Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The start of a new season on the European Tour International Schedule never fails to bring excitement and anticipation, but none more so than for the rookies, who cannot wait for their first experiences of life on one of the toughest golf tours in the world.
There are 17 new boys in the 2010 Race to Dubai, having earned their maiden European Tour card via either Qualifying School or the European Challenge Tour, and for some the season is already underway with the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the South African Open Championship giving the debutants an early taste of things to come.
For inspiration they need look no further than to Chris Wood, the Englishman who burst onto the world stage at the 2008 Open Championship by finishing fifth as an amateur. The Bristol-born 22-year-old turned professional shortly after, finished tied fifth at Qualifying School - Final Stage to secure his playing rights for 2009 and took full advantage by finishing 44th in the Race to Dubai Rankings, producing another stunning Open Championship performance along the way.
Wood surpassed the previous year's effort by finishing joint third at Turnberry, one of five top 10 finishes en route to him winning the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. He also demonstrated his ability in match play format - a timely reminder to European Captain Colin Montgomerie ahead of this year's Ryder Cup - by excelling in the Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros, winning four and a half points from five for Paul McGinley's Great Britain and Ireland team.
The success, acclaim and wealth Wood amassed last season is the carrot dangling in front of the new set of rookies, and for most of them this season is the culmination of a lifelong dream, earned through years of hard work, dedication, practice and plying their trade at lower levels in competitions such as the EuroPro Tour and the Alps Tour.
Several players have already tasted significant victories, with Stephan Gross, who tied for 16th place at Qualifying School, bagging both the German and European Amateur titles in 2008, and Julien Quesne, Rhys Davies, John Parry and Andrew McArthur all winning on the Challenge Tour in 2009.
Sam Hutsby was the name on everyone's lips at Qualifying School after he finished runner-up to Simon Khan having successfully negotiated Stages One and Two. The 21-year-old Englishman enjoyed a stellar amateur career, which this year alone included being part of the Walker Cup team and finishing runner-up in the Amateur Championship.
Fredrik Ohlsson of Sweden will hope to emulate countryman Henrik Stenson. The 30-year-old left a trail of records when he played amateur golf at university in the United States, and cites the Ryder Cup as one of the biggest influences on his career.
The success of a player's compatriots is often a great source of inspiration for a rookie, and Argentine Clodomiro Carranza, who was tied seventh at Qualifying School, uses Angel Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion, as his role model.
Many professional golfers are naturally talented at other sports and some even have to make a decision in childhood which sport they should pursue for a living. Dane Mark Haastrup, who took the eighth card at Qualifying School at PGA Catalunya Resort, originally wanted to become a professional footballer before concentrating on golf in his teens. James Morrison even played cricket for England youth teams before swapping wickets for fairways, a decision which looks to have paid off after his graduation from the Challenge Tour.
Other players, though, dream of only one sport from an early age. Australian Rick Kulacz, who won his European Tour card in style by holing a 40ft putt for birdie at the final hole of Qualifying School to scrape in by a shot, was four years old when he first saw Greg Norman in action on the television and from then on he was hooked.
So as the new season gets under way, most of us will be following the Race to Dubai standings and trying to guess who will be lining up for the European and US Teams at Celtic Manor for the Ryder Cup; but spare a thought for those who will just be trying to find their feet and keep their card. Some of the new guys will make a splash early on and maybe even win, for those who miss the first few cuts it will be a long year!
All the best to all the rookies starting out this season, who knows, there could be some new household names on the horizon ready to spoil the established stars' party!
