The Golfing World according to Damian Murphy
Friday 11th January 2013
As the 2013 Sultan’s of Swing Golf Tour Chairman, I took it upon myself to write the very first article in the series. With 2013 only in its second week, already the golfing world has seen so much to write about. A great game ofgolf from Dustin Johnson, the Start of the Volvo Golf Championship at Durban Country Club and the first meeting of the SOS Tour to plan for the year ahead.
The US PGA had weather worthy of the status of tropical storm, yet somehow, through all of that Dustin Johnson was able to pull through and win. All the golf on the weekend was cancelled and 36 holes were played on the Monday and 18 holes on the Tuesday in Hawaii, for the Tournament of Champions. Despite the unusual conditions, a winner prevailed. The SOS Golf Tour suffered a nearly similar fate on our year end Tour to Elements Private Golf and Game reserve at the end of November 2012. On arrival at the course, there was torrential rain which threatened to put an end to the Tour’s final event, but with the permission of the club house, we decided to play anyway and the result was well worth it. The course was in fantastic nick, and despite the rain, we played all 18 holes, with the bad weather easing up after the first 9. Elements is, and deservedly so, ranked as one of the best courses in the country and is something everyone visiting South Africa should experience at least once in their lives.
With the Volvo Golf Championship being played at the Durban Country Club (DCC) this week, it is already making me excited for the year end Tour. We have decided at our first meeting of the Tour at the Keg in Linksfield, that we will be doing a coastal trip to decide the 2013 SOS Tour winner, with a Fed-Ex Cup styled playoff deciding it all later this year. The plan is to play a couple of northern coast courses and DCC. We have already booked our first round for 2013 at Glenvista, through the help of Pocket Caddi, one of Golf’s best distance guides, and the really kind staff at Glenvista (@GlenvistaGolf). February will see the Tour move to Roodepoort Golf Club, another beautiful course on the West Rand of Gauteng, again, helped by the Pocket Caddi team, and the course’s generosity. Modderfontein, the course that gave me all the opportunities to grow as a golfer when I was young will host the 3rd round in March.
Over the last few weeks I have developed a bad case of the shanks. I seem to be hitting my irons off to the right with every shot. It is not a fade, but a pure mishit. It does something to your mental state when you cannot figure out what is going on, when your game has completely hit the bottom. It is embarrassing playing off a 14 handicap and being asked to move to a part of the driving range where there are no patrons to your right, it is equally embarrassing when you and a playing partner drive down the middle of the fairway, and while standing alongside each other, he takes several steps back so you can hit. I am reminded of something Lee Tervino said some years back, “if you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.” Right now I can hold up all of my Irons, none of them are hitting nicely! Luckily my Taylormade RBZ Tour adjustable driver is hitting so nicely and my wedges and 3 wood are still in the game, or I may call for early retirement.
Recently I have played:
The Els Club – Copperleaf
Kyalami Country Club
Observatory Golf Club
Wanderers Golf Club for Sunrise Golf
Modderfontein Golf Club
Anyway, I hope you enjoy your golf in 2013, enjoy following the SOS Golf Tour and keep it on the short stuff.