Bill Elliott
It is, as someone once said, the soaring hope, the fevered expectation, that kills you in the end. Well, I’m still here, although disappointment flies through my bones like some unwelcome and irritated alien.
Why? Well, a few days ago I had a tee time to play golf with my sons at Goodwood. Big deal? Yes, for me it was. I’ve played one round this year at the end of March. I was awful. Rather, my right knee was awful, the pain severe as bone scraped on bone.
I knew this was to be my temporary swansong as I was booked in to have a TKR on April 6 (that’s a Total Knee Replacement by the way). You don’t get anywhere in the medical world if you’re not up to scratch on acronyms, a bit like LOD (Line Of Duty, pay attention at the back). Towards the end of June I had to have a MUA (Manipulation Under Anaesthetic, c’mon, you must be getting into this by now) to try to improve the flex. You may have heard the yelp.
Glory be it worked and though the joint is still on the sore side of pleasant, I felt ready to return to the fairway. Anyway, the day before this round, the weather forecast turned bleakly nasty. Not just heavy rain but thunder and stuff. When you’ve got as much metal in your body as I have – my left knee was replaced 18 years ago thanks to TMR, Too Much Rugby – this is weather to studiously avoid.
This is not the worst thing to happen to me so far on my camel’s journey through the desert of life but, still, it was a bit hard to take. What the last 18 months have shown to us is that when we’re prevented from doing lots of things we have taken for granted over many years it is the simpler stuff that we miss the most. Golf, while technically quite complex, has been one of my simpler joys. I’m sure you’re the same.
I’m now scheduled to rejoin the lads in a few days time to have another go. TBF – To Be Fair – I have managed to hit 50 balls at a practice range in between times. Of these balls, 38 were almost shanked, seven were topped and five were hit H-D (Halfdecently). This is not encouraging, but I still want to get out there and malfunction in the fresh air.
What the last few months have made me realise again is the determined, solitary journey through rehab pain that all athletes must undergo following injury. Towards the top of this list is, of course, Tiger Woods. The Great One has endured a long experience of rehab for many issues over the years, but he admits that this latest series is more painfully challenging than anything he has ever had to go through.
Right now his goal is to walk more or less properly again. Playing elite level competitive golf once more is sure to be on his mind but is not, at this point, a target. If anyone can achieve maximum recovery from that car crash then it is Tiger. His body may be weakened, but he retains the strongest mind I have ever witnessed in pro sport and, no matter how many skilled physios you have helping, the hardest yards of rehab must be undertaken alone.
Elsewhere, no one, surely, was surprised to see Jon Rahm win his first Major at the US Open. The Spaniard’s ability has been obvious. What has been questioned is his ability to withstand the slings and arrows of misfortune and the errors that attack everyone who has a chance of such a win. In the past his volatility has crushed him, but at this US Open he finally found a way to embrace the fluctuating challenge and use it as inspiration and not an excuse for failure. TTFN (work that one out for yourself).
“Golf, while technically quite complex, has been one of my simpler joys”