I knew it was going to be tough when I saw the trees in the garden bent double by the wind.
Today was the Bentley Cup, the first major of the year that we were to play of the Blue Championship tees, the real test of Wychwood Park!
It was blustery to say the least!
I was down to play with Mark Hallam and Alf Nelson, but due to someone not turning up in the previous group, we made a 4 ball up with Martin Wainman. (Keep it quiet, but Martin has agreed to my Vice Captain!!!)
Why do people not turn up.............you will be suspended and you are taking someone elses spot!
I was looking forward to the round, been playing ok recently in patches and for a lot of the holes the Blue tees take the hazards out of play, so it was hopefully going to be a day for the trusty short game to pull me through..............wedgetastic!!!
Strategy today? Back to the "level 5's" target!
Wind in the face on the first and I hit, for me, a solid drive, out of the middle, fail to meet the proper fairway! Ooops!
This is going to be tough....................good second, but 3rd tugged left and into the rough! Sky 4th and end up with a scaby 8! Still kept a double off the card!
2nd and it;s into the wind again, pulled left and on the bank.............poor chip and 3 putts and it's a double!
3 over 5's
Just miss par on 3 and 50 yards from the 4th in two, some sense of control. End up with another Double though!!!
Good 5 on 5 and it's off to the 6th.
Off the back tee this is a tough hole and as we stand on the tee and have time to consider the tee shot, it was slow again today, what club to take..........Driver for me!!!
Marting goes first and hits a great shot, and me, Mark and Alf start to laugh at the ease with which he hit the ball! Martin thinks we are laughing because the ball is in the ditch.
We assure him that he's on and only a couple of feet away!
I hit driver and reach the fringe! Chip and a bit of a dolly of a putt and I walk off with a 4.
Martin was actually about 8 inches from the pin. It was one of those that looked closer the nearer we got to the green!!!
Fantastic 2!
Solid drive on 7, but just make carry and pull 2nd! Lay up and end up with a double.
Alf has a bit of a "mare" finding the pot bunker left of the green and taking 3 to get out! (I felt for him, which was warranted later!)
On to the 8th, my nemesis. Into a strong wind!!! Paul Jones was so sure that I would not make the carry, he bet me a pint.
I hit a soilid drive and make it, just!!! Paul, I'll be in touch!!!
So 5 on 8 and 9, manage a 51. The blue tees are not the problem, the short game is naff. Keep leaving it short!
Ok drive on 10, but 2nd duffed and had to play a punch under the tree. Just ran past and start with a 5, but if I can keep on level 5's I can break 100!!!
Hit a nice looking shot on 11, but take a kick left and end up in the bunker! Bad lie (foot print..............why do people not rake the bunkers!!!)
Thin it into right hand bunnker, take 4 attempts to get it out and thin it over the bank.
Walk off with a 9!
Round over..............nothing to do with Blue tees!!
Three good shots on 12 and then after a layup, an awful 9 iron into the ditch and an 8.
Impressive 5, just missing a par on 13, but an awful tee shot on 14 and I'm laying up for 3rd shot and end up in the lake for 4, so another 8!!!
Pulled tee shot on 15, into lateral left and another 8, just missed par on 16 we move to 17th.
Driver(!) off 17 and on front edge!! Good lag putt, but trembler for par putt and end up with 4!
3 off tee on 18 and I end up with a 9 and a painfull 112! Good value for money if you think about it!!!
Only lost 1 ball, not really troubled by the Blues, could've played off the reds and not scored any worse!
Great craic with playing partners................had a laugh all the way around and some good shots were played..........
Looking forward to Captains Day next week..............
This course is immense........Jon Collins wins with a nett 75..............CSS 78!!!!
Monday, 31 May 2010
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Is Clapton still God?....................
Ok,
It's a week ago that I went to see EC and SW ant the Wembley Arena and I was pondering whether Clapton was still god!
Well, the gig was ok, but do you know what........................whilst there were some really good moments, there were others that were really low. It was almost as if EC, old Slowhand, was going through the motions!
Was this the equivalent of Elvis on the Cabaret Circuit? If the King could lower himself, could God?
In Ozzy Osbornes Biography, which I am currently chuckling through, he tells of the night he and the rest of Sabbath saw Elvis in Las Vegas. Well he say's he saw him, he also says that he saw Elvis's backing band for nearly 2 hours and Elvis for 20 minutes. When Elvis left the stage, there was an expectation that he's have a piss and then come back on.
Then came the infamous town announcement..............."Ladies and Gentlemen........Elvis has just left the building"..................that was it.
The only other thing Ozzy noticed was that it was the first time that he had seen major merchandising......you could get "Elvis" everything and anything!
Well this was not quite as bas as that, but...............................
I was looking forward to hearing the collaboration that had formed Blind Faith in the late 60's and was looking forward to some of their tracks.
With little or no fuss, five figures, I was at the back so it was difficult to tell who they were, walked onto the stage, eventually to rapturous applause.
They hooked on their instruments, stood behind their keyboard/drum kit and started with the first number.
I was preparing to wait for my favourite songs to come up, but they started with one of them "Had to Cry Today" one of the Blind Faith numbers. It was good, but they had'nt really warmed up, so I would have preferred it later.
At the end of the song, there was a simple "Thank you", from EC and a slight pause before launching into Low Down which was pretty non-descript, the first worrying sign as on the big screens each side of the stage you could see close up shots of EC and what he was playing. It looked easy and relatively speaking it was.
"Thank You"
"After Midnight" with the same solo phrasing from EC, stretched into "Presence of the Lord", which was more like it, although Winwood was not playing the Hammond, it was their Keyboard Player, who was, well lacking!
"Thank You"..............was all we got!
