A look back on 2016

As I sit and reflect on my first year as a professional golfer I can honestly say I feel quite proud of how far I have come.

When I made my first trip to LET prequalifying in November 2015, I cracked/froze /choked, I didn’t feel that my body and mind were part of the same person and I just couldn’t find a way out, I completed 2 of the most awful rounds of golf I had played in a long, long time.  I was withdrawn from the tournament due to being on a score that was non-competitive to the competition.  One lady in particular was really supportive In Morocco, Sue, a UK based professional who now referees too.  She reminded me that I’m not the only golfer to ever experience this and that numerous top professionals go through something very similar.  Obviously the whole experience hurt but after a little time to reflect, I knew I could only come back stronger.   
Almost exactly a year on, I returned to Mohammedia to pre-qualifying again, I’ll admit I was quite apprehensive about going back! Obviously I wanted to go back and do my upmost best and qualify but my personal goal was to complete all 4 rounds with reasonable scores and I did just that.  I finished tied 36th in a field of 64 players, where 34 + ties were going to advance to LET Final qualifying school.  Coming that close to qualifying was a bit bitter sweet in the end because I did what I set out to achieve but a few shots less and I would’ve returned to Morocco in December for Final stage!  Something that was really nice throughout this trip was that Sue the same referee as last year was there again, she watched me play a few holes and spoke to me afterwards saying how pleased she was to see me there again and how impressed she was of how my game looked!
Unfortunately, 2016 seems to have been plagued with illness and injury, I started the year with an ongoing ankle injury which started in November time 2015. I was sent for an x-ray to rule out a possible stress fracture and then referred for physio at Selby hospital in January, months passed having regular physio appointments but the pain/ache stayed the same.  Eventually, I was referred to see a musclo-skeletal physiotherapist who reassured me that playing golf and training was not going to make matters worse and decided the course of action would be to go and see one of the foot/ankle specialists in York. I saw him and he agreed that an MRI scan would be the best course of investigation.  This MRI scan happened on the 13th July, I then had to wait until September for the prognosis, nothing could really be seen, which Mr Stanley the specialist said can also happen.  A week later he brought me back into the hospital for an injection into the ankle, which could make the problem better or worse, unfortunately it made mine worse.  Another appointment 6 weeks later and Mr Stanley wanted me to have an ultrasound to see if that could determine what was going on in the joint which is causing me continuous pain/aching.  My next appointment is 5th January with Mr Stanley. One of the options is an ankle arthroscopy which should hopefully happen in January time too and put this problem finally to bed.
Alongside my problematic ankle, I was really poorly and was getting really awful headaches through February, I had blood tests and weeks’ worth of antibiotics, and eventually was sent for a head CT scan to check there wasn’t anything more serious going on; however, fortunately it got written off as a nasty virus.  Two other times at tournaments this year I came down poorly, in Sweden with flu and a fever in Finland.    

​However, despite these problems that are uncontrollable something I have controlled is having a great time out on tour and below is a snapshot of my golfing year!

Sunningdale Foursomes
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Even after a rough month with illness I couldn’t not return to Sunningdale to defend our 2015 title.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be this year and we were knocked out in the 2nd round. 
However, Sunningdale is always going to be a special place to me and even more so now with my name on the board in the main lounge among many other fantastic golfers. 
​We were also able to enjoy the annual ‘Champions Dinner’ where we were lucky enough to sit with Peter Alliss and have a lovely time over a delicious carvery in the dining room at Sunningdale.

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Bags are packed and ready to make my first trip abroad of the year to Spain!
Very typical of the way I travelled most of the year

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Santander Ladies Golf Tour
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5th-10th April Real golf de Pedreña, Santander
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The home of Seve Ballesteros, what a special venue to start my year.
A couple of lovely practice days in nice sunshine and then the weather turned for the tournament, cold and very wet!!
Managed to have a little trip out to see the area with my travel  friends on the trip.

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LET Access Series
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25th-30th April Gams-Werdenberg golf club, Switzerland
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Fortunate enough to stay with a lovely couple within their house with beautiful views, in fact almost everywhere you looked there was beautiful views in Switzerland.
The deep rough lining the fairways caught me out again at this event, and I was withdrawn for being ‘non-competitive’ from the second round.
I managed a sight-seeing afternoon in Zurich with my room-mates for the week. Another city to tick off the list, some beautiful architecture! 

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LET Access Series

8th-13th May Augas Santas Balneario & Golf Resort, Ribeira, North west Spain
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This area had some really bad weather leading up to our arrival and the golf course had really taken some punishment. It was the wettest I have ever seen a golf course to be.  Many fairways were like mud baths, it was a real shame but the Spanish Federation officials and the LET Access did a great effort at running the tournament the best they could.  Including turning 2 par 4s into par 3s for the event and we had a 1 round cut due to the persistent rain. 
I had a much better day first round shooting +4; sadly missed the cut and I could’ve done with another round to build my confidence the way the first round had done.

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Santander Ladies Golf Tour

22nd - 26th May Club El Zaudin, Sevilla
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This time it was a trip to the south of Spain, to the sunshine and warmth at Zaudin golf club in Seville.
Again, another tough week on the course through the tournament, but yet another beautiful golf course to play.

