FLORIAN SCHWEIGHOFER
"I improve my game with joy,
strategy and accuracy.
Step by step."
my way
I always wanted to play golf. Why is still an open question, because nobody around me played golf at that time. My parents do not want to buy me clubs, so I "write" a letter to the Christ Child. That works finally.
2008/03/19: First photo as a "golfer", taken by friends of my parents. The club belonged to neighbor's of them.
The kids training at GC Donau starts in April. Two months later, I play my first tournament (4 holes) and finish fourth. The blue glass cup is still very special for me. Thanks to Helmuth, Manuela, Paul & Matteo.
Finally we go. My sister is already there (5 days old in the stroller).
I become vice-champion at my first Austrian Championships and have premiere on TV. During an European Tour Tournament I also can look a bit behind the scenes, my career goal is now finally fixed. I win the overall ranking of the Austrian Kidscup, at the Upper-Austrian State championship I have to play with the U12 boys and nevertheless finish third. We buy new clubs, which I will play for 4 seasons. I become member of the Upper-Austrian State team and "GC Donau Player of the Year".
In February I join for the first time a training camp abroad (Spain), accompanied by my parents. My training gets more and more professional. I become U12 Upper Austria vice champion. In December I do my first FAS fitness test (Functional Athletic Screening by TPI junior advisory board member Dr. Zwick & Dr. Kocher). A few weeks before, I met two-time European Tour winner Markus Brier during a training day for young talents. Just 4 years later Markus and me trained side by side in Abu Dhabi. Great!
This winter I'm already driving alone to the camp in Spain. In April I get to know Jonathan Mannie, 2016 he will be my new coach. My parents than have to go for every training with Jonathan for more than one hour by car. I already start at my first Austrian Junior Golf Tour event. Playing from white tee boxes in the age of 11 is a big challange, especially because my teeshot is just 120 m. At the Upper-Austrian championship I am the best Austrian in my age group, and I become third in the annual ranking of the Austrian Kidscup. Again I give a national wide TV interview and train first-time a whole day with Austrian National coaches.
Last year I played too many tournaments and didn't train enough. In order to avoid this in the future, I am creating time records now. I also starts with simple game statistics. Compared to most of my colleagues, I grow very slowly and am actually always the youngest player in the 2003 age group. Since my tees and fairway strokes are not very long, I have to fight harder and harder in tournaments. So I focus on my short game and putting. Our junior team wins the Junior Matchplay League final and at the end of the season I play the Austrian Par3 Championship for the first time.
Fitness training is becoming more and more important, not only in the wintertime. I play my first tournament abroad, the International Junior Open in Slovenia. Next year I'll change to high school. Therefore I spend one day each in two different competitive sport high schools in Upper- and Lower-Austria. I become U14 Upper-Austrian State champion, and GC Donau's captain invites me to the men's team. After 4 years, my old clubs are much too short, so for the first time we buy in length and lie customized new clubs. But I keep my beloved Cobra Driver, we just have to replace the shaft.
Since several months I grow much more rapid, so I can hit the ball now increasingly longer. In April I play my 200th tournament round. As youngest starter I win U16 Upper-Austrian state championship. For the 6th time in a row I'm in the final of the Austrian Juniorcup and finish first. Again as youngest U16 player in the field I reach the final of the Austrian Junior Matchplay Championship, compete against the last year's winner and become U16 Vize National Champion. Since September I visit the competitive sport high school and in October I am admitted to the Austrian National team at the age of 14.
I train more intensively, play for the first time under par and join more tournaments abroad: Malta, Slovakia, Teodoro Soldati Trophy at Biella/Italy etc. At the Hungarian Junior Open I celebrate with 2 under par my first international U16 win (new HCP = 0,0 :-) Again I become U16 Matchplay Vice-National-Champion. On the final of the International Austrian Amateur championship I achieve the lowest score of the day: 67 (-6 / no boggie). I consolidate my position in the Austrian National team and postpone my non-playing time to October, so I have more time for my "winter work". GC Donau and me conclude a winwin agreement for long-term cooperation. Thanks to Christoph and Peter.
2020
16 years - U18
49 rounds / HCP: -1,2
In winter we train in Turkey and Abu Dhabi, and I replace my driver that I played 4 seasons. The camp in March is canceled, also all planned international tournaments. During the corona lockdown's I work intensively, ÖGV declares the year a "development season". I play as many challenging tournaments as possible in Austria, including my first pro events (Gösser, Schladming & Haugschlag Open) and 6 other tournaments that are open to professionals. For the first time I also work with a film team and play a practice round with Bernd Wiesberger. After 5 days of competition and as the youngest of my age group, I become U18 match play national champion and thereby at last a WAGR ranked player.
2021
17 years - U18
62 rounds / HCP: -4,0
My last and very intense season as a U18 player with seven international tournaments, including also the European boys team championship and the German, French and Spanish boys. In April I play my first final round at a pro tournament (ProGolfTour). Two months later I become Austrian vice-champion and shortly afterwards I play my first Challenge Tour event - the Euram Bank Open in Adamstal. What an experience. We develope a new tool for planning and control the season and successfully optimize my fitness training and PR work. In autumn the Austrian golf federation nominates me for the men's national team and with 49,706 votes I become Upper Austrian TopTalent 2021.
"My way is long and hard.
With donations you make a
significant contribution to success."
support
Since 2022, golf has had a modern amateur statute that now also allows individual sponsorship. So now I can finally build a sponsorship team for my final years as an amateur and my early years as a pro.
This is very important, because although the club and the austrian golf association support me as much as possible, we have to deal with very high and rapidly rising costs. For further information please click here.
If you want to accompany me as a sponsor on the way to the top, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
This is very important, because although the club and the austrian golf association support me as much as possible, we have to deal with very high and rapidly rising costs. For further information please click here.
If you want to accompany me as a sponsor on the way to the top, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
If you want to support me without expecting anything in return, then of course I'm particularly pleased, regardless of the amount. You can easily do this with PayPal or credit cards:
