Hayling Island golfer Toby Burden aiming to beat Richard Bland’s county championship record this weekend

The 34-year-old equalled Richard Bland’s record of reaching three Hampshire county championships in a row last summer, before losing to a birdie on the last from Jersey’s Jo Hacker at North Hants GC.

While asking Toby how he feels about having lost the last two of those final appearances – he lost to a birdie by clubmate Richard Harris in 2020 - is not the kindest question, he is more than happy to explain where he feels his game is now as he enters his mid-30s.

Burden had nearly five years in the pro game, competing on the EuroPro and mini-tours in the UK, when injuries prevented him reaching his potential.

But now nearly seven years after regaining his amateur status, he is as happy as he can be out on the golf course, having clinched his first Hampshire Order of Merit title.

He said: ‘I got over last year’s final defeat the following day, but I have used it as fuel to push on for what I wanted to achieve as I knew I was in a good place with my golf.

‘I think that showed with the levels I played at for the rest of the season, getting my first Order of Merit by winning the Courage when I needed to.’

Over the winter, Burden had drawn up a plan to try and target playing in some of the bigger national events for the first time since his amateur days.

But the demands of raising his young son have seen him shelve a shot at the St Andrews Links Trophy.

Corhampton’s Neil Raymond, one of his biggest friends in the game from their days travelling in Australia in 2010 when they were looking to break into the England set-up, is the last Hampshire player to win arguably Europe’s biggest strokeplay tournament.

Toby revealed: ‘Neil was encouraging me to go up and play – it is the 150th anniversary of The Open at St Andrews this summer, so to play it a few weeks beforehand would have been special.

‘Sadly, I cannot spare the time. It’s a shame but spending time with the family is more important than a week in Scotland.’

He has had to overcome some injury niggles since putting the clubs away for a while during the winter.

‘I felt a bit rusty after a shoulder injury I picked up in December,’ remarked Burden. ‘It took a while to get back swinging the club 100 per cent.

‘My prep has been solid and I have stuck to my normal plan.

‘Knowing the process and the time building up my practice, and how much I can do, so I don’t put too much tension on my back, has helped me feel strong, without overdoing it.’