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LET Access Series

14th-20th June Boras Golf Club, Sweden

A bit of entertainment for us in the practice round when the sky all around us got darker and darker, we didn’t know whether to run, hide or carry on playing!
This was one of the weeks where I ended up poorly; turns out I had the flu. I managed to play round 1 but I went out for round 2 and I felt dreadful, I carried on playing but looking back I should’ve walked off and called it a day.  Being in that position is really difficult, I’d flown all that way to compete and I wanted to play but really, physically it was too much for me to do.

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One consistent factor throughout my year has been my training with Rachael Tibbs, Dynamic Golf.

She has been a great help to me these last couple of years and i'm looking forward to getting my body fit and being able to fully continue my strength and fitness development in the future!

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​Through July and into August I was at a bit of a loose end with my game, my performances couldn’t continue the way they were, and it was beginning to hurt me mentally, especially when I know what I am capable of.
After a chat with someone I regard as a good friend from Fulford golf club, I went to see Neil Cheetham for some lessons. 
He gave me some inspiration, and within half an hour from a few basic changes i began getting a sharper contact on the ball, he gave me the bug to want to practice again!

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​LET Access Series

21st- 28th August Hillside Golf Club, Vihti, Finland
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This tournament came as a bit of a surprised, I only got in a week before the event but I chose to get on a flight and go!  Due to my ranking I did not get into events very easily last season so hearing I managed to get into one I had the urge to go and play!  Fortunately, a good friend of mine Jane already had a lovely host family who I was able to stay with too. 
Hillside GC in Finland, a course that used to have a ski ramp functioning down the side of the 9th hole so that gives you an idea of how steep some of the hills were!
I had a decent first round, understood where the bad shots came from and could manage it, but I was in the slowest group I’ve been in for a long time! I had a sore back and just thought it was a muscular ache but turns out I got a fever and had to withdraw from the second round, I had learnt my lesson from Sweden and I was in no fit state to play, I was gutted because I really felt I had turned a corner in round 1!
Kari the father of the household took me for a ride in his old school car, a 1969 Corvette Stingray, which was a little highlight to the week!

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LET Access Series


12th-18th September Elisefarm Golf Club, Hörby, Sweden
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This tournament was hosted by Fanny Sunesson, Nick Faldo’s long time caddy.  She set the course up, and chose the pins positions, and in the Q&A session we were lucky enough to have with her she explained her process in doing so.  Such an interesting and inspiring lady!
An up and down couple of days in the tournament, some great golf but then I had periods of really bad in there too ruining my rounds.  I did finish with an eagle on my last hole through a great drive, really nice 8 iron into the green and knocked in my 8 foot putt, which just made me laugh after the previous really poor few holes I had just played! Funny game we play!!
Jane and I had time to have a trip into Copenhagen for the day, in which we took bikes around the city in the hunt for the little mermaid statue, and eventually found it!

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LET Access Series & Santander Ladies Golf Tour

17th-23rd October La Penaza, Zaragoza

The best 2 rounds of golf I had played in over a year, and what a great feeling! Had a nice group, and enjoyable couple of days which does tend to help with the game too! I did still miss the cut but I was very happy with my rounds, especially being -2 for last 6 holes of the 2nd round too, great improvement
Another beautiful Spanish course, and enjoyable few days! 

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​Santander Ladies Golf Tour

31st Oct-1st November Golf Santander, Madrid
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This was the last event on the Santander Ladies Golf Tour for 2016, playing golf in shorts and t-shirt at the end of October was lovely, whilst it lasted!!
We had a lovely few days of practice and a nice morning and lunch out in Madrid  doing some sight-seeing.
Unfortunately the rain in Spain arrived, I was lucky enough to finish my first round dry as I was out first in a 2-ball but everyone else behind got rather wet.  The 2nd day’s weather was horrendous and play was eventually abandoned.  As you can see in my last picture the greens were totally flooded!

21st position

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​Ladies European Tour pre-qualifying

12th-21st November Mohammedia, Morocco
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As you’ve read above, this was a pretty good week for me to end my season!
Tied 36th position, 34 +ties qualified for final stage
Had a few issues with travelling on this trip, with my suitcase going missing on the way there and our flight home getting cancelled!! 

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​3e Actuaries Open Equatorial Guinea, West Africa

5th-13th December Championship Golf Course Mongomo
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This was an invitational tournament, a totally unique experience, getting to play golf on the edge of the jungle and alongside some male professionals too.  My golf wasn’t as I’d wished and I struggled with my ankle again this week.  However it was quite an amazing and special experience to share the reality of humanity in the world we live in. 

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Making friends along the way
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Met 2 young chimps in Africa, it was the most amazing experience! :) 

I've enjoyed a nice bit of time to relax and recover over the festive period and now looking forward to preparations for 2017.

Please take a look at my social media for little updates along the way!
https://twitter.com/Caustwick
https://www.facebook.com/Caustwickgolf15
https://www.instagram.com/charlottea.91

                                     Happy New Year! :) 

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