Trilby Tour 2010

By John Rhodes Last updated: 18th August 2010

Sky Bet golf odds compiler John Rhodes tries his luck on the William Hunt Trilby Tour. But did he qualify for the next round? Read on....

After watching the 2009 edition of the William Hunt Trilby Tour on Sky Sports, I got the urge to enter this year's competition, and quickly logged my entry on the website.

A fee of £250 to enter may look quite steep for the amateur golfer, but when you think of what you get back in return - around £500 worth of clothing and accessories - then it's a must for every golfer who wants to test themselves in the pressure cooker experience of an event where you're treated like a professional from the moment you arrive.

Prior to the tournament day, which was held at the KP Club just outside Pocklington, York, I received numerous e-mails outlining the plans for the day, including practice days, updates on the course and tee times. My tee time was 7.45am which meant an early start as you had to sign in an hour beforehand to avoid disqualification - something that happened to other competitors in other regions. But, then again, being treated like pros meant acting like them too!

An early rise at 5.30am allowed me and my caddy for the day, Steve - best man at my wedding only a month ago - to get there in plenty of time to sign in and have some breakfast, all put on by the William Hunt Trilby Tour.

With the weather looking like something you would find on a Scottish links, Steve said to me he didn't fancy going out to the range for a bit of practice, so I said I would have to play from memory!

After a lovely sausage and bacon butty off we went to the 1st tee, in the pouring rain, with my personalised Callaway golf bag that every competitor got when signing in (see above pic).

I was eager to get the round under way, and introduced myself to my playing partners for the day, Chris (6 handicap) and Darren (13 handicap), known as "D" to his following entourage.

With the cameras rolling despite the early time, I was announced - Ivor Robson at The Open style - onto the 1st tee. A couple of nervous practice swishes and off I went.

Despite a good strike, as usual in my erratic game (off 11 handicap, receiving 8 shots in the stableford format), I pulled my opening tee shot way left of the big tree hugging the side of the fairway. After nearly five minutes of looking I had almost consigned myself to a 'blob', but a spectator found my ball (not for the first time it would emerge) and I managed to hack a five-iron 50 yards short of the green. A super chip down to seven feet and a two foot of break right to lefter later and I walked off with a morale-boosting par four and two points to start the round.

But little did we know what awaited us on the 2nd hole.

After a good drive leaving me 130 in (finely marched out by Steve), I hit a 9 iron some 45 feet right of the pin, not my best, but on the dance floor. As we approached the green, we could see the pin was tucked in on the left hand side, and on one of the most vicious of slopes you have ever seen. It was Augusta-like or, for those with good memories, similar to those at Shinnecock Hills when Retief Goosen won his second US Open in 2004.

I putted down and was delighted to see the ball stop some eight inches past the hole after narrowly missing the cup. But wait. The ball started rolling again, on and on and eventually off the green. Both Chris and Darren shook our heads in disbelief. After walking of with a five nett four for another two points I didn't feel so bad, but later in the round we would witness how hard that hole would become.

The next five holes were what could only be described as a nightmare and after going blob-2-1-1-blob I had amassed the majestic sum of eight points after seven holes. Caddie Steve, who was absolutely soaked through, was seriously questioning my ability as an 11 handicapper but at this point I decided it was time for action.

I told Steve: "I have 11 holes left, 22 points would be three under my handicap from here on in, and that would get me to 30 points. The way the greens are rolling, and with pins that some pros would struggle with I reckon that would be good score."

Actions speak louder than words though so could I do it?

Well, my chat with Steve certainly appeared to have an immediate effect as I suddenly clicked into gear. I closed the front nine with four more points (3-1) to be out in 12 and then enjoyed a good spell of points - 3-2-3-2 - to leave me on 22 after 13 holes

The scorers radioed everyone's current totals in to the leaderboard behind the 18th green but, after a bad little spell of 1-1, I was on 24 with three holes to play.

It was time to really go for it.

On the 16th - a downhill and downwind par four of 365 yards - Steve said to get the "big-dog" out and try to drive the green. With that thought of powering one onto the awaiting cameraman behind the green, I duly pushed my ball way right into the thick wet heather. Amazingly, after a frantic ball search, the same spectator who had found my ball on the first hall shouted that he found my Titleist 4 with three black dots on it.

Two hacks in the deep rough got me onto the green some 30 foot away. With what seemed like 10 feet of break left to right, and the cameraman following our every move, I then 3 putted for a six and a single point.

Despite the rain easing off, my blood was boiling - still only 25 points after 16 holes.

The 17th was a par 3 downhill, with the pin perched on the right hand side of the green. My first attempt with a seven iron hit the telegraph wires so I had to reload - a good job as my ball sailed over the back). I then hit my best shot of the day, narrowly missing a hole in one by a foot and walked off with a lovely birdie two for three points. I later found out from some of the other players that it was worth more like 10 points on that hole!

As we walked to the 18th tee, which was no more than 75 yards from the 2nd tee, we saw four groups all waiting to tee off. Clearly, as I'd experienced myself earlier, the unbelievably tricky pin position was causing havoc amongst my fellow amateurs as they struggled to hole out.

The final hole was set up in brilliant fashion, a 410 yard uphill par 4, and as we walked up to the green it felt like you were playing the final hole of a European Tour event. The green was surrounded by advertising hoardings and huge flag poles while a giant scoreboard was in view.

I lipped out for a par and 3 points which meant a final total of 30. I was pretty pleased though having racked up only 8 points after 7 holes.

As we tucked into the barbeque which was all part of the Trilby Tour experience, I kept glancing on the leaderboard to see if my prediction that 30 points would be a decent effort. At that point 36 points led the way while there was a host of players in the 20-29 points bracket.

The top 12 players (on countback if needed) were invited into the Amateur Final, held in Buckinghamshire the following week, and as the groups kept coming in it was clear that I was going to be just shy of qualification for the big prize.

Never mind though I thought as I headed off home. I had thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being treated like a pro for the day, with bagman Steve even saying he would kindly caddy for me next year if I decided to enter again.

After searching for the scores, I found out I had missed out on qualifying by a single point (31 qualified) so that got me analysing my round.

I knew I hadn't holed a single putt all day, and when my tally came to 37 putts on 17 holes, and one hole I didn't finish, I knew that was where my Trilby Tour qualification attempt had ended.

I felt happy that I had had such a fantastic day (bar the hole positions on a few holes!) but annoyed that I could have easily qualified for Buckinghamshire and tested myself again against my fellow competitors.

But I will definitely be applying next year because, after all, there's nothing like an amateur pretending to be Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy for a day is there!

So if you think the prospect of a professionally set up amateur event is for you, then why not sign up for the 2011 renewal of the William Hunt Trilby Tour.