Tournament : Made in Himmerland

Date : September 1 to 4, 2022 in Farsø (Denmark)

context 

Raphaël Jacquelin, French member of the DP World Tour since 1996, with 4 victories and 680 tournaments to his credit, has the longest career on the DP World Tour. As you can imagine, he is a big inspiration to me. Raphaël asked me if I could caddy for him; this was obviously an offer I could not refuse! 

The stay 

We travelled to Denmark on the 29th. On the first day of arrival, Raphaël played the practice round; we each had a course book and took notes. Wednesday was dedicated to his training; the morning was spent at the gym followed by lunch at the golf course. After lunch, he showed me around the Srixon Tour truck and introduced me to the staff. From there we proceeded to the putting green where Raphaël performed technical and speed drills before heading off for the chipping green to hit chip and bunker shots. The final part of his training was dedicated to the long game; we moved to the driving range to make some final adjustments. When I stood on the driving range as a spectator, I realized there is a big difference in terms of concentration between professionals who play on the DP World Tour and amateur golfers. Each exercise has a specific purpose and is performed with the utmost concentration.

 Comments  

• Players can ignore everything around them and focus on their own game
• Raphaël has a remarkable lifestyle. He knows exactly what he needs to perform at his best. His nutrition on the course is simple yet healthy and allows him to maintain a constant level of energy throughout the game.
• On Tour, there are players of all ages, sometimes there can be a difference of 30 years between them, but they are in the same place and fighting for the same reason

What I learned 

• Life of a professional golfer like Raphaël is very structured and well-organized and nothing is left to chance. Each training session has a goal and an impact on his progression
• There is not just one way of doing it; every golfer is different and needs to find the best way to reach his full potential