Diary From The Challenge Tour – Chris Hanson

Away from the glamour of the European Tour there are thousands of golfers trying to make enough money to support their dreams and their families. In this new TG online feature we’ll follow the highs and lows of 2011 EuroPro Tour Order of Merit winner Chris Hanson, as he tries to adjust to life on the Challenge Tour. This week he was on home soil at Wynchwood Park…

I’ve played Wychwood Park many times over the past 6 years in various events such as Europro Tour, PGA North region and The Players Tour. It’s a course that’s never really suited my eye and one where I’ve always found it tough to get a good score going.

My only good score goes back to The Players Tour in 2009 when I won, shooting a second round 65 (-7) but that really was a one off!!

This year the course was in the best condition I’ve ever seen, it played a lot softer, the greens were slow but very true.

I was lucky enough to be asked to play the pro-am on the Tuesday prior to the event, which I’ve always enjoyed doing. Especially when you get a great team to play with! Alan, Alan and Bill were great fun and I was chuffed that they hung on for 2nd place in the pro-am!

I personally shot 68 (-4) which really did boost my confidence from the work I’ve put in over the past 2 weeks, it’s been a while since I posted a score like that and to win the pro section by three shots was a real bonus!!

The event started on Wednesday and a decent draw always helps, playing with Chris Kelly is always fun and Danny Wardrop is a solid player too. I played ok throughout the round but two doubles never helps and to start with one is pretty poor!

My opening tee shot was so bad!! Bad concentration and a bad swing resulted in going 50 yards right into the trees! Ouch!

I played solid in round two, again giving myself some good chances but bogeying the 9th, my 18th, to think I’d missed the cut by one was a nasty feeling!

In the end I sneaked the cut and a 7.38am tee time for round three meant a 4.45am alarm clock!

In round three I really felt I had the chance to post a good score, three under through 9 holes and cruising! I played some good stuff but two bad shots on 15 & 16 cost me to drop three shots and finish the round level par and T36th for the tournament.

Overall I can take a lot from the week, my game is on the right track and putting my old Nike 3 wood (coach’s 3 wood actually) back in the bag could have been the best decision of the year! It’s class, and so versatile!

I now have another week at home to practise with a pro-am at Sandburn on Thursday before I fly off for two weeks to Russia and Kazakhstan for The Challenge Tour.

That will hopefully make an interesting Blog with some great photos!!

Speak after then,

Chris

Website: http://www.chrishansongolf.com/