Golf is absolutely one of the hardest sports to master so when we hear of someone like Sir Nick Faldo talking of some dark career moments and struggles, it should give the average amateur some sort of solace.
Faldo won six majors in his career including three green jackets and is arguably Britain’s greatest ever golfer.
The Englishman has since departed his playing days into more of an announcing and coaching role and he’s been doing the rounds recently ahead of the British Masters, giving out and sharing his knowledge.
However, Faldo has also been speaking about his own past and history in the game.
And in doing so, he’s opened up what he believes was the toughest time in his career.
Sir Nick Faldo opens up about the ‘dark days’ of his golf career
Speaking to Golf.com’s Claire Rogers, Faldo was openly honest about the struggles he faced in his career and particularly when he was trying to change his swing.
“The low was when I went through my swing change, which was 40 years ago and we started the rebuild and I just went [gestures downwards] like that,” Faldo said.
“I remember sponsors were leaving me and everything and I was busting my you know what and not making cuts or not making any money, that sort of thing. I call those the dark days really.
“It was more getting news that somebody else had pulled out and that sort of thing, only good old Pringle and my famous sweaters stuck with me. So that was tough. I never got completely down or depressed though about it. I kept bashing away, just thought keep going, keep going.
“It wasn’t a day thing or a week or a month, it was two years. I don’t know where I had it, I thank Mum for that determination I guess.”
Nick Faldo proves even the greats have to struggle
All the best players in the world, at some point, will find a period in their career where things just don’t quite go to plan.
We’ve seen Tiger Woods do it, we’ve seen players like Jordan Spieth and others struggle in the modern game, while players like Will Zalatoris are having to completely rebuild their swing due to injury.
Ultimately, golfers go in pursuit of perfection and sometimes that proves to be a nightmare for many.
With Sir Nick Faldo, he is just proof in the pudding that even the very best have to go through some adversity to get back on top.
Looking back, he’ll no doubt see it as a key learning experience. But at the time, he’ll have been hugely frustrated and down about things.
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