My recent trip to South Africa was one of those experiences that really reinforces why high level sport is such a powerful environment for learning. While results always matter, this week was about far more than positions on a leaderboard.
From a performance perspective, there were plenty of moments to be proud of. Dom and Ewen both progressed into the 10 man playoff, which in itself is a huge achievement in a strong international field. Ewen managed to come through the playoff to progress, while Dom narrowly missed out despite playing some excellent golf across the week. Finlay was heartbreakingly close, bogeying the final hole to miss the playoff by a single shot. Kiron found the week tougher and struggled to get things moving, but those experiences are often where the deepest learning sits.
What stood out most was how much the players developed across the week. Adapting to unfamiliar grasses, altitude changes, travel fatigue and the emotional demands of representing your country is a real test. Watching the group evolve in how they prepared, responded to pressure and managed themselves between shots and rounds was hugely encouraging.
A massive part of the week’s success came from the support structure around the players. John Rushbury was immense as team captain, offering calm leadership and invaluable insight from his previous experiences in South Africa. His presence and understanding of the environment made a real difference behind the scenes.
From my perspective as a coach, this trip was hugely educational. Supporting players overseas in a completely different environment sharpened my understanding of what truly matters during tournament weeks. The biggest learning was non technical. Managing energy, emotions, routines and communication quickly became just as important as anything discussed on the range.
It was an honour to support and represent Scottish Golf and to help Scott Wilson, as National Coach, begin defining his new culture with the
Men’s Team. Being part of that early foundation work is something I’m extremely grateful for.
This experience has inspired me to expand how I support players moving forward, particularly in tournament environments where learning accelerates fastest. South Africa was challenging, rewarding and eye opening in equal measure and reinforced that long term performance is built as much through experience and reflection as it is through results.
Thanks for reading,
Oliver
Subscribe