Injuries cast cloud over bright new season

Mar 4 2008 by Richard Williamson, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID SHACKLADY is hoping recurring injury problems do not undermine a season so rich in promise.

The 40-year-old Ormskirk professional has been plagued by back and knee strains, but is determined to make the most of a year which will be capped by an appearance at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May.

The European Tour event is one of a number of opportunities for the Mossock Hall-attached player, courtesy of his success in winning the PGA North Region Order of Merit and his fifth place finish at the end of season PGA Play-offs.

He also has invites to the FirstPlus Wales Challenge, the Challenge of Ireland and the Scottish Challenge, all tournaments on the European Challenge Tour, with the possibility of others to come.

Shacklady also has an exemption onto the EuroPro Tour while his appearance in last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie has earned him a place in final qualifying for this year’s Open at Royal Birkdale.

It all adds up to an exciting season in prospect but first Shacklady must juggle his new opportunities with his regular commitment to the ‘bread and butter’ of his life as a tournament professional on the PGA North Region calendar, as well as finding the best way to cope with his troublesome back and knee worries.

Clashing dates means Shacklady is still not sure how his calendar for the year will develop, but he has plenty of sympathy for the event organisers, having been involved in the running of the Exel Tour for the past two seasons before its closure.

“The PGA North Region events have always been my week to week way of making a living and doing well on the north’s order of merit is important to me, so I will have to see how the dates stack up,” he explained. “I can understand why dates sometimes clash because everyone is looking for event sponsors or available courses and sometimes there are only certain times when these come together.”

However he hopes to play in some early EuroPro Tour events to help sharpen his play ahead of the prestigious trip to Wentworth.

Shacklady also recognises that travelling further afield for longer tournaments increases the cost of taking part – and must be weighed against the prospects of returning to his family with a decent profit.

“Prize money on events on the EuroPro Tour is very top heavy and while the leading few can do very well out of it, further down the field you can grind through the tournament with very little to show for it,” he added. “One of the things we tried on the Exel Tour was to get a spread of prize money.

“I understand that these events are also about giving player invaluable experience, often playing under pressure. But the achievement of returning home with a worthwhile cheque for your efforts is also something that breeds confidence. The first time you pick up a cheque is something you always remember as a professional. You don’t want to dishearten players from believing they can make a living from the game.”

Shacklady has, at least, started the season with a victory – even though his back problem flared up again in Portugal, where he claimed the Lancashire PGA Overseas Pro-Am.

“I must admit if I had been closer to home I doubt I would have finished the event,” said Shacklady, “but having gone all the way over there I was determined to get through. Thankfully it does not look like I have done any lasting damage and I am hoping a mixture of treatment and rest will help.”

Shacklady admitted he had to customise his swing to cope with the injury worries.

“I have had a problem with my left knee and wear a brace to offer support when I am not playing golf,” he said. “Perhaps in being aware of that, I have done things differently which has put pressure on my back.

“In the past I have been troubled in the shoulder area, but this was much lower. I felt it go on the first tee of the second round. After three holes I did not see how I could carry on.

“But I muddled on, helped by the fact that we had buggies to get round and that there were other people playing in my team who had gone to Portugal for a good holiday.

“I felt pain with every shot, and was probably 80 to 90 yards shorter off the tee. But I had a couple of birdies early on so I pressed on, no doubt helped by the good start. When I sneezed or coughed it would hurt, but for the next day I found that by tieing a couple of belts round me I could restrict the pain. So I decided to keep nudging it round and on the last day I was just looking to finish as high as I could.

“But then I birdied the 11th, hit a driver and a three wood to a par five over water to set up an eagle and then had birdies at 15, 17 and 18. I got to four under for the tournament and had won by four shots after starting the day three behind! No-one was more surprised than me.”

Shacklady is hoping that return visits to his regular osteopath in Southport will help find a more comfortable route to victory for the rest of the season.

“Considering what I do for a living, she has always told me my mobility is shocking and I have hamstrings like guitar strings,” he added, “but hopefully with the right advice I can get things moving again.”