"The Shape I'm in" followed by another medley of "Glad" and "Well alright" flashed by, but EC was definitely going through the motions, he almost looked bored!
IT got even worse with "Tuff Luck" and "Pearly Queen" and at one point the keyboard player was even playing a guitar break on his keyboard, using what appeared to be a synth guitar sound. Sacriledge!!!
Then came "Forever Man" which was another favourite of mine, from the mid 80's rebirth of Clapton. This was more like it!
"Thank You" was still all we got.
I went for a piss and a beer halfway through "Midland Maniac", it was dire and I got back to hear the end of "Going Down"
I was thinking of moving back to the bar area, when a superb version of "Georgia" pulled things back on track.
Steve Winwood actually started to chat to the audience and they then did an acoustic set, which was probably the highlight of the set!
Eric Clapton was interested!!!
"Drifting Blues" saw him REALLY play the blues and "How Long" showed that Steve Winwood was pretty good too!
I was not a big fan of the acoustic version of "Layla" until tonight. It was excellent! One of the highlights and it pains me to say so!
It got better as they did my all time favourite Blind Faith song, "Can't find my way home", not sure whether had anything to do with the beer, but this was heaven!
The whole band returned, including the side stepping backing singers and the high was over as they played "Split Decision" with a truly awful performance by the keyboard player.
At one point I think he was playing an old Bontempi toy organ! My sister had one and it was basically a hair dryer in a brown plastic case in plastic legs, which had normal plastic keys that could be played one note at a time and the left hand hard chord buttons. The sound was awful and whatever he was playing sounded like an exact copy. Maybe they had sampled the Bontempi sound!!!
Then came what should have been the highlight of the night, an original slow Blues version of "Voodoo Chile", with brilliant Hammond Organ and great guitar licks from EC backed by the backing singers, building to a crescendo, except it went on too long. They knew it was good, but they milked it too long!
They then played "Cocaine", which was a surprise in a number of ways. It had probably lost it's shock factor and EC was presumably past those days of taking the stuff "when his day was done and he wanted to ride on!"
It was good to hear live though.......................and then they left the stage!
This is the naff bit of any concert, because we shout and stomp, but we know they are going to come back on, although the cheers were premature when one of the guitar roadies walked onto the stage!
They played a song called "Dear Mister Fantasy", but I'd had enough!
I left before the rush and after a quick 5 minute walk I was back at my hotel. The bar was empty! I got served straight away and by the time I had finished, the queue at the bar was 5 deep.
So I headed to my room.
Was I dissapointed? No, it had, on balance, been a good night, but there were times when it was boring.
Is Eric Clapton still God.....................I hate to say it, but he probably never was!
But that debate may be for a future blog!
It's a week ago that I went to see EC and SW ant the Wembley Arena and I was pondering whether Clapton was still god!
Well, the gig was ok, but do you know what........................whilst there were some really good moments, there were others that were really low. It was almost as if EC, old Slowhand, was going through the motions!
Was this the equivalent of Elvis on the Cabaret Circuit? If the King could lower himself, could God?
In Ozzy Osbornes Biography, which I am currently chuckling through, he tells of the night he and the rest of Sabbath saw Elvis in Las Vegas. Well he say's he saw him, he also says that he saw Elvis's backing band for nearly 2 hours and Elvis for 20 minutes. When Elvis left the stage, there was an expectation that he's have a piss and then come back on.
Then came the infamous town announcement..............."Ladies and Gentlemen........Elvis has just left the building"..................that was it.
The only other thing Ozzy noticed was that it was the first time that he had seen major merchandising......you could get "Elvis" everything and anything!
Well this was not quite as bas as that, but...............................
I was looking forward to hearing the collaboration that had formed Blind Faith in the late 60's and was looking forward to some of their tracks.
With little or no fuss, five figures, I was at the back so it was difficult to tell who they were, walked onto the stage, eventually to rapturous applause.
They hooked on their instruments, stood behind their keyboard/drum kit and started with the first number.
I was preparing to wait for my favourite songs to come up, but they started with one of them "Had to Cry Today" one of the Blind Faith numbers. It was good, but they had'nt really warmed up, so I would have preferred it later.
At the end of the song, there was a simple "Thank you", from EC and a slight pause before launching into Low Down which was pretty non-descript, the first worrying sign as on the big screens each side of the stage you could see close up shots of EC and what he was playing. It looked easy and relatively speaking it was.
"Thank You"
"After Midnight" with the same solo phrasing from EC, stretched into "Presence of the Lord", which was more like it, although Winwood was not playing the Hammond, it was their Keyboard Player, who was, well lacking!
"Thank You"..............was all we got!
"The Shape I'm in" followed by another medley of "Glad" and "Well alright" flashed by, but EC was definitely going through the motions, he almost looked bored!
IT got even worse with "Tuff Luck" and "Pearly Queen" and at one point the keyboard player was even playing a guitar break on his keyboard, using what appeared to be a synth guitar sound. Sacriledge!!!
Then came "Forever Man" which was another favourite of mine, from the mid 80's rebirth of Clapton. This was more like it!
"Thank You" was still all we got.
I went for a piss and a beer halfway through "Midland Maniac", it was dire and I got back to hear the end of "Going Down"
I was thinking of moving back to the bar area, when a superb version of "Georgia" pulled things back on track.
Steve Winwood actually started to chat to the audience and they then did an acoustic set, which was probably the highlight of the set!
Eric Clapton was interested!!!
"Drifting Blues" saw him REALLY play the blues and "How Long" showed that Steve Winwood was pretty good too!
I was not a big fan of the acoustic version of "Layla" until tonight. It was excellent! One of the highlights and it pains me to say so!
