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David, Tremendous to hear about what's going on in the blog - my checking has slipped from weekly to monthly so delighted to have caught this one so soon. good luck with the sky work and the winter preparation for the new season - Dubai I guess - and if I see you at the celtic manor i'll buy you a cup of tea ! cheers simon taylor
Hi Simon, my timing for the blog was perfect then! I'll really have to try and update it more often now that I know people are reading it!! Cheers, David.
Excellent work on the Sky team, i like the technical insights on players strengths, weaknesses and how they are likely to attempt certain shots. Actually all the Sky team are good so i suspect you are enjoying the experience. Good luck at Gleneagles and try not to ground your club in a hazard,just glad Dustin missed that putt on the 18th as that would have been too much to take.Phil
Hi Philip, thanks for the message. I really enjoy working with Sky and glad you enjoy watching and listening to the coverage. And you're right about that putt for Dustin - definitely too much to take! All the best, David.
I've just been following your 1st round of the Irish Open via the Tour website - awesome!! Good luck for the next 3 days - great to see you back at the top of the leaderboard.
Hi David, it's not so much a question as an expression of gratitude. Thanks for a nice round in the Nordea Scandinavia Masters ProAm, I'd really liked it and I will cheer for you a bit extra and I wish you all the best of luck and I hope that you come back to form and play as you used too. You are a true gentlemen and a good example for the game of golf. Again, thank you for being so humble and in such a good mood during the whole round. Hope that you play well in all your future events. Best Regards, Thomas
Thank you Thomas, I really enjoyed the day. Kind regards, David.
Hi David, just to let you know you've got a new no.1 fan......my better half Wendy - this in spite of the fact you hit her with your tee shot on the 15th at Loch Lomond on Sat 10th July !Thankfully no damage was done to her, and you went on to make an excellent par.She was chuffed to bits with the peck on the cheek you gave her, and the signed ball after you'd completed the hole. Good luck for the rest of the season.
Hi Tony, I'm so glad she wasn't injured for life! I felt really bad about it but these things do happen now and again! I'm glad my fan base has grown! Send her my best regards. David.
Was at the JP McManus ProAm. Loved the shot you played at the par 3 16th on the Tuesday. Nice low ball flight into the wind. Was wondering how you played that shot and what club did you use?.
Hi Michael and thanks for following JP's event. Amazing how many came to watch. I used a 7 iron on the sixteenth and to keep it low I just keep my weight centred and put the ball back in my stance a little, simple as that pal! Cheers, David
As the original howeller have you thought of adopting the Murray howl it may unnerve your fellow competitors and edge you up the leaderboard a tad. Ok perhaps not but good luck in Rabat you may need a snorkel to play in Malaga its been hosing down for weeks. Hmmm if you have time, how do I stop either thinning or chunking my chips. It drives me to distraction. Phil
Hi Philip, thinning and chunking chip shots hey Phillip, that does not sound good! I can't give you a miracle cure but I can remind you of a few principles to stick by. Feet almost together, weight on left foot (for a right hander), keep the weight there throughout the shot. Hands level with the ball for a standard chip shot, or just in front, strike slightly down on the back of the ball. To stop thinning try keeping you eyes on the spot where the ball was long enough so that you don't see the ball land. This should stop you peeking early, often a cause of thinning. Hope that helps pal, David.
Hi David, Do you normally watch much golf on TV and when in the Sky studio at the weekend did you spend most of the time watching the play. If so do you find you learn anything from watching it? I like many on this site want to see you in the winners enclosure again. Good Luck, Jason
Hi Jason, Well when I'm in the studio for sure we watch the golf very closely so that we can make appropriate comments. When I am at home I tend not to watch too much, maybe the majors only but when at a tournament I do watch as much as I can when in my hotel room just to see if I can pick up any little bit of information on the course. Cheers, David.
Hello David, Just to say that Chris and I thought you were excellent in the studio reporting on the Accenture Matchplay comp from Arizona these past few days. The commentary was informative, knowledgeable and very interesting and greatly improved our viewing enjoyment. Well done, and hope to see you playing winning golf soon. Kind regards Chris and Meg Lewis
Hi there Chris and Meg, thanks for that message. I really enjoyed doing the commentary - although I must admit I'd rather have been playing! Anyhow I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it. Regards, David.
