The Englishman reveals why he chose travelling the European Tour over staying Stateside on the Korn Ferry
Sam Horsfield On Why The European Tour Makes You A Better Golfer
Two-time European Tour winner Sam Horsfield believes what he’s learned playing around the world has made him a better and more complete golfer.
Sam Horsfield is an Englishman, but he moved to Orlando in America with his family when he was five years old, and attended the University of Florida before turning pro.
He had a big decision to make when he started his journey in the paid ranks, and he told the Filthy Lipout golf podcast that he made the right choice in joining the European Tour.
When asked if playing a more global schedule on the European Tour has made him a better player, he had this to say: “100 per cent. When I turned pro, I remember having a conversation with Terry (Horsfield’s agent and Ian Poulter’s caddie, Terry Mundy) and we were discussing the pros and cons of playing in Europe versus going the Korn Ferry Tour route. I remember one of the main points he made was that you become a more worldwide, complete golfer.
“At the time I was 19 or 20, and I didn’t really understand it. But now, doing it for three or four years, I understand it really well now. I’m getting on an aeroplane and going to play in China one week, and then you’re going to Gran Canaria, you know. So you’re playing with way more elements going on.
“When we played Gran Canaria last week, it was the grainiest grass I’ve ever seen on the greens, and it was paspalum grain – something I’d never seen before. You’re learning how to play on those, then you’ve got 20mph winds. Just different elements, I think, make you become a better player in the long run.”
The 24-year-old won the Hero Open and Celtic Classic in a three-week stretch of last summer’s UK Swing, and he credits his fine form since the resumption after the pandemic shutdown to a newfound perspective on life.
“I feel like ever since the start of Covid last year – I had a back injury in the middle of it – I feel like I’ve been playing really, really solid golf for some reason. I don’t really know what it is, to be honest with you. I’m in a really good head space, I’m just having a great time in life. I’m 24, single, I get to travel the world and play golf. I mean, how hard does it get?
Horsfield’s maiden European Tour title came at the 2020 Hero Open at the Forest of Arden
“When Covid hit, and the world started to see the things that were going on because of it, you get to see the bigger picture of life a little bit, especially at a younger age. I was 23 when everything happened. You know, you get to see that people are struggling, and I get to fly around the world and play golf. If you have a bad week here and there, it’s not a life-or-death situation, whereas some people are (in those situations). I think that helped me a lot.”
Horsfield also talked about a number of other subjects on the Filthy Lipout podcast, including his two European Tour wins, growing up and going to college in America, the importance of playing money games, shooting a 59 at Streamsong and his close relationship with Ian Poulter and his family.
Listen to the full Filthy Lipout episode with Sam Horsfield:
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