It got better as they did my all time favourite Blind Faith song, "Can't find my way home", not sure whether had anything to do with the beer, but this was heaven!
The whole band returned, including the side stepping backing singers and the high was over as they played "Split Decision" with a truly awful performance by the keyboard player.
At one point I think he was playing an old Bontempi toy organ! My sister had one and it was basically a hair dryer in a brown plastic case in plastic legs, which had normal plastic keys that could be played one note at a time and the left hand hard chord buttons. The sound was awful and whatever he was playing sounded like an exact copy. Maybe they had sampled the Bontempi sound!!!
Then came what should have been the highlight of the night, an original slow Blues version of "Voodoo Chile", with brilliant Hammond Organ and great guitar licks from EC backed by the backing singers, building to a crescendo, except it went on too long. They knew it was good, but they milked it too long!
They then played "Cocaine", which was a surprise in a number of ways. It had probably lost it's shock factor and EC was presumably past those days of taking the stuff "when his day was done and he wanted to ride on!"
It was good to hear live though.......................and then they left the stage!
This is the naff bit of any concert, because we shout and stomp, but we know they are going to come back on, although the cheers were premature when one of the guitar roadies walked onto the stage!
They played a song called "Dear Mister Fantasy", but I'd had enough!
I left before the rush and after a quick 5 minute walk I was back at my hotel. The bar was empty! I got served straight away and by the time I had finished, the queue at the bar was 5 deep.
So I headed to my room.
Was I dissapointed? No, it had, on balance, been a good night, but there were times when it was boring.
Is Eric Clapton still God.....................I hate to say it, but he probably never was!
But that debate may be for a future blog!
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
You can't beat good preparation.............
....why are we surprised that we struggle at the start of a medal round, when we just turn up, not having picked up a club since the previous week's competition. Maybe a quick couple of putts and we are off to the first tee and the Driver comes out of the bag since the 18th tee last Sunday!
This week I was teeing off at 12:18pm, so I was looking forward to a bit of a lie in, a relaxed breakfast before a serene drive to the course, a basket of balls, chipping practice, 20-30 putts and then off to start the round, fully warmed up.
Everything was going to plan. Shaz was out with her mates for a joint birthday meal in Nantwich, I was relaxing with a couple of drinks and going to retire before the onslaught of the impending return of the "Haslington Housewives", but started to watch a programme about the Synthesizer music of the 80's.
Next thing they're back......the ususal suspects. So I was "mein host" serving drinks at midnight outside on the decking!
Obviously I had a couple more to join in. When we moved in at 01:30, I thought to myself, they're flagging, won't be long now. Couple of large JD's later and it was 3:30 and time to walk her frioends home. No names, but one of them is well known for having to be escorted home! It's no further than a mile there and back, but it too about an hour to get her home and for us to get back!
So, I got tot he course at about 11:55 feeling as rough as the proverbial bear's arse!!!
It was hot, which made the hangover feel worse. I had plenty of water with me. I would need it!
There was a change to the groups, so I was in a 4 ball with Andy Jennings and two juniors, Luke Williams and a 12 year old lad called Tom Marsh. Only just joined and playing his first competition.
Anyway we got to the first tee and I did not expect to get past the front nine.
As I teed the ball up, my temples were throbbing. I felt ill! Just to make it worse we were off the Blue tee on the first.
I put a decent, if slow swing and was amazed to see the ball reach the fairway down the middle!
A reasonable connection for my second shot and I rescue club and I was on the green.
I don't know how, but I got a solid par. It didn't feel like it was me hitting the ball!
On the green on the second, a long putt, but knocked stone dead and another par!
Very slow swing on 3 and I'm left with 190 to the pin. Hit it to within 10 feet and just miss for Birdie. Three Pars, feeling like this.......what was going on. It was almost an out of body experience.
A respectable bogey on 4, on in regulation on 5 and a good two putt from distance and I was still only 1 over after 5.
I necked a red bull, my second of the day and started to feel a bit better as we crossed the road to the 6th.
We got stuck waiting on the tee for about 10 minutes and I was pacing around, the beer sweats were up and running! I hit an awful shot which looked like it was going to clear the hazard, but just stuck in the bank.
Took a drop and then fluffed for a triple. Well at least I was keeping to my previous weeks plan of keeping a double off my card as long as possible.
Another delay on the 7th Tee and I ended up scuffing a tee shot that just failed to make the carry, so it was 3 off the tee. Straight down the middle......typical.
Pulled the next left and out of the rough managed to get close enough to have a chance of a 7, but walked off with a messy 8. another treble.
On to the 8th, and another poor tee shot which failed to make the carry! Double bogey.
Good drive up 9 adn we were again waiting on for the green to clear. I had a shot of about 170 with wind behind, but had to hot over the centre of the lake.
As I was taking the club back I had a vision of the ball doing a Barnes Wallace across the lake! Self fulfilling prophecy. A drop and a scrambled 6 for a front nine of 50. I'd dropped 10 shots in the last 4 holes of the 9!!!
Luke had aloready given up, Andy was playing well, if not spectacularly! Tom was playing well, for a 12 year old playing off the whites for the first time and with a Handicap of 14, very well!
Bogie from a visit to the bunker on 10, great shot and par on 11 and onto 12, which I've been playing reasonably well apart from unneccesary visits to the ditch.
Sensible lay up and chance of a par, but a really bad 3 putt for double.
Ususal lay up on 13, but this time hit it to well and ended in the ditch, just. Played out from the ditch and managed a good 5. Putting really well today, especially from 4-5 feet.
Double lay up on 14 and just miss par. Safe drive into the wind on 15, long second shot laying up just short of bunker and punched a wedge to a foot. My first par on 15 for years!!!
