My hospital drama in America

I'LL try not to make this read too much like a script from an episode of Casualty but it's going to be difficult.

Because almost since I finished my last column, recalling a weekend spent playing on a fantastic course in glorious weather alongside Ernie Els and Tiger Woods,­ I've had something of a medical nightmare.

After Dubai, I had a much-anticipated trip to the Titleist Performance Institute (pictured below) in California, hoping to get my equipment matched exactly to my own body and swing characteristics.

You see, there's custom-fitting and there's custom-fitting. What they do out there is pretty incredible and I'd heard just how good it was ­ if having the right equipment only saves me a shot in each tournament, it will be worth it.

I've played with Titleist kit for many years now, right back to when I was a leading amateur, and am delighted to be continuing with them because it is, of course, fantastic gear and a great company to be involved with.

So I arrived with my coach Kristian in good spirits, buoyed by Dubai and looking forward to the week, which was to end with some work at the amazing IMG Academy at Bradenton in Florida.

The club-fitting part of the adventure was on the Monday and it all went very well. A nice meal at night rounded off a good start to the trip.

Then it started to unravel. I woke up in the middle of the night and felt distinctly unwell. I was sick two or three times and barely got a wink of sleep after that.

The next morning I told Kristian there was no way we could go ahead with the planned visit to the TPI. I was just too unwell.

I would have been wired up to computers to paint a picture
of how my body and swing work together in what is basically golfing bio-mechanics. The outcome would have been interesting.

The same could be said of what was on the itinerary on Thursday, which was a trip to see Scotty Cameron for a putter fitting and to get a model made especially for me.

Instead by then I was lying in a hospital bed, the doctor who came out to see me in our hotel having decided he could do nothing for me there. It's when you hear things like that you begin to worry.

Anyway, samples of everything were taken and a chest x-ray done. I was then hooked up to a drip for two hours to replenish my system.

Interestingly, I'd been drinking loads of water when I became ill and the doctors told me that might have almost been making me feel worse and that I should have switched to an energy drink instead. Something I'll remember if I ever feel like that again.

I woke up on Thursday feeling better but, as I've said, not able to go to Scotty Cameron. Kristian and I then had a decision to make ­ go home and recuperate or stay around for the trip to Bradenton.

We decided to head back to Britain, mainly because the practice facility at Bradenton is closed on Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday.

The doctors concluded it was just bad dose of flu that I probably picked up on the plane over and I just had to put it down to experience. As Kristian said, it could have happened at a worse time ­ like on the weekend of the Dubai Desert Classic.

I still wasn't 100 per cent for the Johnnie Walker Classic but I don't like to make excuses and I definitely felt well enough to make the cut.

I didn't manage that though and it was a disappointment. I'd heard a lot about the event and was looking forward to it. So, because I didn't play all that well and the fact the course wasn't absolutely at its best made it a bit of an underwhelming trip.

Next on the agenda was Singapore, where I played nicely last year. Even at the start of that week, I wasn't absolutely back to full fitness.

A two-over opening round was annoying but I bounced back pleasingly with a 66 ­ probably as easy a 66 as I've ever shot actually, it could have been 61 ­to make the weekend.

I was a few strokes behind but I was still positive that a couple of 68s could get me in the mix. As it was a modest third round ended those chances.

So it's been a strange month. It should have been much more enjoyable and constructive but these things happen and I live to fight another day.

A couple of weeks off beckon for me now and next month I'll fill you in on what I got up to. Hopefully it won't involve hospitals, drips and blood samples..