I’d like to thank Andy Murray for giving me an idea of a career change after curling!
Andy has said that he likes the idea of becoming a golf caddie when he’s finished with tennis and I must admit it does sound quite appealing.
Caddies come from all different types of backgrounds but I can definitely see that having another athlete helping you in big moments could be a real advantage.
I’d like to think I have a pretty good grasp on the game of golf from playing it to a high amateur standard and I’ve certainly got plenty of experience of having to make a big shot under pressure in curling.
So much of top level sport is getting your mind right.
It would take a very strong person to have Andy Murray on the bag, mind you!
Apart from anything else, can you imagine the attention that would come with it?
On the other hand, you wouldn’t have any problem attracting sponsors!
I actually would quite like to try caddying in a tournament while I’m still competing in curling – getting a close-up view of how golfers cope in their environment would be intriguing.
I’ve played in pro-ams with the likes of Brooks Koepka and Brooke Henderson but being between the ropes when a tournament gets really serious and the stakes are high would be something else entirely.
This must read like a job application – but I won’t be giving up curling anytime soon!
It will be my last column written in Scotland for a while.
Flying around the world has been part of my life for so long but it’s now well over a year since I left country.
Next Wednesday, though, we’re off on our travels at last to join up with the Calgary curling bubble.
Just planning the trip has shown how much has changed – the Edinburgh to Amsterdam flight we would have taken has been cancelled for starters.
You wouldn’t want to know how many forms I’ve filled in and apps I’ve downloaded and I’m sure it’s going to be a strange experience going through quiet airports that were packed the last time I was there.
And when we get to Calgary via Toronto we’ll have a strict three-day quarantine before we can go into our team and tournament bubble.
Can’t wait!!👇 🇨🇦 https://t.co/ZhwGEU8Ax7
— Eve Muirhead MBE (@evemuirhead) March 29, 2021
I’ll certainly have no problem finding the time to write next week’s column, that’s for sure!
I’m not fazed at all by the flying/coronavirus thing but I must admit there is an element of sporting apprehension.
Athletes like to be in control of where our own game is and have a pretty good idea of how our rivals are performing.
But you can’t be sure of either at the moment.
I don’t think any teams will have been able to put in as many hours of practice over the last year as we have but we haven’t got any familiarity with ice conditions other than at the curling academy (and a frozen pond!) and the Canadian teams have had their national championships recently.
I’ll speak about the tournament schedule more next week but if ever there is an event where we’ll go easy on ourselves if we don’t get the result we want it will be the first one in well over a year.
It does almost feel like starting out again and, when you put the apprehension to one side, that is really exciting.