Steady drive on 16 into the heart of the fairway. Andy hits a good shot just over the bunker and obviously into the fairway between the hazards.
Only he can't find his ball!
I kncok mine into the bunker and we look for evidence of Andy's ball. No where to be seen.
"Must have gone in the hazard," said Andy, but which one. He'd been looking in both! If you're not sure, 100% sure that is, that it's gone in a hazard then the ball is lost!
Andy was not happy as he trudged back to the tee to play 3 off the tee. This time his balled landed in the bunker, definitley not happy! Out of the bunker and into the hazard........we saw that one go in!
A drop and it was actually a miracle that he ended up with an 8. But he was not happy!!!
I'd thinned it out of the bunker over the back of the green and ended up with a double. Still, the back 9 was goinjg better and I could still make a decent score if I got par on the last 2.
The pin was back left on 17 and I decided to hit a driver, but blocked it a bit and landed in the bunker.
Another thin out of the bunker and I'm through the back of the green into the hazard. In a bush, but it was playable, just. No it wasn't! An airshot and another attempt saw the ball buried. So it was a drop and a soul destroying 9.
Steady bogey up 18 and at least I had brooken 100!!!
Well at least I'd lasted 18 holes. But Shaz, you;'re mates are walking home themselves in future!
Frank Gould with net 66 won. He couldn't hit the proverbial cow's arse with a banjo, so well done Frank!
Just about to leave the clubhouse and was asked what the ruling was for carrying too many clubs in the bag.
Lee Bailey had realised he had an extra wedge in his bag.....problem was he didn't notice until the 15th hole. Sounds like 30 penalies then Lee!!!!
Next week let's prepare properly!!!! Off the Blue Tees!!!!
This week I was teeing off at 12:18pm, so I was looking forward to a bit of a lie in, a relaxed breakfast before a serene drive to the course, a basket of balls, chipping practice, 20-30 putts and then off to start the round, fully warmed up.
Everything was going to plan. Shaz was out with her mates for a joint birthday meal in Nantwich, I was relaxing with a couple of drinks and going to retire before the onslaught of the impending return of the "Haslington Housewives", but started to watch a programme about the Synthesizer music of the 80's.
Next thing they're back......the ususal suspects. So I was "mein host" serving drinks at midnight outside on the decking!
Obviously I had a couple more to join in. When we moved in at 01:30, I thought to myself, they're flagging, won't be long now. Couple of large JD's later and it was 3:30 and time to walk her frioends home. No names, but one of them is well known for having to be escorted home! It's no further than a mile there and back, but it too about an hour to get her home and for us to get back!
So, I got tot he course at about 11:55 feeling as rough as the proverbial bear's arse!!!
It was hot, which made the hangover feel worse. I had plenty of water with me. I would need it!
There was a change to the groups, so I was in a 4 ball with Andy Jennings and two juniors, Luke Williams and a 12 year old lad called Tom Marsh. Only just joined and playing his first competition.
Anyway we got to the first tee and I did not expect to get past the front nine.
As I teed the ball up, my temples were throbbing. I felt ill! Just to make it worse we were off the Blue tee on the first.
I put a decent, if slow swing and was amazed to see the ball reach the fairway down the middle!
A reasonable connection for my second shot and I rescue club and I was on the green.
I don't know how, but I got a solid par. It didn't feel like it was me hitting the ball!
On the green on the second, a long putt, but knocked stone dead and another par!
Very slow swing on 3 and I'm left with 190 to the pin. Hit it to within 10 feet and just miss for Birdie. Three Pars, feeling like this.......what was going on. It was almost an out of body experience.
A respectable bogey on 4, on in regulation on 5 and a good two putt from distance and I was still only 1 over after 5.
I necked a red bull, my second of the day and started to feel a bit better as we crossed the road to the 6th.
We got stuck waiting on the tee for about 10 minutes and I was pacing around, the beer sweats were up and running! I hit an awful shot which looked like it was going to clear the hazard, but just stuck in the bank.
Took a drop and then fluffed for a triple. Well at least I was keeping to my previous weeks plan of keeping a double off my card as long as possible.
Another delay on the 7th Tee and I ended up scuffing a tee shot that just failed to make the carry, so it was 3 off the tee. Straight down the middle......typical.
Pulled the next left and out of the rough managed to get close enough to have a chance of a 7, but walked off with a messy 8. another treble.
On to the 8th, and another poor tee shot which failed to make the carry! Double bogey.
Good drive up 9 adn we were again waiting on for the green to clear. I had a shot of about 170 with wind behind, but had to hot over the centre of the lake.
As I was taking the club back I had a vision of the ball doing a Barnes Wallace across the lake! Self fulfilling prophecy. A drop and a scrambled 6 for a front nine of 50. I'd dropped 10 shots in the last 4 holes of the 9!!!
Luke had aloready given up, Andy was playing well, if not spectacularly! Tom was playing well, for a 12 year old playing off the whites for the first time and with a Handicap of 14, very well!
Bogie from a visit to the bunker on 10, great shot and par on 11 and onto 12, which I've been playing reasonably well apart from unneccesary visits to the ditch.
Sensible lay up and chance of a par, but a really bad 3 putt for double.
Ususal lay up on 13, but this time hit it to well and ended in the ditch, just. Played out from the ditch and managed a good 5. Putting really well today, especially from 4-5 feet.
Double lay up on 14 and just miss par. Safe drive into the wind on 15, long second shot laying up just short of bunker and punched a wedge to a foot. My first par on 15 for years!!!
Steady drive on 16 into the heart of the fairway. Andy hits a good shot just over the bunker and obviously into the fairway between the hazards.
Only he can't find his ball!
I kncok mine into the bunker and we look for evidence of Andy's ball. No where to be seen.
