Ten years? Is it really a decade since Severiano Ballesteros Sota was finally overwhelmed by the brain cancer that brought such a rich life to so premature an end? He was 54 years and 29 days old when he died.
Of course, we had already lost him as a competitive golfer, his retirement from the old game also premature because of his neverending back problems, his announcement in the media center during The Open week at Carnoustie offering a sad preview to the 2007 Championship.
He told me on that afternoon in Scotland that while he obviously regretted leaving the jousting fields, he looked forward to continued involvement in golf, to designing courses, to promoting the game, to leadership and inspiration and motivation as well as, occasionally, to being a bit of a rascal, of the loveable kind, while enthusiastically remaining a maverick.
Instead, he was diagnosed with brain tumours. It was a seriously cruel irony that one of the most creative minds ever to embrace golf turned out to be the cradle for what destroyed him. Not that Seve railed against this too much, consoling those of us who cared deeply for him by repeatedly stressing that he had enjoyed “a wonderful life and a journey he would not change”. He didn’t want us to feel sorry for him, but we did. We also felt sorry for ourselves.
Is it Time for the Presidents Cup to Be Scrapped? - The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue?
The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue? Why would anyone even suggest such a drastic course of action? It may sound harsh, but since the inaugural event in 1994, the International team has managed just one victory and one tie while the American team has won 12 times, including nine straight from 2005. It is 26 years since the International team's solitary success in 1998 at Royal Melbourne under the captaincy of the late Peter Thomson.
Surprise packages
Jeremy Ellwood looks back on some of the more unusual golfing countries he has visited during his 20+ years writing for Golf Monthly
TAKE YOUR IRON GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL
The key to good iron play is finding the right low point in your swing. Here's how to do it...
How to organise the perfect golf day
Golf Monthly's guide to arranging and running a memorable and successful event
A LEGEND
Michael Weston makes a pilgrimage to Pedrena in Spain to visit Seve's family home and talk about his life and legacy with his children
"THESE ARE THE MOMENTS I LIVE FOR"
Alison Root sits down for a chat with Anna Nordqvist, the three-time Major Champion and first playing assistant captain in Solheim Cup history
SCALING NEW HEIGHTS
The Solheim Cup seems to grow in significance and excitement with every staging, and this year's encounter in Virginia promises to be no exception...
STOKE PARK
I never expected to write about Stoke Park again after its closure in 2021, but it seems reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated.
PEAK AT THE OF HIS POWERS
Scottie Scheffler is a remarkable golfer who is well on his way to becoming an all-time great. Michael Weston analyses his accomplishments and explores his life to date...
TaylorMade P7CB and P770 irons from £179 per club
Adding to an extremely strong 2024 product line-up, TaylorMade has launched its latest irons in the successful P-Series - the P7CB and the P770.