Life on other tours

[ssurrygpro]

Hi Guys my name is steve surry am a 34 year old golf pro from the uk currently playing the sunshine tour in Africa and Euro pro tour in uk and some challenge tour events,I am not sure if it's of interest to anyone but I will offer you an insight into life on the different tours,over the years I have played in around 20 European tour events played challenge tour for 3 seasons and just starting my 5th season on sunshine tour.my best finishes are 1st on euro pro 3rd on challenge tour 2nd on sunshine tour 11th on European tour,like I say I am not sure if this will be of interest to anyone but if guys are interested and have any questions I maybe able to help answer I would be more than happy to share my experiences.

My next tournaments will be in Zimbabwe Zambia and Swaziland in mid April

[cantoswede]

Do you make enough money to live comfortably or is it a grind every year? I have a couple of friends on the Nordea Tour and they all work a separate job in the off-season.

[ssurrygpro]

It's a grind to be honest am lucky that my golf club Cumberwell park sponsor me,but realistcly you need to get full season paid for.if I can get 6 companies involved I can cover the season which makes a huge difference with cost for the season being around £30,000.anser is to play better and work harder but on the smaller tours also timing the weeks you play week makes a huge difference as prize funds on sunshine tour varie from £1 million down to £40,000 with current exchange rates

[ssurrygpro]

On my last rip to Africa I shot 72 71 71 70 72 74 72 71 72 71 74 not great golf but this resulted in a loss of around £4000 for the two months so you obviously have to offset that with some good weeks,unfortunately one of those weeks was a missed cut in the Joburg open,so just making the cut in Joburg open would have nearly offset my expenses for the trip,I apwas also first reserve for the South african open and second rested for the Tshwane open which both carry big prize funds,getting into these tournaments could have totalt changed my profit/loss for these two months,based on playing semi well

[ssurrygpro]

I currently play full time as in uk winter its African summer time so I go there to compete,over the years I have taken on many jobs in the winter working behind bars waitering being a labourer for a builder working in a supermarket on night shifts

[dbleag]

Do you know Morton Orveland?

[ssurrygpro]

Hi I don't think I do know Morton,what's tours does he play?

[dbleag]

Used to play European Tour. Now lives in America. About 40 years old.

[cardoustie]

Steve,

 

We'd all love to hear tour stories and what sort of stuff you battle day to day and month to month

 

What part of your game are you working on now?

 

What is holding you back from full time on the Euro tour

 

Ring if you get to Toronto and I'll host you at my club. My dad is from Hertfordshire

[cardoustie]

would also love to know what's in your bag? And why?

[ssurrygpro]

As you can imagine traveling through Africa playing can be a different experience,we are lucky to go to some of the most amazing places,leopard creek playing on the edge of Kruger national park is an unbelievable place,how ever my most entertaing story is probably flying from the uk via Ethiopia to play in the Zambia open near kitwie,I had played in Zambia before but not in this area.

I flew from the uk to Ethiopia (around a 6 hour flight I think)I waited there for 4 hours to get my connecting flight to Zambia,went through the gate and boarded a coach to my plane sat on there for 5 hours got off went to passport control,I was where my papers were?having been to a different area of Zambia before I told the lady I didn't have any papers,she then asked what I was there to do?Ia m here to play golf.GOLF she replied very surprised!being very tired after around 15 hours of traveling I replied yes golf,I am playing the Zambia open!

She replied ZAMBIA

I replied yes Zambia

She replied saying this is Gabon

GABON I replied is that country or an area

It's acountry she replied we will escort you back to the plane.

I then had a similar conversation with the pilot.