"Must have gone in the hazard," said Andy, but which one. He'd been looking in both! If you're not sure, 100% sure that is, that it's gone in a hazard then the ball is lost!
Andy was not happy as he trudged back to the tee to play 3 off the tee. This time his balled landed in the bunker, definitley not happy! Out of the bunker and into the hazard........we saw that one go in!
A drop and it was actually a miracle that he ended up with an 8. But he was not happy!!!
I'd thinned it out of the bunker over the back of the green and ended up with a double. Still, the back 9 was goinjg better and I could still make a decent score if I got par on the last 2.
The pin was back left on 17 and I decided to hit a driver, but blocked it a bit and landed in the bunker.
Another thin out of the bunker and I'm through the back of the green into the hazard. In a bush, but it was playable, just. No it wasn't! An airshot and another attempt saw the ball buried. So it was a drop and a soul destroying 9.
Steady bogey up 18 and at least I had brooken 100!!!
Well at least I'd lasted 18 holes. But Shaz, you;'re mates are walking home themselves in future!
Frank Gould with net 66 won. He couldn't hit the proverbial cow's arse with a banjo, so well done Frank!
Just about to leave the clubhouse and was asked what the ruling was for carrying too many clubs in the bag.
Lee Bailey had realised he had an extra wedge in his bag.....problem was he didn't notice until the 15th hole. Sounds like 30 penalies then Lee!!!!
Next week let's prepare properly!!!! Off the Blue Tees!!!!
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Clapton is God...............
.....well, we'll see about that tonight.
I'm off to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood "together live", according to the ticket.
One of the perks of working in Wembley and staying within 5 minutes walk of the arena!
Eric Clapton rose to fame in the early 60's playing with the Yardbirds and with John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, both outfits providing for the development of Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Peter Green amongst others.
It was whilst with the Yardbirds that the now infamous graffitti "Clapton is God" was plastered on Walls across London. Was it apt? Clapton himself was not sure, being a great fan of Hendrix........
He joined the "Super-Group" called Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, who diminated the scene for a couple of years fusing blues with Jazz and then all too quickly, they split with a famous last concert at the Royal Albert Hall, a venue that has come to be a favoured venue for Clapton.
It was after splitting with Cream that he was next seen in another "Super-Group", Blind Faith along with Steve Winwood and surprisingly Ginger Baker, with whom he must have made up his musical differences with!
They didn;t last long but did record a number of classics that they will hopefully do tonight!
Next came Derek and the Dominoes and the famous track "Layla" penned for his love interest of the time Patti Boyd who was, at the time, George Harrison's Wife!
The 70's were a blur of Drug and Alcohol abuse and despite solo albums and tours, reggae and country periods, he resurrected his carreer after playing in the Live aid concert in Philladelphia and was back in the Album Charts and touring extensively again.
I was lucky enough to see him at the Albert Hall for ny 40th birthday and was enthralled by seeing him play the classics, but since then the word is that he seems bored when playing anywhere else other than the Albert Hall!
Tonight he is with Steve Winwood, so will he pull out the stops? Will the classics be on show?
Well, in a few hours I will find out..................and let you know!
I'm off to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood "together live", according to the ticket.
One of the perks of working in Wembley and staying within 5 minutes walk of the arena!
Eric Clapton rose to fame in the early 60's playing with the Yardbirds and with John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, both outfits providing for the development of Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Peter Green amongst others.
It was whilst with the Yardbirds that the now infamous graffitti "Clapton is God" was plastered on Walls across London. Was it apt? Clapton himself was not sure, being a great fan of Hendrix........
He joined the "Super-Group" called Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, who diminated the scene for a couple of years fusing blues with Jazz and then all too quickly, they split with a famous last concert at the Royal Albert Hall, a venue that has come to be a favoured venue for Clapton.
It was after splitting with Cream that he was next seen in another "Super-Group", Blind Faith along with Steve Winwood and surprisingly Ginger Baker, with whom he must have made up his musical differences with!
They didn;t last long but did record a number of classics that they will hopefully do tonight!
Next came Derek and the Dominoes and the famous track "Layla" penned for his love interest of the time Patti Boyd who was, at the time, George Harrison's Wife!
The 70's were a blur of Drug and Alcohol abuse and despite solo albums and tours, reggae and country periods, he resurrected his carreer after playing in the Live aid concert in Philladelphia and was back in the Album Charts and touring extensively again.
I was lucky enough to see him at the Albert Hall for ny 40th birthday and was enthralled by seeing him play the classics, but since then the word is that he seems bored when playing anywhere else other than the Albert Hall!
Tonight he is with Steve Winwood, so will he pull out the stops? Will the classics be on show?
Well, in a few hours I will find out..................and let you know!
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
....Another World Cup under the belt..............
I know I'm a couple of days overdue with this, but after trying to win a cricket World title for over 35 years, at long last, England are World Twenty 20 Champions!
The inaugrual Cricket World cup took place in 1975 in England and saw a 60 overs tournament won by the might West Indies, with the dominant team of the 70's at their best, but before Garner, Malcolm and Sir Viv were on the scene.
They beat Australia in the final by 17 runs. This tournament was incepted only 4 years after the first ever One International, which was between England and Australia to provide some entertainment, and retain some revenue from awashed out test match!
Although at home, the England side did not play particualrly well.
In 1979, the tournament was held again in England and thus time England did make the final, only to be put to the sword by, amongst others Viv Richards. We had Brearley and Boycott as openers, they had Haines and Greenidge. England simply did not score runs quickly enough despite a good opening stand, England lost by 92 runs!!
1983 and the tournament was held, again, in England......surely we could win this time! A fielding circle was introduced with fielding limitations to try to even things up and make the scoring more spectacular. West Indies made the final agains an unfancied India, but failed to hold on to the trophy and win for the 3rd time in a row. Kapil Dev had a lot to say about the outcome. England..............nowhere!!!
