I spotted the headline “Lucas Herbert holds steady in wind for one-shot victory in Bermuda” just before I started typing this blog and I was delighted to see that the Australian had won his first event on the PGA Tour, just months after claiming victory in the Irish Open. Seeing some of the headlines and tweets I was aware that weather conditions had been less than ideal for much for the event, with winds reaching record speeds.
This shows how bad it got on Sunday, when the hooter was blown to suspend play:
The @Bermuda_Champ has been suspended due to inclement weather. ☔️
Check the Weather Hub presented by @Travelers for the latest.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 31, 2021
It was the constant wind that the players talked about, right from the first drive on Thursday morning. I had an opportunity to play that course ten years ago, when I was visiting a friend in Bermuda. Needless to say I jumped at the chance. When the pro was getting my clubs and cart ready he said, “Good luck – it’s like a hurricane out there!”
He was right! Even the thicker-than-usual flag poles were bending in the wind! Fortunately it was mid-July and it was almost 30oC, so it was pleasant, but nevertheless I was glad I’d packed lots of spare balls! I thoroughly enjoyed my round – the highlight being the par 3 16th hole at the cliff-edge.
This was my only par of the day – but it felt like a hole in one after some of the scores I’d accumulated in the previous holes!
Getting back to the serious side of my blog, the pros had to contend with some serious wind over the weekend in Bermuda, so I thought it would be useful to share a video of Royal County Down’s Reeve Whitson share his tips for driving in the wind.
And in case you were wondering, yes – they do wear Bermuda shorts in Bermuda – with knee socks!
