Nick Flanagan back to where it all began for next chapter

And 'it felt right'.

After 18 years living in the US, including a stint competing - and beating - some of the best golfers on the planet, Flanagan is back home.

It's a new chapter in a career that started as a starry-eye junior at Belmont Golf Course.

"I helped run a junior clinic on Sunday morning and it felt right," Flanagan said. "It felt nice to be helping kids the way Paul Robertson and Graeme Stockley helped me."

Flanagan, wife Corrine, daughter Scottie, 4, son Marshall, 2, have relocated from San Antonio to Newcastle.

As well as play the Australian events, Flanagan plans to complete his PGA coaching accreditation and work at Belmont, eventually setting up an academy.

"I'm really looking forward to the next chapter," Flanagan said.

"The lifestyle back here was easy for me to do. It was a big decision for my wife. It is a big sacrifice for her.

"We are staying with mum and dad in Whitebridge at the moment. It has been great to be able to take the kids to Redhead Beach every day and down to the netball courts to learn how to ride a bike. Things like that. They feel like they are on vacation."

Today Flanagan will tee up in the $250,000 Players Series Hunter Valley tournament at Cypress Lakes.

The 39-year-year finished fifth in the same event last year.

"I still love competition and I want to be as good as I can," Flanagan said. "It definitely has a different feel about it, knowing that I'm here full-time. Having the family here keeps me busy. I'm usually on my own for four weeks and it's golf, golf, golf. The kids have never watched me play golf. They will come up one of the days and check it out, which will be cool."

Flanagan, after winning the US Amateur as a teenager in 2003, turned pro a year later and has been based in the US since 2006.

Ranked as high as 129th in the world and a four-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, Flanagan played on the USA PGA Tour in 2008, rubbing shoulders with the game's elite.

His career, especially in the last decade, has been hindered by a chronic wrist injury.

"It has been so long since those glory days, it's almost half a lifetime ago," Flanagan said. "The memories are great. I had a struggle after that for quite a few years.

"As I have grown older, I appreciate what I did a little more. I have always had a bit of imposter syndrome. I never really felt that I was good as maybe I was back in the day.

"I was a very up-and-down player. I was either really good or really bad. That hasn't changed. It is just longer between stints."

Flanagan has continued to play - and perform well - in the Australian summer.

"I'd really like to play well in these last few events and keep some status," he said. "I'd love to be able to play the [Australian] summer events, compete still and do the coaching for the rest of the year. That would be ideal.

"It's hard to compete against the kids these days when you only have one foot in the door. I have been practising pretty hard this week. Every time I start up again I get little aches and pains. That is a byproduct of being nearly 40."

Flanagan is joined at Cypress Lakes by fellow Hunter professional Corey Lamb and gun amateurs Jye Pickin, Jake Riley and Ella Scaysbrook.

Brett Colleta is the defending champion.

"It is a tricky golf course. I have always liked tricky golf courses," Flanagan said.