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Roberto Van Heugten

Roberto Van Heugten, emerging writer with many publications to his credit, writes of game on the pages of Italy4golf, in the column "Lost balls in Italy".
The narrative is different: in fact, in its pages it speaks of sport, but above all of territories and hospitality.

The importance of a Golf clinic

LOST BALLS IN ITALY – DI ROBERTO VAN HEUGTEN

When you spend your time jogging along golf courses observing, as I do, a complex of factors, such as the beauty of the course and its surroundings, the services that complete the experience, the territory, the traditions, the kitchen and the hospitality… the quality of played golf might drop in the background.

Month by month, year after year, the happiness of turning everygame on an unknown course into a miniature golf holiday slowly makes space for a little disappointment, caused by a not so brilliant game performance.

I have never given in to the flatteries of the pros. They ask you to take part in the Pro-Am, they invite you to enroll in the golf clinic of that course in New Caledonia – discarding 98% of the available wallets – or in your club, subtracting the pleasure of a trip out of town. When they see you hesitating, they try to sweeten the pill by dressing up a promotional day as a group lesson, during which it is highly unlikely to achieve the slightest improvement in technique.

What to do then?

Well, the answer has always been simple to me. On the left shoulder, the one that controls the primary grip, there’s sitting an angel: “Give up, Roberto, do a clinic…”

On the right shoulder, the one that instead contributes to the slices, there is always a furious devil who repeats: “Do not care, think about walking on the course, and drink a good beer at the end of the game …” implying, with these words, “have fun and save money”.

It will be because I don’t believe so much, it will be because “The devil wears Prada” – what does it has to do with this?!? – the fact is that I have always agreed with the right shoulder.

But not this time!

Anno Domini 2022, your ball squanderer said yes.

So, I joined a fantastic group heading towards the Tuscan Maremma in search of technique and well-played golf, and I must admit that the devil of the right shoulder turned out to be a low-league lout, since in just four days of intense golf I saw a clear improvement in all sections of the game.

What was missing, in my opinion? (And here the Italy4Golf proposal turns out to be useful).

The territory where we stayed during that long weekend offers a lot off the greens. It is a shame not to be able to discover its wonders, choosing a program that includes historical and enogastronomic excursions, that is possible only if the sport+tourism combination is promoted and carried out by specialists from the chosen destinations.

There is a lot to do on the golf course, during a clinic, that’s for sure. But the free time from golfclubs and balls deserves a lot of insights.

I really think that if one day I will give up again to the words of the angel, always on the grip shoulder, I will suggest to the Pro this interesting collaboration method.

See you at the next tee.

RvH

Roberto Van Heugten
Italy4golf Italian Ambassador
buonavita.me

Italy4golf, Lost Balls in Italy

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