I went in for my operation on the 8th December to Sheffield at the Thornbury Hospital on a cancelation which was a great relief to get it sorted this quickly and hopefully not miss to much of next season., so thank you to everyone there,it was actually a pleasure to stay.

The operation I'm told was a success, they basically shaved the disc down to take it off the sciatic nerve, so I spent three days in hospital and the last seven days in bed at home, I'm now walking around albeit a little gingerly and the back is still very sore, although a little trip to the doctors today to find out it was infected it's nothing that some antibiotics shouldn't cure in the next week hopefully!

I have another appointment with the consultant on January 3rd, I will get a better idea of how long I will be out for and hopefully then I can start the phsyio and the road to recovery, it's going to be a long winter but it will be nice to play pain free golf for the first time in 18 months and one I'm really looking forward to, it's been hard watching everybody going through tour school and some good friends earning their tour cards for 2012 but really has made me miss the game and certainly competing, even more so shown that it really is possible to get that tour card.

I can't wait to get back playing, I'm even watching golf on television every Thursday through to Sunday!!

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a great festive period and a even better 2012, also a big congratulations to all who gained their tour cards for next year.

Sam