The stress and strain is starting to tell on everyone

BEING part of European Tour life normally sounds like a glamorous occupation.

But in these days of behind-closeddoors events, the sound of silence is what echoes most clearly across the fairways.

The topography of the courses are the same and the names of tournaments don’t change, but it’s hard to be spellbound by sport without fans.

Yes, some of the golf on show during the Tour’s stay in the

UK has been fantastic, but gallery-free drama doesn’t carry the same appeal.

Manuel Lanzini’s arrowed equaliser for West Ham against Spurs on Sunday was staggering, but it was in an empty stadium.

Imagine the same moment i n front of a packed arena, with a racket of real gasps and cheers as a backdrop. It doesn’t compare.

With Covid-19 restrictions in full flow again, European Tour life looks destined to exist within a strict bubble for the foreseeable.

It isn’t for everyone.

Ian Poulter has called for some latitude in the protocols, while Jordan Smith recently withdrew from the Andalucia Masters citing ‘bubble fatigue’. I can’t blame him.

In normal times, I’d be working as an on-course commentator, but I have spent all my recent weeks on the ground as a professional at the KClub.

It has been a very different routine for me, but an emotionally rewarding one. It has renewed my love for golf.

Unfortunately, with new lockdown levels starting to bite, it has really hit home how crucial sport, pastimes and escapism are for mental health.

At the K-club we have many members aged 70 or over who are still fit and healthy enough to tee it up.

But the recent Dublin lockdown prevented them from coming to the course and for some it had a huge effect on their general wellbeing.

A ‘weekend golfer’ plays primarily for the social aspect and having that (socially distanced) interaction is crucial to their mental health.

We all face personal challenges at the moment and it’s a fair bet 2020 has made most of us reevaluate and question the meaning of life.

I’ve come to realise that shared experiences are key to a healthy existence and a day at the course has gone a long way to helping a large number of people survive the past few months.

I’m fully aware of the public health threat of Covid-19, but I’ve always felt golf club members living a short distance from their home course should be allowed to play.

No food, no drink, just socially distanced access to four hours of golf.

If it helps mental health and eases the sense of isolation in a controlled open air environment, I struggle to see the harm.

Jordan Smith cited ‘bubble fatigue’ as a clear problem