Dealing with Disappointment

Sam bombed out today, shooting 83 and missing the cut. It was a combination of bad luck and bad shooting. He was plus seven after six holes, plugging in a bunker on the second hole and finding two separate bunkers on the sixth.

But I'm really proud of him because he never lost his spirit and he ended with birdie on what was a tough day. He still is smiling and says he wants to go play a links course with me and is looking forward to his next tournament. Two years ago, he would have stopped trying after the sixth hole and he would have been miserable for the rest of the round. It is nice to see him mature through adversity, even though of course it would be even nicer if he continued his hot streak and was contending today for the trophy.

I really have a lot to learn from him. Last night, as I struggled to sleep last night, I kept thinking of how my books never won the equivalent of the English Boys, yet how close I also came to winning the big prize. And, when I reflected, I knew I should be like Sam, to just enjoy playing (or in my case writing) and be proud of what I have achieved. He got into the biggest golf tournament for juniors in Europe and he was more than competitive. I've gotten paid for watching him and others and writing about it.

English Summer

Sam played terrifically today in the first day of the Carris Trophy, shooting even par. The Carris is the English Golf Union's championship for under 18 year old boys and its one of the top junior events in Europe.

It took us almost an entire day to get to this spot in the forgotten wilds of Lincolnshire, almost four hours north of London. Woodhall Spa is devilishly difficult layout, a sort of English version of Pinehurst number 2. The village is built around the golf course and there's not much else to do.

During the first round, Sam handled himself with panache. He missed two fairways on the drives and was penalized with two bogeys. On the last hole, he was trapped behind a tree, and hit a three iron fade 225 yards to 20 feet and drained the putt - for an eagle! If he doesn't blow up tomorrow, he has a good chance of making the cut.

Shooting Dutch

The Dutch International, one of the biggest and best junior golf tournaments in Europe, finished today and I attended the final round of play. Sam easily made the cut, playing well in the first three rounds. He would have liked to be a couple shots further up the scoreboard going into the last day, but he told me over the phone that he was "hitting it better."

I arrived just as he was finishing the third hole. He had birdied the first hole and had a birdie putt on the third. It slipped by, but his solid play continued and he was minus two at the turn. Then disaster struck - self-inflicted. he was just off the green of hole 12 in two, and then took four shots to get the ball in the hole, a double bogey. On the next hole, he pushed his tee shot into a greenside trap, and despite a great sand shot, missed the par putt.

Disaster loomed.

Instead, Sam drilled his next shot on a par three to ten feet and sunk the putt. On the ensuing par five, he had 200 meters to the flag after his tee shot (and a free drop from a rabbit hole - good he asked the referee). His ball headed straight to the flag and looked like it would go in. He ended up with a sterling eagle.

In the final few holes, he had a few more birdie chances, but his ball lipped out. He finished with all pars and a 70, minus two. "I could have been minus five or six," he said walking off. But he could also have been plus five, losing his concentration. Instead, he redoubled his effort and showed true grit. He finished the tournament in a solid 17th place.

Its onto the English Boys, which tees off on Tuesday July 20.

Dutch success

Sam is keeping his word. He left on Monday evening for the Netherlands to play the Riverwoods Junior Open. In the first round, he shoots a sterling par to place 14th. He takes advantages of the par fives, birdying one and eagling another. "I could have done better if it hadn't rained so hard over the final four holes," he says. But he sounds excited and happy on the phone. There are three rounds to go.

Not enough

It is not enough. Although he is ranked sixth, the national federation decides to take the boy who is ranked seventh because he is a year younger. Sam is crushed.

This evening, I leave for work to Madrid.

When I arrive, I give him a call and ask how he feels.

“OK, I’m just going to have to get my revenge in the big tournaments this summer,” he says. “I’ll have to prove they made a mistake.

In the coming weeks, Sam will be playing at the Dutch International, the English Boys and the British Boys. We’ll see if he can keep his vow.

Last Chance

Sam rushes from a final exam in history to play in the Belgian National Championship. He knows this is his final opportunity to make the Belgian national team. He is ranked sixth and still has hope – if he plays well.

The first day is mediocre – five over par 77.