1987 and it was off to India and Pakistan for the tournament and the competition was reduced to 50 overs due to the shorter daylight hours. No floodlit games just yet.
England made the final, against Australia and, infact, had been one of the top sides on the tournament.....Gooch, Botham, Gatting, Lamb, Gower...household names, nay Legends at the time!
England were coasting to victory, when Gatting tried an adventurous reverse sweep and was bowled. England lost by 7 runs!!!
The next event was not held until 1992 and was hosted jointly by New Zealand and Australia. Fielding restrictions were changed, floodlights meant day/night games and thanks to Nelson Mandela, the South Africans were back on the international scene again!
Somethings didn't change and England coasted to the final to be beaten by an unfancied Pakistan win the final by 22 runs!!!
The 1996 tournament was held in the sub-continent and saw a couple of games played in Sri Lanka. Tactics also changed, with a lot of teams trying to take advantage of fielding restrictions in the early overs and placing "pinch hitters" to open. Sri Lanka were the best proponents of this and amazingly beat Australia in the final after beating India in the Semi-Final in front of the Partisan Indian crowd in Calcutta.
Bizzarley the next tournament took place in 1999, back in England, but the hosts did not perform well and Australia triumphed in the final against Pakistan, who batting first made 132, which Australia knocked off in 20 overs. A portent for the future perhaps?
(Note: This is quite a long blog tonight!!!!)
2003 and the new millenium saw the Tournament go to the continent of Africa for the first time and games and whilst most of the games were played on South Africa, there were a couple in Kenya and Zimbabwe, although due to the political situation in Zimbabwe, New Zealand forfeiting a game, saw Kenya through to the Semi Finals.........England didn;t get that far!!!
Australia score 359 for 2 in the final and beat India, Tendulkar and all, by 132 runs.
2007 and it's finally the West Indies chance to host the final. They were a pale imitation of the days of yore but had some fine batsmen, but failed to make the final on home soil. England flattered to deceive yet again!
Australia took their run of unbeaten World Cup matches to 29 and won their third title in a row!
Something drastic had to be done!!!!
So how about another format, or even another tournament based on a format first played in the UK by most club cricketers....20 over matches.
In September 2007, the first Twenty 20 World Cup took place in South Africa and it's true to say that at the international level teams had not perfected their tactics, especially England, with Pakistan beating India in a thrilling final between the old adversaries. No wonder the Twenty20 format has become so big in the Sub-Continent!
England had won one of their 5 games with a 50 run victory over a depleted and disconsolate Zimbabwe!
Twenty20 fever was global and everyone was jumping on the band wagon, even a generous American philanthropist called Sandford who put up $1M for a winner take all one off match between England and West Indies. Wonder what ever happened to him?
England lost by the way.
In 2009, the tournament was held in England, who got off to a perfect start losing to the cricketing force that is the Netherlands!!! England did manage to get to the "Super Eights" by beating Pakistan, but lost two of their remaing games to limp out of the tournament.
Pakistan, one of the two teams beaten by England, stuffed Sri Lanka in the final!
So to this years tournament in the West Indies.
England were fielding a new look side, with specialist batsmen.....very specialist................
The top 3, Lumb, Keiswetter and Petersen were all born in South Africa.......in at number 5 came Morgan....who had previously played for Ireland.
A spectacular 190 runs in the first match against the West Indies, saw them lose on the Duckworth Lewis scoring method when the game was rained affected!
The rain worked in their favour in the next game against Ireland and with a poor batting display they managed to see the game abandoned and get through to the next phase.
After that, they were simply unstoppable and cruised to the semi-final with solid bowling, batting and fielding performances.
The dispatched the West Indies in the Semi-Final and would face the auld enemy (not Scotland) Australia in the final, who had also sailed into the final with a slight stutter in the semi.
Now we'd see the usual banana skin, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
We had the Aussies in trouble early on at 7 for 3............they recovered and managed a score of 146 with some big hitting towards the end, but it was a score to go for. But we were sure to cock it up.
Lumb went early, but Keiswetter and Petersen, who had regained to his world class best, took the game to Australia and made them look ordinary!
Then with less than 50 needed, Petersen skied one and was caught. In came Collingwood, he would steer us quitely over the line.
Keiswetter carried on smiting the Aussies, but suddenly stepping wide of the wicket make room left the ball and saw it smash into his stumps.................a wobble?
In came Morgan and he and Collingwood took time to get in......the run rate started to climb and from needing less than a run a ball we started to get up to nearly 7 an over.
Then Morgan hit a couple of boundaries and we'd done it, we'd won!
For once, England had dominated a tournament and won the final!!!!
So it's only Twenty20, but we are world champions!!!
So, can the England Football take heart from this?
Yes they can, but if they really want to take a leaf out of the cricket team, looking forward the way to win is obvious!
Change the rules of the game to suit us and allow us to pick the best players available!
Forget bidding to hold the 2018 World Cup, get the Fifa presidency and make international qualification based on what Club side you play for!
Drogba, Rooney.......what a pairing!!!!!
The inaugrual Cricket World cup took place in 1975 in England and saw a 60 overs tournament won by the might West Indies, with the dominant team of the 70's at their best, but before Garner, Malcolm and Sir Viv were on the scene.
They beat Australia in the final by 17 runs. This tournament was incepted only 4 years after the first ever One International, which was between England and Australia to provide some entertainment, and retain some revenue from awashed out test match!
Although at home, the England side did not play particualrly well.