Hello. How many tournaments do you normally play in a season and if you are struggling a bit are you inclined to play more or less? Cheers
David, normally I play around 30 tournaments a year but I will admit I have always been what we call 'a chaser' so if playing an extra tournament gives me the chance to achieve one of my goals I am always happy to try and chase that result, rightly or wrongly. I would say it's easier to play less when you're playing well for a couple of reasons. Obviously you're earning more money and points when in good form but also playing all four days and using up much more energy when your in the hunt on Sundays, when you play badly for a while the thing you miss most is the buzz of a sunday in contention. All the best, David
Hi David, Firstly congratulations on your top 20 finish in the Hong Kong Open; the sign of things to come next year? I was impressed with your 'guest appearance' with the Sky Sports team in Dubai - do you see this as an alternative career or will you limit appearances until the time comes to hang up your clubs (although with the Seniors Tour now you can go on forever!)?
Eric, thank you so much for your complimentary view on my latest little tv appearance with Sky Sports. I would have to say it's a great privilege to be able to talk live on tv, especially when it is my friends that I am talking about. Oh the things I could say if only I had the nerve and had no need for their friendship any longer!!! Joking aside I do enjoy the commentary especially when the golf is as good as it was, however rest assured next year I want to be playing not talking and in fact doing the tv work actually makes me want to be out there more. Who knows, in the future if needs be obviously the tv side of things would be a lovely back up way to make a few shillings and stay involved with the game that I love, lets hope it is way in the future though!! Kind regards, David
Another case of "so near yet so far" What do you feel you need to do to make more cuts & get back to where you belong - i.e. at the top of leader boards?
Well Eric, good question. The answer I guess is I need to do everything a little better. The last couple of weeks I have at least hit a lot more good shots in general. My swing is repeating a lot more consistently but as we all know that is not the be all and end all. In Singapore my short game was nowhere near sharp enough, and that in the end cost me making the cut. I need all areas of my game to improve but a little goes a long way in golf. As badly as I have performed this year if I can just find one shot a round I will be back in the middle of the pack, and one and a half I will start to contend again. If I were an amateur you would surely think that with consistent effort you could reduce your handicap by that much would you not!! However if it was that easy we would all be doing it I guess. Rest assured though I think I can do it and it will be a great relief to me when I do. Thanks for following. David.
Hi David, Great to see you play at the Portugese Masters, I enjoyed watching the putting drills. I was sorry to see you didn't make the cut. Your tee shot on the 6th was superb. One thing that impressed me watching you and Anthony Wall was the ball strike and flight with the fairway woods and rescues. What is the secret for getting the ball to fly the way you achieve? All the best for the rest of the season Quentin
Hi Quentin, It's basically a lot of practice! With Fairway woods you've got to try to sweep the ball and not hit down on like you would with an iron. But if you strike the ball out of the middle of the club with good clubhead speed then this is the flight you will get. Unfortunately there aren't any secrets I'm afraid! Glad you enjoyed the golf in Portugal. Regards, David.
David, many congratulations on your 7th place at Crans. I believe it will be the start of a return to major form. As one of Golf's good-guys, you deserve it. Best wishes for the rest of the season, and look forward to seeing you back at Gleneagles next year, and also playing a major role in Colin's team at Celtic Manor. Steve Kettlewell (your airport courtesy car driver when leaving the Johnnie Walker 2009).
Hi Steve, it must have been your driving that inspired me into coming into some form in Switzerland!! I'll certainly be giving it my all to get into Monty's team for Celtic Manor. Cheers, David.
Hi David I was so delighted to see that you made a splendid return to form this week and knew that it had to happen soon. Perhaps the mountain air helped a little. No doubt you have been working hard to get back to the form you are very capable of. I also read of your determination to get back in the Ryder Cup team and there is no reason why that should not happen. Very well done. Robin Evans
Hi Robin, thanks so much for your message - it was great to finish well in Switzerland last week - I think it was a combination of a lot of hard work, the mountain air and of course having my Dad with me!! Am hoping to have a really good end to the season. Regards, David.
Hi David, I am fortunate enough as a Brit living in NY to get to go to the Masters each year as my wifes family live in Augusta. I was on 15 when you nearly had a double eagle and this is probably one of the best golf shots I have ever seen (Phil's on 7 this year maybe just beat it!)! I followed you closely that year, including on the flight home with you and Thomas Bjorn! What are your thoughts about Augusta National and your favourite and least favourite holes? I will be back there in 2010 and I hope you will be too........
Hello there Robert, I can honestly say that Augusta is my favourite place to play golf. There are too many good holes to mention but If I had to mention one then the 12th is probably the most difficult hole. My least favourite is the par three 4th hole - I reckon it's too long now! Lucky you going there every year! Kind regards, David.
David, as a fellow Swindoner I follow your progress willing you on as one of our local hero's, good luck for the season. I was wondering what goals or targets you have set youself for this year. Best wishes.
Hi Andy, my goals for this year are really just to improve my current world ranking and play better than I have been doing in the early part of the year. I have now gone back to my previous coach Clive Tucker and we have been working on my swing for the past few weeks. Thanks for writing in. David.
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