Ryan Chisnall pain free at last

By Neville Idour

Ryan Chisnall, from Nelson, was happy to talk about his 2022 year during the Hills Pro-Am in December.

“It has been an interesting year for me. I didn’t play a lot in 2021 so I was just looking forward to the year ahead and getting back into playing regularly again,’’ Chisnall recalled.

“I got off to a reasonable start. I only played three events on the Australian tour and managed to keep my card. I finished third, 10th and 12th which was pretty good. Then I was bedridden for six months with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a form of inflammatory arthritis which I was diagnosed with a few years ago. It has been a bit of a process getting that under control. I have just started a new medication which is an injection formula I take every two weeks.

“It has been a real game changer for me as I was having to rely on anti-inflammatories every day to get through my golf. I have basically had this thing all my life but I have only kind of dealt with it until now. Then I thought this isn’t right. I need to get something sorted. I got that done so now I am able to functionally move and play golf pain free again. It has been five or six years since I have done that.”

So has this helped Chisnall take his game on an upward curve? His explanation of the effects are fascinating.

“I’m feeling awesome now but the only problem has emerged as I have just played the last six weeks. I found that because I am so used to being so stiff and rigid I would swing within my boundaries and limitations whereas now that I don’t have the pain associated with it. I feel like I have got long and loose. It feels good with the body but it has freed me up and I am a bit of a spray can and I am hitting it all over the show at the moment.

“But it’s all good, it is just going to take some time. I will have to do some stability work and try and get some function back into the golf swing. It is a good problem to have. At the moment I would rather be playing pain free and hitting it everywhere than playing in pain every day.”

So what are the plans for 2023?

“I was a bit inconsistent in Aussie at the end of the year and missed more cuts than I made. I then went to Asian Q school and missed out. But there will be more opportunities. I have still got full Australasian Tour status so I will play all the Aussie stuff including the New Zealand Open then have a look at things during our winter. I hope to get away in some capacity. Whether it is Europe or the US, trying to get tournament play during winter is the hardest part.

“I would love to give Europe a crack but I would have to play qualifying. I have played the Clutch Pro Tour Mini Pro events over there. I am also moving to the Gold Coast so I will be able to play more pro-ams over there … just give the golf a good crack for a couple of years now that I am starting to feel a lot better. I am looking forward to it but it is just figuring it all out.''

Chisnall is moving to the Gold Coast with his girlfriend who has a job at Robina State High School.

“She will be running the netball programme there. She used to play professional netball for a number of years.’'

Hopefully the new beginnings for the likeable Chisnall will bear copious fruit. He deserves it.