HAVING been abroad for a short holiday then being tied up due to a family illness, I didn't get chance to get onto the course for a few weeks.
But when I returned last Friday, I noticed a strange occurence.
My own form was as patchy as ever, the occasional decent shot punctuated by a string of indifferent ones and a few complete hashes.
No, the bizarre occurence was the sight of my ba
ll, for the first time since early last September, actually rolling a few yards down the fairway.
I generally try to plough on through the winter, if only to get a bit of fresh air, but even I was getting fed up with ploughing through a morass and watching every ball if not plug, pretty much get caught in the soft ground immediately.
The summer's on its way at last I thought.
At my standard, it's surprising what a difference in your outlook just getting a few extra yards can do, and not only that, but the drying ground conjured up at last visions of balmy sun filled days and, dare I say it, playing without five layers including my waterproofs.
Beat's me how these Americans and Spaniards always greet you with a cheery 'good morning, lovely day."
It's always lovely there.
At least with our dire climate, we appreciate every little weather window.
TALKING of being uplifting, it was good to see Darren Clarke gain his first tournament win since the death of his wife Heather this week.
Behind that amiable looking exterior, I understand there burns a fiercely competitive spirit and that the Northern Ireland man is an extremely single minded individual.
So it will have hurt more than most that after his personal heartbreak, Clarke struggled to find peak form.
He's finally got that elusive win, and he did it in style with that 25 foot birdie putt on the last hole to clinch victory in the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai.
He has now broken his drought and is making noises about not giving up his Ryder Cup place without a fight.
The events of the next few months will of course decide that, but it is good to see that the player's focus is well and truly now back on his game, and he is doing justice to his huge talent once more.
That is surely the best possible tribute to his late wife.
The full article contains 414 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
