternoon and I decided to practice a couple of hours at the short-game practice areas. After that we drove to Landskrona, about twenty minutes away, where we were going to stay with my brother's college room mate's parents. When we arrived, they welcomed us with an excellent three-course-dinner. They completely spoiled us both, preparing three-course-dinners every single day we were there. To make a long story short, they were excellent chefs and amazing hosts and I am so thankful we got to stay there with them for the tournament and the days leading up to it.
On Tuesday I played my practice round. We had a pretty good autumn day with plenty of wind and about 10 degrees (50 Fahrenheit). However, after practicing a couple of hours after the round, it started raining and it didn't stop!
The next day I was supposed to tee off at 9.50, but it was impossible to play due to the large amounts of rain that had fallen over the course, and continued to fall. At 14.50 I could finally hit my first tee shot. The course was completely soaked, and the ball basically plugged where it landed. The hard winds did not make play easier. Through seven holes I was 3 over par, and on hole 8 I made a mistake costing me another two strokes. When we were about to tee off on 9, the sky opened above us and the rain poored down once again. We managed to hit our tee shots on hole 9 before the decision to suspend play was announced.
Thursday play was resumed early in the morning, the course still soaked, but playable. I started off bad with two bogeys, but then turned around and made two straight birdies. I finished the first round at 78. Second round was a little better, but the finish was not what I had been hoping for. I finished my second round at 74, leaving me two strokes shy of a playoff for advancing to the final qualifying stage. Even though the result was not what I was looking for, I am still pretty happy about my week down there. I got to spend time with my fiancé again and catch up with her, I got to meet the Hovstadius parents, and I had fun playing in the tournament. The game is not quite where I want it, but mentally it was a step in the right direction, and I could accept the outcomes in a better manner than previous tournaments this season.
So, now I'm once again back in Spain working at this beautiful resort in 28 degree weather (82 Fahrenheit) with lots of sun. While I'm here the guests and helping them to a great golfing vacation is of course my number one priority. However, I still have plenty of time to practice on my own game and work out at the gym. I have made a schedule, and am now working out five times a week at the gym, plus a short 15-minute routine every night. The golf practice is a bit harder to plan, but I get to practice some there too. Tomorrow I will tee off together with some of the guests in the early morning. I also got to play with some other guests yesterday.
Some Pictures From El Rompido
Our Awesome Tournament Hosts