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THE Royal Golf Club’s new director of instruction Gavin Campbell aims to bring some ‘fun’ into playing what many consider to be the world’s most frustrating sport.
Having helped grow the game and cheered up the frozen fanatics in Russia in a city where temperatures dropped to an average -4.4 °C in January, raising a smile in the sizzling desert sunshine should be a cinch.
British expat Campbell, 42, spent the past five years at a Troon property in Rostov-on-Don, South Russia, where there were only three golfers when he began and 300 when he left.
He explained: “I hope to offer more opportunities for golfers to develop their game either through roll-up clinics or structured programmes.
“From an entertainment side, we were very creative in Russia at introducing fun events to offer enjoyment to their visit to our golf club so I would like to think I could provide some ideas that would prove fun at the Royal Golf Club also.”
Campbell has played golf for 29 years now, of which 20 have been as a professional. He represented the English county of Hampshire at all levels as an amateur and professional.
He explained: “I began golf as something to do while on a two-week family holiday staying in the middle of a golf course and it progressed from there.
“I love the game as it is never stable – your swing, the weather or course conditions can differ from day-to-day which keeps the challenge fresh. I also love golf as it is a great barrier breaker and succeeds in bringing many different people together socially.”
As former British prime minister Winston Churchill once said: “Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.”
Perhaps the great wartime leader could have done with someone like Campbell by his side? There are helpful changes afoot at the Royal Golf Academy, starting with the introduction of twice weekly group golf clinics which are open to all.
Members and visitors alike are invited to attend informal ‘swing check’ clinics every Friday morning, for example, with Campbell, any time between 9am and 11am. There is no need to pre-book, just turn up.
He says the three most frequently asked golfing questions are:
* How can I play more consistently? Answer: Find a good coach who helps you understand why you hit good shots. Then you can repeat them.
* How can I hit the ball further? Answer: This is simply down to technique. Strength helps, but if you don’t make good movements you can’t turn strength into speed. Speed gives you distance.
* Which is the best golf course you have played? Answer: Kananaskis in Canada. It was cut out of the Rocky Mountains and has some spectacular views.
His advice to newcomers to the game is simple: “Turn up! Things happen when people turn up. By turning up to golf you open a whole new world socially by meeting many people you would never meet elsewhere. Physically it’s great for your health to be outside and active and it’s a game you can play all your life and all over the world. So simply just … turn up!”
As for those who struggle to play consistently well, he suggests: “Get professional advice! Shortly at the Royal Golf Club we will be introducing an Evaluation Programme for golfers. This simply helps a golfer to work towards understanding the different parts of their game.
“Golfers are notorious for taking random bits of information in the hope of a ‘quick fix’ for the day, yet in their everyday life take little steps as part of a plan to developing their life goals. If they applied the same process to golf a player would enjoy and understand the game far better.”
Campbell is single and says he enjoys sports, travel, friends, good food and exploring new cultures. And he’s already feeling at home on the island.
“My first impression of Bahrain is how friendly people are,” he said. “At the club people are forward in greeting each other hello which is a great positive. My main view of Bahrain so far has been the airport and the Royal Golf Club only. The club is a super facility so it’s nice to spend a lot of time there but I hope to experience more of Bahrain during my time here”.
* On Tuesday evenings, new PGA Teaching Professional David Edwards will also be running a series of ‘Better’ clinics, starting with better driving and continuing with better putting, better chipping and better driving again on the three following Tuesdays. The clinics will run from 6pm to 7pm and places need to be booked in advance. The cost is BD8 per clinic for members and BD10 for non-members. Call17750777 for more details.
* Or book a 50-minute golf lesson with Campbell with video analysis for just BD20 during this month. The price includes tuition, equipment hire and extended use of the driving range after the golf lesson, with comments sent by email the following day.
