Seve Blue - Remembering The Genius

It's hard to believe that a year has already passed since the world of golf lost one of its most flamboyant and charismatic characters ever when Seve Ballesteros sadly passed away. For many, including me, he still remains the defining golfer of his age and one of the all time greats. There has been a flurry of activity on the social media sites particularly Twitter and there is a call to mark this first anniversary of his untimely death. The idea is for club golfers and professionals alike to wear "Seve blue" to celebrate the great man. This is is a great idea and the pictures of Seve in a navy blue jumper, white shirt and blue trousers celebrating another fabulous win are fixed permanently on the psyche of many players around the world. That was his staple last day garb long before Tiger came along in his red shirt on a tournament Sunday. There is a a very positive and active trend on Twitter worth checking out at #Seveblue. I will be doing my piece and will wear blue and white for the monthly stableford on Saturday and again in the Jubilee Cup on Monday. If even 0.1% of the talent of the man rubs off then I'll play some fantastic stuff this weekend.

It is hard to pick an ultimate Seve moment. There are just too many in a career that had it all. Major titles, near misses, tournament wins around the world, a passion and hunger for the Ryder Cup second to none, and a legacy to golf with the courses he designed or remodelled. I guess for me the one that stands out and I remember repeating without any hint of shame or irony was that fist pump in the Open when the birdie putt dropped and victory was sealed.

That aside, the picture of his great friend Jose Maria Olazabal on his shoulders in the sunlight in the Ryder Cup captures not only their kinship but the consuming desire they both felt representing Europe in the biennial matches. It might already been a year since his passing but the name will never be forgotten.

There are many out there with far more capability with the written word who will pay a far more fitting eulogy on this first anniversary. However as nothing more than a dedicated but humble club golfer, it was the ability to watch Seve in his pomp and go out with some mis-guided notion that in some way we could recreate his artistry that stays with me. Growing up as a junior at Wimbledon Common Golf Club we would often take on the persona of our favourite player and play out some sort of fantasy final round of a major or a Ryder Cup duel. I was always Seve although the only passing resemblance I had was the ability to send my ball to far flung parts of the course never normally inhabited by a golfer. Unlike the mercurial Spaniard my ability to thread my ball through a gap in the branches with the touch of a surgeon and the accuracy of a laser missile was sorely lacking. Normally it would rattle around in the woods, cannoning around like a demented pinball and eventually come to rest in some equally inescapable predicament. It never stopped me taking the shot on. Think like Seve... act like Seve.

It would be fantastic to see courses up and down the country flooded in a sea of navy and white in tribute. I'm sure most of you will have a blue jumper and white golf shirt tucked away somewhere so go on, get involved and remember the talent of the man. There are few in golf that has touched so many people in so many ways so let the first anniversary be a chance for everyone to remember the great man. Get the Seve blue on, get out there and play with the joie de vivre that was the Seve way.