In 1979, the tournament was held again in England and thus time England did make the final, only to be put to the sword by, amongst others Viv Richards. We had Brearley and Boycott as openers, they had Haines and Greenidge. England simply did not score runs quickly enough despite a good opening stand, England lost by 92 runs!!
1983 and the tournament was held, again, in England......surely we could win this time! A fielding circle was introduced with fielding limitations to try to even things up and make the scoring more spectacular. West Indies made the final agains an unfancied India, but failed to hold on to the trophy and win for the 3rd time in a row. Kapil Dev had a lot to say about the outcome. England..............nowhere!!!
1987 and it was off to India and Pakistan for the tournament and the competition was reduced to 50 overs due to the shorter daylight hours. No floodlit games just yet.
England made the final, against Australia and, infact, had been one of the top sides on the tournament.....Gooch, Botham, Gatting, Lamb, Gower...household names, nay Legends at the time!
England were coasting to victory, when Gatting tried an adventurous reverse sweep and was bowled. England lost by 7 runs!!!
The next event was not held until 1992 and was hosted jointly by New Zealand and Australia. Fielding restrictions were changed, floodlights meant day/night games and thanks to Nelson Mandela, the South Africans were back on the international scene again!
Somethings didn't change and England coasted to the final to be beaten by an unfancied Pakistan win the final by 22 runs!!!
The 1996 tournament was held in the sub-continent and saw a couple of games played in Sri Lanka. Tactics also changed, with a lot of teams trying to take advantage of fielding restrictions in the early overs and placing "pinch hitters" to open. Sri Lanka were the best proponents of this and amazingly beat Australia in the final after beating India in the Semi-Final in front of the Partisan Indian crowd in Calcutta.
Bizzarley the next tournament took place in 1999, back in England, but the hosts did not perform well and Australia triumphed in the final against Pakistan, who batting first made 132, which Australia knocked off in 20 overs. A portent for the future perhaps?
(Note: This is quite a long blog tonight!!!!)
2003 and the new millenium saw the Tournament go to the continent of Africa for the first time and games and whilst most of the games were played on South Africa, there were a couple in Kenya and Zimbabwe, although due to the political situation in Zimbabwe, New Zealand forfeiting a game, saw Kenya through to the Semi Finals.........England didn;t get that far!!!
Australia score 359 for 2 in the final and beat India, Tendulkar and all, by 132 runs.
2007 and it's finally the West Indies chance to host the final. They were a pale imitation of the days of yore but had some fine batsmen, but failed to make the final on home soil. England flattered to deceive yet again!
Australia took their run of unbeaten World Cup matches to 29 and won their third title in a row!
Something drastic had to be done!!!!
So how about another format, or even another tournament based on a format first played in the UK by most club cricketers....20 over matches.
In September 2007, the first Twenty 20 World Cup took place in South Africa and it's true to say that at the international level teams had not perfected their tactics, especially England, with Pakistan beating India in a thrilling final between the old adversaries. No wonder the Twenty20 format has become so big in the Sub-Continent!
England had won one of their 5 games with a 50 run victory over a depleted and disconsolate Zimbabwe!
Twenty20 fever was global and everyone was jumping on the band wagon, even a generous American philanthropist called Sandford who put up $1M for a winner take all one off match between England and West Indies. Wonder what ever happened to him?
England lost by the way.
In 2009, the tournament was held in England, who got off to a perfect start losing to the cricketing force that is the Netherlands!!! England did manage to get to the "Super Eights" by beating Pakistan, but lost two of their remaing games to limp out of the tournament.
Pakistan, one of the two teams beaten by England, stuffed Sri Lanka in the final!
So to this years tournament in the West Indies.
England were fielding a new look side, with specialist batsmen.....very specialist................
The top 3, Lumb, Keiswetter and Petersen were all born in South Africa.......in at number 5 came Morgan....who had previously played for Ireland.
A spectacular 190 runs in the first match against the West Indies, saw them lose on the Duckworth Lewis scoring method when the game was rained affected!
The rain worked in their favour in the next game against Ireland and with a poor batting display they managed to see the game abandoned and get through to the next phase.
After that, they were simply unstoppable and cruised to the semi-final with solid bowling, batting and fielding performances.
The dispatched the West Indies in the Semi-Final and would face the auld enemy (not Scotland) Australia in the final, who had also sailed into the final with a slight stutter in the semi.
Now we'd see the usual banana skin, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
We had the Aussies in trouble early on at 7 for 3............they recovered and managed a score of 146 with some big hitting towards the end, but it was a score to go for. But we were sure to cock it up.
Lumb went early, but Keiswetter and Petersen, who had regained to his world class best, took the game to Australia and made them look ordinary!
Then with less than 50 needed, Petersen skied one and was caught. In came Collingwood, he would steer us quitely over the line.
Keiswetter carried on smiting the Aussies, but suddenly stepping wide of the wicket make room left the ball and saw it smash into his stumps.................a wobble?
In came Morgan and he and Collingwood took time to get in......the run rate started to climb and from needing less than a run a ball we started to get up to nearly 7 an over.
Then Morgan hit a couple of boundaries and we'd done it, we'd won!
For once, England had dominated a tournament and won the final!!!!
So it's only Twenty20, but we are world champions!!!
So, can the England Football take heart from this?
Yes they can, but if they really want to take a leaf out of the cricket team, looking forward the way to win is obvious!
Change the rules of the game to suit us and allow us to pick the best players available!
Forget bidding to hold the 2018 World Cup, get the Fifa presidency and make international qualification based on what Club side you play for!
Drogba, Rooney.......what a pairing!!!!!
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Putt-tastic!!!!
First round of the singles knockout today and I was not expecting too much.
My record to date is pretty poor, infact, I don't think I've ever one a singles match in the Summer Knockout!
