Steen Tinning is looking forward to taking on ‘the challenge’ of the Duke’s Course at Woburn Golf Club for this week’s Travis Perkins Masters.
The Dane will begin his tournament at 11.25am on Friday August 31 as a high-quality field vies for glory at the stunning Bedfordshire venue.
Large crowds are expected at Woburn for the first day’s play as the ‘Free Friday’ initiative takes place. As part of Travis Perkins’ 15-year association with the Staysure Tour, all public admission charges will be waived on Friday with the option of instead donating to Prostate Cancer UK, the official charity partner of the tournament.
Tinning believes the Travis Perkins Masters is one of the best events on the Staysure Tour and is looking forward to carefully navigating the testing Duke’s Course over the weekend.
“It is a great event,” he said. “It’s one of our favourite events and, besides Denmark, probably the one with the most spectators.
“The course is good. With the hot weather we’ve had, the fairways are having some issues but how can you not with the weather we’ve had. I’m looking forward to a good week. It’s always a fun course to play, very difficult, tough to score on and it’s always a challenge.
“I think you’ve got to take advantage of the par fives, but you have to drive the ball well. It’s a driver’s golf course because you have to put the ball on the fairway. It’s so easy to make a double bogey anywhere on this golf course, so you must put it on the fairway.
“You’ve got to shape the ball on a lot of these holes, so if you’re uncomfortable with that shape this week, it’s a very difficult golf course to play. You’ve got to hit form at the right time to play well here.”
The 55 year old is feeling confident with how his golf is currently shaping up, citing the mental side of the game as his area for improvement.
“I think my game is looking alright, it’s more the mental side that is not looking okay,” said Tinning. “I’m working on it and trying to stay more even on the course.
“I want to hit the shots and go on and play the next one, not getting caught up in it so much, as I have been.”
Just over 500 miles away at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club, Tinning’s son, Nicolai, opened with a three under par 69 at Made In Denmark earlier on Thursday.
Tinning Snr was pleased with his son’s opening round in his homeland and has his sights set on two strong showings over the weekend – one at Woburn, and one in Denmark.
“He had a really good start and I was really pleased to see he only made two bogeys today to shoot a good 69 because he’s a bit wild sometimes,” he said.
“He makes a lot of birdies and eagles, as well as bogeys and double bogeys! It’s a really good sign and I’ve told him many times that he’s capable of playing out there on the European Tour. It’s up to him if he wants to make it.
“It’s a great week for him and I’m happy he won the tournament a couple of weeks ago to get into Made In Denmark, so his form is really continuing.”
Joining Tinning at the Travis Perkins Masters is 1991 Masters Tournament Champion Ian Woosnam, last week’s Willow Senior Golf Classic winner Peter Fowler and reigning Travis Perkins Masters champion Philip Golding.
Play will begin at 8.45am on Friday August 31, with Woburn member John Kemp, Gordon J Brand and Brendan McGovern playing in the first group.
