Sharing the Wentworth stage with the likes of Gareth Bale, Ollie Pope and Michael McIntyre, as well as some of the world's best golfers, Sky Sports golf producer Josh Mugridge details the highs - and the putting lows - of his 18 holes round Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am
Thursday 19 September 2024 17:16, UK
What is it like to brush shoulders with the likes of Gareth Bale, Ollie Pope, Michael McIntyre and some of the world's best golfers? Sky Sports golf producer Josh Mugridge was lucky enough to do just that as he took part in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth...
I arrived at the golf course, pulled up in the car park and straight away there was Ben Foster and Troy Deeney, taking the mickey out of each other.
I got a lift down to the clubhouse on a buggy, wandered in for a fry-up and ended up sitting on a table with Jamie George, Ben Earl and Ollie Pope - it was all, frankly, a little bit bizarre.
Dan Walker was in there too, Michael McIntyre making people laugh. I was about to make people laugh too - but in a slightly different way, with some of my golf shots!
I think I was more excited than nervous when I woke up - albeit a little bit tired too. I'd only had five hours' sleep, having come home early from a lads' holiday in Turkey where sleep was, let's say, optional.
I'd secured my place at the Pro-Am as part of the Golf Foundation's 'Unleash Your Drive' competition, which raises funds to try and get golf into every school in the country.
You play back in May, with the best 30 scores getting to play at Wentworth in the final, from which only the top three qualify for the Pro-Am, with my second-placed finish securing my spot alongside Jamie Jameson and Jess Pilgrim
The three of us got a bus out to the par-three 10th, which was our starting hole, where we met our pro Harry Hall.
Harry is one of the best people we could have asked to spend the day with, and his caddie. They were so great, so relaxed.
I decided Jamie was going to go first off the tee because I didn't fancy being the first one to hit.
I hit a six-iron to around 15 feet, but, on the 11th tee, I sent a ball way right and had to shout 'fore' for the first time. That's when you really notice how many people there are.
That's what I was most nervous about, hitting someone in the crowd. I'm a bit wayward with my driver sometimes, so I was worried about taking someone out off the tee!
After sending yet another one right at the 13th, I was blaming the wind at this point.
At the 14th, I stopped and had myself a steak sandwich that was available on that tee, while the only other thing I remember from that hole is we had an absolutely rapid putt, which gave you great respect for the tour players and how unbelievably good they are at judging speed.
My judging of speed wasn't exactly great all day.
On the 17th green, after earlier hitting a stone-cold top with my second from 380 yards - which provided some serious entertainment to the group of people watching - I hit just as bad a putt.
Harry's caddie told me it was uphill - 'trust me, I know it doesn't look it, so give it a chance' he said.
I certainly gave it a chance, managing to not only get it to the hole but see it roll past it and off the front of the green - much to their amusement.
Then it was to the famous 18th, a hole you've seen growing up - Nick Faldo's shot there to win in 1989, Alex Noren's unbelievable iron shot in 2017, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood battling it out in 2011 for world No 1 going down there. All these things you're thinking of.
I hit a good drive and then a five-iron straight at the flag. My eyesight is a bit rubbish, so I couldn't see if I had got it all the way there… that is until I received my first proper golf clap of the day from the grandstand.
It was an incredible experience. There was Peter Crouch and Steve Sidwell watching on from the hospitality boxes while I'm trying to putt for an eagle - knowing full well, that on my holiday in Turkey, I had a bet with one of the lads that if I holed an eagle, I'd jump in the ditch. That was very much in my mind.
Then, as we walked off the green and down the stairs - I'm a massive Spurs fan - stood there was Gareth Bale. I asked for a quick picture and he duly obliged for me and my sister. He is, by absolute miles, the best player I've ever seen at Spurs, so it was great to meet him and add that to our day.
My sister Hollie was my caddie for the day. We have been going to Wentworth to watch the Pro-Am since we were kids, so it was special to have her there, for her to be part of it.
As we made our way round the front nine, the eighth hole was probably the highlight of the day on the golf course.
I didn't realise when I first hit a shot with my wedge… but then, suddenly, there was a group of three or four people shouting 'go in'. Harry also started saying, 'that's got a chance'.
I'm there frozen, watching on as it so nearly drops in, grazing the edge of the hole. A four-foot putt to follow… only for me to hit it way too hard!
Again, cue more mocking of my putting ability. Fair.
We ended up finishing second in the afternoon wave, which was great and won a nice Sonos speaker each. But first prize was a BMW for three months - so my missed putts proved quite costly to the team!
Tommy Fleetwood's foursome containing Spider-Man Tom Holland, and his twin brothers, ended up registering the best score of the day on 31 under.
But what an experience. I picked up a couple of freebies along the way, a new set of golf shoes, a J Lindeberg hat, a yardage book and some golf balls - a nice bonus, six extra balls for me to lose! There was also a caddie bib, with my name on it. It was all a bit surreal.
You never really think you'll ever get to do something like this and I'll likely never do it again. It's one of the best experiences I've ever had.
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