You know what's John doing (3): Steve Essex
Whenever we get the chance we ask tournament alums three simple questions. Here are Steve's answers:
# 1: My Name is Steve Essex. I am 27 years old and have played in the SM event in 2006/2007/2008, and was tournament referee in 2009. I now assist Val in organising the event, and run the UK qualifier out of the University of Warwick. The inaugural UK event was in 2009, with the 2nd event taking place on March 29th-30th, 2010 @ the Forest of Arden GC. 18 teams are playing.
I now work as a post-doctoral researcher designing new high temperature ultrasonic transducers applicable to power plants, having completed an MPhys degree and a PhD in Physics from 2001-2009.
# 2: My University golf career spanned 8 seasons from 2001/02 through to 2008/09, where I achieved my Warwick golf ambition and played in the BUCS Premier League in the final season. I managed 99 BUSA/BUCS matches in total! I particularly enjoy beating people from Birmingham University, did I ever tell you about the time I played Jason Palmer?
There have been far too many highlights to mention them all, but here's a few: Students Matchplay being one (see #3); one match vs. Staffordshire Uni in 2003 involved our team shirts being stolen, a car breakdown, 6 of us sharing a double bed, and being attacked at a cash point by a psycho woman and her boyfriend who was 6 feet 4 and didn't wear shoes; Giblin's Irish accent in Belfast; Facing near death in Falinski's car on the way to Durham in 2005; Tom Donneky's winning putt vs. Worcester (the scream of the dying mongoose); UWGC's 'Club of the Year' and 'Team of the Year' titles at Warwick in 2007 and 2008; our first premier league game vs Lincoln; a verbal altercation with 'Slow Joe' of UEA; Giblin's 'handshake' vs Northampton; Tyler's shot heard round the world;....... I really could go on.
Needless to say I've loved every single minute of my involvement with the golf club at Warwick, and it fully justified me doing a PhD just so I could play more University golf. Have met so many great people, and James Pearson too.
# 3: Students Matchplay 2006. It's the final. Warwick v Ingolstadt. Drew 2-2. Playoff. Though I lost to Johannes 2&1 in my game, it was probably the best match I'd ever played in. Out in 3 under and only 1up, parred the next 5 holes and I was 1 down... Warwick stuck me in the playoff, vs Johannes, and my best SM shot has to be my opening tee shot in the playoff on the 10th. To be honest I was quite nervous, everyone was there for the climax of the first Students Matchplay, including Frank Thonig the golf manager at Wittelsbacher. He shook my hand before the playoff, and I'm not going to lie, it really hurt. The man is so strong. But, despite my now debilitated hand, I minted my 4 wood close to 300 yards, and I haven't been anywhere near hitting that far since.
Perhaps my favourite SM shot was on the next hole, playing the 18th as the 2nd playoff hole having halved the 10th in pars. Out came the driver and I blocked it 50 yards right into the heart of the 17th fairway. Ben Falinski, caddying for me at the time, instructed the gathering crowd that was our tactic all along as it gave the best angle in. I'm pretty sure they bought it, with three people saying it was a tactically astute move later that evening during the players night, adding they would have never considered such a tee shot.
Rest assured, it was a block.
# 1: My Name is Steve Essex. I am 27 years old and have played in the SM event in 2006/2007/2008, and was tournament referee in 2009. I now assist Val in organising the event, and run the UK qualifier out of the University of Warwick. The inaugural UK event was in 2009, with the 2nd event taking place on March 29th-30th, 2010 @ the Forest of Arden GC. 18 teams are playing.
I now work as a post-doctoral researcher designing new high temperature ultrasonic transducers applicable to power plants, having completed an MPhys degree and a PhD in Physics from 2001-2009.
# 2: My University golf career spanned 8 seasons from 2001/02 through to 2008/09, where I achieved my Warwick golf ambition and played in the BUCS Premier League in the final season. I managed 99 BUSA/BUCS matches in total! I particularly enjoy beating people from Birmingham University, did I ever tell you about the time I played Jason Palmer?
There have been far too many highlights to mention them all, but here's a few: Students Matchplay being one (see #3); one match vs. Staffordshire Uni in 2003 involved our team shirts being stolen, a car breakdown, 6 of us sharing a double bed, and being attacked at a cash point by a psycho woman and her boyfriend who was 6 feet 4 and didn't wear shoes; Giblin's Irish accent in Belfast; Facing near death in Falinski's car on the way to Durham in 2005; Tom Donneky's winning putt vs. Worcester (the scream of the dying mongoose); UWGC's 'Club of the Year' and 'Team of the Year' titles at Warwick in 2007 and 2008; our first premier league game vs Lincoln; a verbal altercation with 'Slow Joe' of UEA; Giblin's 'handshake' vs Northampton; Tyler's shot heard round the world;....... I really could go on.
Needless to say I've loved every single minute of my involvement with the golf club at Warwick, and it fully justified me doing a PhD just so I could play more University golf. Have met so many great people, and James Pearson too.
# 3: Students Matchplay 2006. It's the final. Warwick v Ingolstadt. Drew 2-2. Playoff. Though I lost to Johannes 2&1 in my game, it was probably the best match I'd ever played in. Out in 3 under and only 1up, parred the next 5 holes and I was 1 down... Warwick stuck me in the playoff, vs Johannes, and my best SM shot has to be my opening tee shot in the playoff on the 10th. To be honest I was quite nervous, everyone was there for the climax of the first Students Matchplay, including Frank Thonig the golf manager at Wittelsbacher. He shook my hand before the playoff, and I'm not going to lie, it really hurt. The man is so strong. But, despite my now debilitated hand, I minted my 4 wood close to 300 yards, and I haven't been anywhere near hitting that far since.
Perhaps my favourite SM shot was on the next hole, playing the 18th as the 2nd playoff hole having halved the 10th in pars. Out came the driver and I blocked it 50 yards right into the heart of the 17th fairway. Ben Falinski, caddying for me at the time, instructed the gathering crowd that was our tactic all along as it gave the best angle in. I'm pretty sure they bought it, with three people saying it was a tactically astute move later that evening during the players night, adding they would have never considered such a tee shot.
Rest assured, it was a block.
posted by Orga-Team at
2:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home