It turned out the coaches outside the gate we're going to different flights(no separation between the two coaches) luckily the plane was going straight back to Ethiopia which the issued me a free ticket for and I made the 5 hour flight back to Ethiopia spent the night there,had to call the tour to say I wouldn't be able to make the pro am the next day as I had boarded the wrong flight and had traveled 5 hours in the wrong direction.the tour secretary replied by saying this is the worst excuse she had ever heard for missing a pro am(not believing I was telling the truth)after a night in Ethiopia I made my flight to Zambia arriving at the course around 49 hours after leaving home and with a 14 hour journey taking 40 odd hours,I played the course blind stayed in the worst hotel I have ever stayed in shot two rounds of 77 stayed in the safety of my hotel room for the weekend to then fly back to the uk

 

Was a good way for everyone on the tour to become friends with me tho as my Tavel story was the talk of the tour for that week

[ssurrygpro]

Currently I have be working on gaining more power trying to up my swing speed(106 currently )I am trying to up it via gym work and some swing work,in the bag I currently have

M1 9.5

M1 3 wood

Adams hybrid

Callaway x forged irons

Vokey 46 50 54 60 sm5

Odesey #1 putter think it's a prototype as has ???????? Stamped all over the sole

[ssurrygpro]

My stats show (via shotstohole.com) that if I can increase my driving distance by 20 yards I will see a drop of around 1.5 shots per round,while I realise this is a long term project I have been trying to hit the ball higher via work with my coach.the life of a small tour pro can be tough I am currently trying to source financing for my trip to Africa which is mid April,not being able to plan more than a couple of moths ahead takes its toll as you are always feeling like you need a result now to pay for next week,this makes it that much harder to put changes in play as you don't really feel you have the time for these changes to bed in,as you need to be winning money every time you tee it up

 

Used to play European Tour. Now lives in America. About 40 years old.

sorry I don't think our paths have crossed

[ssurrygpro]

would also love to know what's in your bag? And why?

I am lucky that most the companies will assist with kit and not being contracted(bar t** glove shoe ball) can chose what I like to play,I am testing the tm psi forged next week as my calla ways are looking worse for wear and hoping to find a shaft/head to help me hit the ball slightly higher

[zikon]

Have you played with Clinton Whitelaw ?

[ssurrygpro]

Have you played with Clinton Whitelaw ?

Hi no never played with Clinton,guys I mostly play with are titch Moore Wallis Coetzee lyle Rowe jake redman,lots of really good guys coming out of South africa,think dean burmister is playing in the states this week,he's had a awesome season think he is inside top 100 in world nearly with out have a card on one of the main tour(Europe or pga)

[firehead36]

No question but I for one appreciate you taking the time to provide insight into your tour life, especially on circuits that I know not much about. I will follow this thread, thank you, and good luck wherever you find yourself.

[golflefty]

Good luck to you! I'll be following along, thanks for sharing!

[SwooshLT]

No question but I for one appreciate you taking the time to provide insight into your tour life, especially on circuits that I know not much about. I will follow this thread, thank you, and good luck wherever you find yourself.

 

 

My sentiments exactly! Having known a handful of moderately successful golfers, it's always an interest to hear their struggles whilst everyone thinks it's glitz and glam.....most just don't realize for every Jason Day live 1000 aspiring Professional Golfers....

 

Good luck and I'll be following! ;-)

[Palauan Hammer]

Steve, thanks for sharing, and best of luck out there!! I'll be following along for sure.

[ggk17]

Currently I have be working on gaining more power trying to up my swing speed(106 currently )I am trying to up it via gym work and some swing work,

 

Steve,

 

thanks for sharing. What kind of gym work are you doing?

 

Good luck for you on the tour.

[Danm2501]

Hi Steve. Great idea, nice to get an insight into tour life. How did you get started in golf? When did you turn pro? How much practice time do you tend to put in in an average week? and what would be the one tip you'd give amateur golfers that want to improve?

[Jonesy]

Good luck out there Steve! It's certainly not easy... I know a couple of the guys out on the Sunshine Tour and I hear from them about how tough it is out there, nothing like shooting a 67 in Monday qualifying only to be told you missed it by 1... Just gotta keep grinding away at it! Good luck for the upcoming events!

