Despite a mixed set of results on the Desert Swing and a missed cut at the South African Open, Dan Bradbury is confident that a good week is just around the corner as he returns to happy hunting grounds in Johannesburg, where he won his first DP World Tour event in 2022
It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, and if there’s one constant in golf, it’s that every tournament brings its own set of challenges. Some of those challenges come from the game itself, some from the conditions.
Last week in Durban, venue for the South African Open, was an interesting one weather-wise. The rain has been relentless here — more than 500mm in the past six weeks I was told — and Durban Country Club was very wet.
It’s not often you get this much rain in South Africa at this time of year, and the course was a testament to great drainage work.
There was standing water in places, but it still played surprisingly well — softer, a little slower, but nothing unmanageable.
The fairways were in remarkable shape, considering the conditions, and while preferred lies were in play, most of the course didn’t really need it.
We have a system for preferred lies: ‘green’ means play it as you find it, ‘amber’ allows for a scorecard-length placement, and ‘red’ means you get a full club length’s drop.
Last week, we were on the extreme end, and the club-length rule was in effect. It’s a lifesaver in these conditions because even if you’re in the fairway, you never know what kind of mud ball you’ll be dealing with, so you always pick up your ball, even if you’re just putting it back in the same spot.
While I my game felt in good shape in Durban, I found myself in trouble a little too often. My first round was, let’s say, interesting.
I actually hit the ball well, but one bad drive at the 5th hole led to a lost ball and a double bogey. That’s the kind of thing that can shake your rhythm early.
I also missed several good birdie chances, which made the round feel like an opportunity wasted. Then the second round came, and I simply didn’t play well.
A couple of sloppy wedge shots, another lost ball (which turned into a triple bogey), and some three-putts. By the back nine, I was playing decent golf again, but the damage was already done.
SNAKES AND SPIDERS
Losing a ball is frustrating, but at Durban it wasn’t just about finding the ball — it was about whether you could even play it. The course is tight, with a lot of thick bushes lining the fairways.
Technically, you might find your ball but getting it out is another story. In some cases, you’re better off just not looking for it, because if you do find it, you have to go back to the tee if it’s unplayable.
On top of that, you’ve got the added hazard of local wildlife. Some of those bushes hide more snakes than golf balls, and I’d rather not take my chances.
I’ve yet to encounter a snake on the course. In the States, I’ve seen plenty of alligators, but in South Africa it’s a different kind of danger.
Last week one of the guys got bitten by a spider in his hotel room, which isn’t exactly the type of souvenir you want from a tournament!
REFLECTING
Reflecting on my last few events, the results haven’t been what I’d hoped for, but there have been positives. Bahrain was a solid week —I finished inside the top 30, felt good about my game, and saw progress.
Qatar, however, was a disappointment. I went in with plenty of confidence, felt the course suited me, but just didn’t execute.
My putting let me down, and in this game, if you’re not sinking putts, you’re not scoring. I played with Dan Brown, who went on to have a great week, and I didn’t feel like I was doing much differently, but after 36 holes he was nearly 10 shots ahead of me.
The difference? He made the putts, and I didn’t. That’s the fine line in professional golf.
SWAPPING CLUBS
One change I made recently was swapping my 3-iron for a 5-wood. It’s the first time I’ve made a real setup change in my bag.
A 3-iron is great off the tee, but a 5-wood is much better into greens, giving me extra height and stopping power. I went with the new Ping G440 with a shorter shaft, and while I didn’t get to use it much in Qatar, I think it’ll come in handy down the line.
JOBURG OPEN
This week, I’m back at Houghton for the Joburg Open, a tournament and course that holds great memories for me as I won here three years ago. It hasn’t changed much, but the conditions will be different due to all the rain.
It’ll play longer and softer, and we’re also competing at a slightly cooler time of year. The altitude always adds another element here, making the ball fly around 10% further, which you have to take into consideration.
Hopefully I can put up a good show this week, not only as a past champion, but also as I’ve got my parents coming out to support me.
My mum was here when I won in 2022, but my dad’s not been to South Africa before, so he’s pretty excited and it will be great to have them out here.
After the tournament, I’ve got some proper downtime planned. I’m taking my parents to Leopard Creek, one of my absolute favourite places.
We’ll spend some time there, going on some game drives, and soaking in the experience. After that, we’re off to Cape Town, which I’ve somehow never visited despite playing in South Africa several times. I’ve heard nothing but great things, so I’m excited to finally see it for myself.
ELLAND ROAD AND SINGAPORE
After that, I’m heading to Singapore for the Singapore Classic, then I’m taking a much-needed six-week break.
The first week will be a complete shutdown, probably playing some casual golf but mostly relaxing, and then I’m heading to Portugal with some friends.
After that, it’ll be back to full practice mode for the next four weeks — getting back to basics, putting in the work, and making sure I’m ready to go when the season picks up again.
With such a long season, taking breaks are as much about resetting mentally as they are about physical preparation, but they are needed.
Of course, I’ll be keeping a close eye on my beloved Leeds United during that time. I managed to catch a game at Elland Road a few weeks back when we came from behind against Sunderland to win — a great result.
I don’t have a season ticket because I’m away too much, but I’ve got some friends with a box, so I tap them up when I can. The club looks in good shape, but I’m trying not to jinx it, so I’ll say no more.
For now, though, the focus is on this week’s event in Houghton. Playing a course where I’ve won before brings back great memories, and I’m hoping to add a few more.
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