It's a demanding journey, Allenby tells fellow Aussies
Says adjusting to a hectic travel schedule is of critical importance for players from continent to make it in the game
Dubai : Robert Allenby has advised aspiring Australian golfers to be ready for a jetsetter's life "if we're ever going to survive and we're ever going to make it in this game".
Allenby was speaking at the Dubai World Championship, which he led by a stroke after Round One having posted a course-record seven-under-par 65. While Thursday was great going for the 38-year-old Aussie, yesterday his game hit a roadblock and he could only manage par as he posted three birdies that were wiped out with three bogeys. He is still tied second in a group of six and revealed that years of travelling for action to Asia, America and Europe were "definitely tiring", but that they had left him a "wiser and better player".
"I've definitely enjoyed it [playing around the world]. The last couple of months, I've been in Spain, China, then I went back to Florida and now I'm here this week in Dubai. I'm going to be in China again next week and then in South Africa the week after that and then in Australia a week later, so I think for me it's no problem," Allenby said.
Fewer tournaments
"As an Australian, you've always had to learn how to travel and we had to learn how to travel young. If we were ever going to survive and were ever going to make it in this game, we had to go outside of Australia."
The reason, according to him, is a lack of tournaments back home. "I know when I first turned pro about 18 years ago, we had 23-24 tournaments in Australia. Australia was a good tour; it still is a good tour, but we just don't have the tournament numbers we used to have.
"You learn to travel, yeah it's tiring. It's definitely tiring and it takes more of a toll when you get to the age of 38. It was a lot easier when I was 26. I think I'm just wiser now; I know how to recover a lot quicker, and obviously I'm stronger and I'm playing a lot better as well.
"My plan is to do exactly the same thing. Maybe play a few more tournaments on the European Tour. I've really enjoyed coming across and seeing and playing with all of my old friends again. It's definitely been a lot more relaxing; that's for sure. It's been nice."
