Teenager Lewis is following in the footsteps of his father Jamie by being selected for a Guernsey representative side and Blondel junior revealed that he is more than happy to take advice from his pater, as well as learn from having watched the former Channel Island champion at close quarters – along with another family member in cousin Danny – as he prepares to make his inter-insular debut.
‘I speak to my dad a few times about how I can help myself around the course, keep myself positive and speaking to others and it’s also good watching what they did in previous matches,’ said Lewis.
‘It should be fun to make my debut against Jersey.’
In the knowledge that he was set to make his debut, the Blondels paid a visit to La Moye during the summer holidays and while it was Lewis’ first experience of the St Brelade course, he took to it.
‘I’ve only played it once, but it was pretty nice, a pretty fun course, so it should be good.
‘It’s a little bit longer – you’re a little bit more free to miss in some places.’
As a newcomer, he also reported that news of teammate Josh Neville’s selection for the Island men’s side and the form of other more-established players gives the rest of them an injection of confidence.
‘It gives us a big boost knowing that Josh is playing well, people like Alex [Mills] playing well. It gives us a huge boost going in against Jersey,’ Lewis said.
Dad Jamie will be on hand in Jersey as Guernsey’s assistant team manager and who better for any of the players to turn to if they need any advice than someone who has been there and done that with great success.
He described the mood in the camp as ‘really good’ as they aim to regain the trophy.
‘They’ve been chomping at the bit for about three or four weeks now, literally since we named the team. They’re all desperate to play, which is brilliant,’ said Blondel senior.
‘They’re also in good form as well and they’re all down here constantly practising, chipping and putting and hitting balls and getting out on the course and playing a lot, which is great.
‘So it’s just getting them over there now and getting them used to playing La Moye. I know some of them have played La Moye quite a lot of times. Others it will be only their second or third, just getting used to the course and the conditions because obviously with the rain we’ve had over the last couple of weeks, it’s changed courses in the Channel Islands a lot.
‘Just letting them go out and enjoy it really, that’s the main thing. That’s what they’ve got to do – just enjoy the experience.’
Jamie added that playing for your island in a sporting inter-insular is ‘massive’ for anyone and while it brings a different type of pressure, especially in a sport that is usually an individual affair, it is something that he will encourage the youngsters to embrace.
‘Some of them, certainly the ones that are making their debut, will really kind of notice that probably when they stand on the first tee on Saturday afternoon and all of a sudden it will kind of hit them.
‘It’s an amazing feeling and it’s a nervous feeling, but that’s how it should be. You’ve got to go with that and make the most of it... pressure’s a privilege.’
He added that even if those first-tee nerves have an adverse effect on players in the early stage of their matches, history shows they can turn things around.
‘It’s matchplay and that’s the beauty of it. Don’t worry if you get off to a horrendous start, even through five or six holes, you’ve still got a long way to go before the match is over.
‘The final message will be there’s nothing to lose, just go out and enjoy it, play your best, don’t get down on yourselves. If you hit a bad shot, it’s one shot, that’s all. Literally just go shot for shot, hole for hole, and see what happens at the end. They’ve just got to go out, relax and enjoy – enjoy playing in it.’
Looking a bit further ahead, Blondel senior believes the future is bright for Guernsey golf and having the likes of Neville playing in both junior and full inter-insulars this month will have a positive knock-on effect.
‘I think having a junior in the men’s team is great. For the rest of them to see that Josh has pushed on and got in the men’s team can only inspire them to do the same over the next year – two, three, four years really.
‘The strength and depth of junior golf over here now is phenomenal really. When thinking back to years where even if you were a 12-14 handicap, there was a chance you’d get in, now you have to be single figure and pretty low to get in the junior side, which I certainly haven’t seen for many years. That is great and it’s great for Guernsey golf going forward.
‘Driving each other on is the whole beauty of it, and you’ve seen over the years with various groups or years that you get a few to play well, and then you want to beat your mates and you want to get lower than them.
‘It just inspires each other and can only do them good, without them actually realising how much good it’s doing them.’
The Guernsey team were trying to arrange alternative travel yesterday after their flight was cancelled.due to fog.