 

Have you teed it up with Kevin Rundle, Bryce Bibby, Colin Nel, Michael Hollick, Jared Harvey at all?

[ssurrygpro]

Good luck out there Steve! It's certainly not easy... I know a couple of the guys out on the Sunshine Tour and I hear from them about how tough it is out there, nothing like shooting a 67 in Monday qualifying only to be told you missed it by 1... Just gotta keep grinding away at it! Good luck for the upcoming events!

 

Have you teed it up with Kevin Rundle, Bryce Bibby, Colin Nel, Michael Hollick, Jared Harvey at all?

Hiya yeah good friends with Colin hollick jarred and Bruce good lads

[ssurrygpro]

Hi Steve. Great idea, nice to get an insight into tour life. How did you get started in golf? When did you turn pro? How much practice time do you tend to put in in an average week? and what would be the one tip you'd give amateur golfers that want to improve?

I have been pro for 11 years,I got started by accident playing against a lad I played football with,he beat me so I started practicing,an average week will consist of 18 holes per day normally having a little bet,couple of hours on the range and some putting and short game work.amateurs don't tend to fully take on board what they are told in a lesson,if you took notes of things in lessons it's great as a reference to look back on in a few weeks time

[ssurrygpro]

Currently I have be working on gaining more power trying to up my swing speed(106 currently )I am trying to up it via gym work and some swing work,

 

Steve,

 

thanks for sharing. What kind of gym work are you doing?

 

Good luck for you on the tour.

I have only started going properly for last few months,I have a friend who is doing his tpi so do some stuff with him,then general work out with squats and dead lifts,am no gym buff lol,

[Boricua Golf]

Steve, hope everything starts turning around for you, best of luck and I will be sending you good vibes, take care...

[Jonesy]

Good luck out there Steve! It's certainly not easy... I know a couple of the guys out on the Sunshine Tour and I hear from them about how tough it is out there, nothing like shooting a 67 in Monday qualifying only to be told you missed it by 1... Just gotta keep grinding away at it! Good luck for the upcoming events!

 

Have you teed it up with Kevin Rundle, Bryce Bibby, Colin Nel, Michael Hollick, Jared Harvey at all?

Hiya yeah good friends with Colin hollick jarred and Bruce good lads

 

Small world! Jarred hits a driver like an absolute machine

[ssurrygpro]

Good luck out there Steve! It's certainly not easy... I know a couple of the guys out on the Sunshine Tour and I hear from them about how tough it is out there, nothing like shooting a 67 in Monday qualifying only to be told you missed it by 1... Just gotta keep grinding away at it! Good luck for the upcoming events!

 

Have you teed it up with Kevin Rundle, Bryce Bibby, Colin Nel, Michael Hollick, Jared Harvey at all?

Hiya yeah good friends with Colin hollick jarred and Bruce good lads

 

Small world! Jarred hits a driver like an absolute machine

Yeah he's a good ball striker

[ssurrygpro]

Just to give you an invite into how many golfers fund some of there expenses here is what I have done,I have a shares system in place selling 200 shares at £100 per share trying to raise £20,000 which cover over 2/3 of my costs for the season.in return the share holders receive %50 of my winnings and a monthly newsletter(each share is worth 0.25% of winnings)share holders also win the chance to play with me and I also try to help with tickets for events etc via my contacts,my aim is to get as many people behind me as possible and give them in insight into life of tour,the ups and the downs and the prolblems that guys that have not made the big time come across during there season,how one good week tap the rite time can change someone's season so dramaticly,also it's insightful for young golfers or parents to see what life is like if you don't have success straight away,the search for sponsors etc.many thanks for the people who have written on this post,I am currently working hard on easing enough cash for my trip to Africa,hoping to have things in place by next few days so I can't start booking things up,slightly differnt pre tournament prep than life on the pga tour,but I love competing at this game