Challenging times for David Boote

Challenging TIMES

David Boote shares his experience of navigating professional golf through the COVID minefield...

This year I have had over 70 negative PCR ‘fit to fly’ tests and even more lateral flows when home!

As I wait at Heathrow Airport before flying to Marseille for the final stretch of events in Challenge Tour season I’m thinking about how fast this year has flown by.

After the lockdowns of 2020 and the lack of winter golf, there were times when we wondered if the tour would ever get back to normal. Somehow we are now already 20 events into a 26 event season and, given the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the players have been incredibly lucky to continue to travel and play around Europe.

The Tour set us a demanding and impressive schedule and has been very efficient in ensuring we meet quarantine regulations, helping with travel exemptions, coming back from red list countries like South Africa and creating tournament ‘bubbles’ whenever possible with thorough covid testing regimes. This year I have had over 70 negative PCR ‘fit to fly’ tests and even more lateral flows when home. You get used to it being part of the lifestyle. but hopefully it will not continue too much longer and we can all get back to normal. It’s definitely been an extra worry, particularly when we get home to see family and friends, but with the majority of players now having been vaccinated it is the hope

that the testing and bubble rules will ease slightly towards the end of 2021.

I am now in my fourth year as a professional and still thoroughly enjoying the journey. It sometimes feels shorter than that, but the past two seasons have clearly been shortened by the pandemic.

It is a tough transition from the top end of the amateur game to the professional ranks. I am pushing up the tour and world rankings, dealing with the financial pressures and managing my own expectations as best as possible. All of these were a factor in the amateur game but come into more sharp focus when the game becomes your career.

I am gradually getting better at managing my schedule and keeping the batteries fully charged with the occasional week off. Back to back tournaments and the hectic travel involved can be a big grind on your ‘A-game’ and you need to be able to take advantage of your good weeks when they come!

I am looking forward to the final push at the end of the season and feel that my game has been pretty consistent of late.

I had a pleasing T7th finish in the British Challenge at The Belfry last time out (thank you to all those who came out to support me!) and have had other strong results in Ireland (8th) Denmark (T5). My 7 top 25 finishes so far this year have been enough to sit in 46th position on the Race to Majorca and I am hoping to have a strong finish to the year to push towards the Top 20 to gain my full European Tour card.

Once again there is no Qualifying School this year and so the year end Challenge Tour rank is very important.

Thanks again to everyone for their ongoing support – it means a lot!

@davidboote123

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