I’m heading into the most crucial run of the season for me and setting off in good spirits and full of optimism and hope.
It is a measure of the standards that I set myself that finishing fifth in the Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters on my last tournament outing was something of a disappointment.
The Marriott Forest of Arden is one of my favourite courses anywhere and I was anticipating a better week than fifth, but I did not leave feeling too dispirited.   I actually played well all week, but it was only in a couple of rounds that the putts really started to drop.
But I also know that if I keep giving myself enough chances, my next win should not be too far away.
This week’s course in Germany is going to be a tough one because the rough is very testing as I found when I practised on my own on Tuesday.   The course looks like it will deliver a class champion and hopefully I will have a say in the outcome.
Having had a week off has given me the chance to do a little socialising before heading to the Deutche Bank event.  The highlight being a visit to the Albert Hall to see Sting… although I have to admit I preferred him singing his earlier stuff such as Roxanne and Every Breath You Take to one or two of the new ones I was not familiar with.
Talking about 'Giant Steps Are What You Take, Walkin' On The Moon..... I understand my father Godfrey, currently over-seeing my golf course design projects, has also been treading unfamiliar territory.   A visitor to his County Antrim home was astounded to discover that dad had not actually been down to the Giant’s Causeway, one of the world’s seven wonders, although he had lived on its doorstep for more than a decade.
  The pair, both fairly fuller-figured characters, set off for what looked like a half-mile walk downhill only to discover when they turned a corner at the bottom that the causeway was twice as far again.   At least they were able to catch a bus back, but I wouldn’t mind guessing it’s the longest they have walked without golf clubs on their backs for a very long time.
Well I’m hoping to make giant strides in the near future myself as the summer’s big events continue.   Missing the cut at The Masters was not what I had in mind when the grand slam season started, but I am determined that there will be significant improvement in the remaining three.