Tee time for the second round is early in the morning 8 a.m. We rise at 5:30 a.m. and drive an hour to the course, which is located in eastern Flanders. I will caddy. Sam struggles at the beginning and is four over at the turn. He then gets two birdies on holes 10 and 12. But he falters coming in and finishes four over par at 76.

This is good enough to make the cut, putting him 36^th. But it is not sparkling.

On the final day, 36 holes are on the menu. Again, a 5:30 a.m. start is required. Sam is solid on the first round. The putting lesson with Phil Kenyon is paying off. But he is not hitting the ball well and giving himself enough opportunities for birdies on the par five. He finishes the morning at plus four again, a bit disappointed.

In the afternoon, he still is not hitting the ball with authority. But he is sinking putts on almost all holes and he is birdying the par fives. He gets to the turn in even par. He birdies the next par five and on the 16^th hole, he almost drives the hole, chipping to within seven feet and sinking the putt. Although he bogies the 18^th, he finishes one under par, beating all his direct competitors for the Belgian national team. Altogether, he is a respectable 19^th.

He displayed a newfound maturity on the course. Even though he didn’t hit the ball well, he managed the course and scrambled for his best round of the year. “I did everything I could to make the team,” he says on the ride back home.

Putting Trip

Throughout the spring, Sam has sruggled with his putting and his nerves. While he continues to resist seeing a sports psychologist, he is more than willing to visit a putting psychologist.

“The best putting coach in Europe is Phil Kenyon,” his coach tells him.

Sam does some research and finds that Kenyon works out of Southport, England.

“Where’s Southport?,” I ask. It’s near Liverpool, Sam tells me, and we begin to plot how to get there. There are no flights between Brussels and Liverpool. There is a flight to Manchester, but its expensive. We decide to go to Scotland, drive south, and turn it into a golf weekend.

In Southport, we find a fading Victorian summer resort. Phil Kenyon works out of a small office in back of a row house. Could this be Europe’s putting mecca? Yes, it is.

Within a few minutes, Kenyon has analyzed what’s wrong with his putting stroke – and with his mental approach to putting. He checks his eyesight and shows that he is left eye strong, requiring him to stand over the ball at the front of his head. Wielding a sophisticated computer, he shows Sam how his stroke is too left to right and needs to be more straight back and straight though. He also works on his breathing and his “attitude” when he stands over the ball on the green. Sam gets a putter fitted for him and he no longer has any excuses.

Sam leaves understanding what was going wrong and he has a path to work on the problems. It was the first time that he was given such a clear explanation of his putting woes.

Beyond putting, Kenyon impressed He spoke clearly. He dissected Sam’s problem and explained how to fix it with concrete solutions. By the end of the lesson, I believe Sam has not just gotten a lesson in putting, but a lesson in how to tackle many tough problems in life. Get good data. Analyze the problem. Work hard – and be optimistic.

In the afternoon, Sam and I discovered that the Southport area is sprinkled with great links golf course after links golf course. Royal Birkdale, home to the British Open, looks magnificent, but costs almost 200 pounds a round. Hesketh, less spectacular, but still terrific, is our budget choice and we are delighted. I play terribly and lose a dozen or more balls.

But the next day, we play a lovely course called Formby Ladies. Formby also has a distinguished men’s course, but the ladies’ one is cheaper and uses the same terrain. I play a lot better, shooting a proud 77.

Sam is two over until the final two holes when he loses his concentration. Playing with Dad is just not a serious pursuit, like competing in a real tournament. His putting is not perfect. He still pushes a ton of balls right of the hole. But he also sees to be gaining in confidence on the greens. “I feel like I know what to work on now,” he says afterward.

The next day, we board the plane in Scotland and spot two Belgian touring pros, Guillaume Wattremez and Pierre Relecom. They were returning from the Challenge Tour event in Macdonald Spey Valley in northern Scotland.

"Where were you?," they asked.

"Seeing a putting coach," Sam responded.

"Oh, Phil Kenyon," Relecom answered, without hesitation. "He's the best. A real guru. He doesn't just teach you about putting. He teaches you about psychology."

So Phil, watch out. You may be getting a call from Relecom.