The Bermuda Open starts today, and for some unfathomable reason I’ve opted to play in the tournament.I have no hope of winning, if there was a cut I probably wouldn’t make it, and there is a very good chance that my scores will bring cries of derision from certain quarters.However, four days of slogging my way around Port Royal Golf Course is exactly the kind of challenge that I need in order to judge to how far I’ve come (not very) and how far I have left to go (quite a long way) in my quest to reach a single figure handicap.The changes in my swing, ball striking and course management are all likely to be tested to their fullest (we won’t worry too much about the putting) as is my composure, no doubt.Fortunately, Chris Grantier, the Riddell’s Bay professional helping me in my quest, and myself have been kept apart for the first two rounds, which, barring a total disaster on his part, or a miracle on mine, means we aren’t going to be playing together this week.I say fortunately for him, simply because my dazzling display of golf might put him off, obviously.The actual golf aside, the Open will also be a good test of my ability to physically withstand four straight days of golf, and will give me some idea of the impact the exercise regime, that Court House trainer Colin Ayliffe has created for me, has had.In truth there hasn’t been so much exercise per se, not the running, lifting and crazy arm waving you normally associate with the gym. Mostly it’s about stretching at the moment, trying to get my unbalanced self, balanced.Still, it’s not the sort of posey, looking at yourself in the mirror, stretching that you also get in the gym on occasion. This stretching involves exercises like the ‘upper body Russian twist’, which would not look out of place in a training manual from the old Soviet Union, and the ‘supine hip extension’.The closest it gets to being posey is with the ‘waiters bow’ which involves sticking your ass out, keeping a straight back, holding your arms out in front, and pretty much pretending you’re Jonny Wilkinson getting ready to kick a penalty.You hold that for 60 seconds and hope nobody is staring at you at the end.With a couple of ‘side planks’ and ‘prone bridges’ thrown in, there is enough to make you feel like you’ve stretched muscles that otherwise would have been vehermently protesting against anything like 72 holes of golf.The stretching is working already because I can swing a club with a greater degree of freedom than I had before. Aparently the power comes with the next part of a programme which Colin can put together for anyone who cares to ask.That though is for later.Right now I’m just hoping that it stays dry for four days, my playing partners are all fully aware of what they’re letting themselves in for, and I have enough golf balls in my bag.