2003, could'nt arrange match in time, 2004, beaten by someone who hardly played anymore and "had the best round I've ever had!"
2005 could'nt arrange match again, although I tried to no avail, 2006, lost to someone who had never played off the whites before, but played every saturday with his mates, but never put any cars in!!! (i.e. Bandit), 2007 and 2008, could not enter due to bad back, 2009, lost to a good player and to be fair, I played quite well.
So this year, I was drawn against Mick Barnes, a newish memberm, who joined with the group from Barlaston. Off 11 handicap, not much playng history, so I was fearing the worst, especially when I asked how often he played at Wychwood...............it was a lot.
Full difference handicap this year, for some reason, so I was getting 5 shots. I'd need them!!!
We headed for the first tee, apprently there were a nuber of 4 balls in front and a group of Ladies visiting from Shropshire......I seem to recall a colleague of mine telling me that her friend was Lady Captain of a club near Telford and they were have a Ladies Day at Wychwood.......must have been today! Boy it was going to be slow.
We got to the tee, Mick won the toss and teed off. Pulling his tee shot low and left he got caught up in the rough. I hit a reasonable drive, making the fairway.
Mick hit a good recovery shot into the fairway.
I spotted a the group making it'' way to the green and hit decent fairway wood, a bit down the left, but in play.
When I got to the brow of the hill, I realised that the group I saw near the green were not the 4 ball in front of us. There were some angry looking faces as I had fired the ball through them. This could take some explaining. Luckily they were friends of Mick's so we were ok!
Left the 3rd shot short, but an up and down for par, left Mick with a 3 footer for half whcih he missed.
Second was halved in 3, and we got let through the 4 ball.
Another half on 3 and on to the 4th with my shot.
I pulled a tee shot down the left into the rough and Mick hit a cracking drive, probably 40 yards further up the fairay.
I coaxed a resuce club over the hill and ended about 60 yards from the green, Mick was to the right of the green with a short pitch.
Up and down for a 4 nett 3 and I was 2 up. A bogie from me and a 3 putt from Mick made it 3 up and on 6 I hit a great shot to within 12 feet leaving an uphill put. Mick had hit into the ditch, but left a stone dead chip for 4.
The 6th is the only hole I have not birdied and with that thought in mind, I stood over the putt, determined to take the chance that was before me. I knocked it past by about 3 foot and now had a down hill put to win. Little break, nice roll.................par and 4 up.
Headed to the 7th and after another wait on the tee, hit a low skimmer that just made the carry. (And I mean just!!!)
Managed to get enoguh club on it to make it to the left of the tree. Tricky, but I was in play.
Mick's tee shot had made it into the plantation and he took his drop. Bit of a thin shot, but it looked ok until it took a boounce into the bunker, two to get out and then the next shot into the hazard and I simply had to run the ball under the tree, get on the green, which I did and the hole was mine! 5 up.
Don't start celebrating yet.........I've lost matches before after leading........get over the winning line. Got to say, Mick was not having the best of luckso far!
On to the Nemesis which is the 8th! Low tee shot again, down the left and just make the carry. In the rough, but hit the shot to well and end up in the bunker. Scramble to a 6, but lose the hole!
Wind assisted tee shot just makes the top of the hill, but a bad lie means I can only move it to within 90 yards of the pin.
Great wedge and a putt for par gives a 5 up half way score.
Quick coffee and we're on the 10th, drive down the right , bunker'd second, but a great sand iron and a 4 for a half.
Get to the 11th and there two ladies on the green, a four ball on the Yellow tee, a 3 ball on the White tee and us! We've caught up with the ladies and they ain't moving fast!!!
We wait for the two groups to finish the hole. Wind against and on the back I hit a sweet shot and it's bang on line runs up top the top tier and finishes just short of the hole. For a minute I thought...........well I've seen them go in!
Anyway, Mick is pin high, but about 25 foot away, but a magnificent put sees him stone dead for a 3.
I hot, probably the worst putt of the day and push it wide for a 3 and a halved hole.
Two decent shots on 12, but the third ends up in the ditch again.....loss of hole and loss of ball......it's been a while since I've retired a ball!!!!
Solid tee shot up 13, laid up perfectly......second clears first bunker, but ends in the greenside bunker.
Great bunker shot and a 3 footer for 4 nett 3 and it's back to 5............
Can I close it out on 14?
Drive pulled well left into hazard!!! Another 50p.
Decide to take 3 off the tee and hit a great ball up the left, perfect lay-up.
Mick has laid up nicely, but underclubs.
I'm to play and I've got 140 to carry over the water and need to go for it...........make the carry, but left with an awkard putt from off the green. Mick is on fir 3 just inside me. I knock the put to within 3 feet, Mick 3 putts and I know mine in, to halve the hole in 6 and win the match 5 and 4.
I've played well today, but Mick has been unlucky and I think the 5 shots handicap difference might have been a bit unfair.............not that I'm complaining, I've been on the other end of a hiding myself!
9 over for 14 holes, 21 putts, two sand saves (on stroke index 1 and 2) and through to the 2nd round for the first time! Not a bad day's golf.................and Mick Barnes..............what a nice fellah!!!!
My record to date is pretty poor, infact, I don't think I've ever one a singles match in the Summer Knockout!
2003, could'nt arrange match in time, 2004, beaten by someone who hardly played anymore and "had the best round I've ever had!"
2005 could'nt arrange match again, although I tried to no avail, 2006, lost to someone who had never played off the whites before, but played every saturday with his mates, but never put any cars in!!! (i.e. Bandit), 2007 and 2008, could not enter due to bad back, 2009, lost to a good player and to be fair, I played quite well.
So this year, I was drawn against Mick Barnes, a newish memberm, who joined with the group from Barlaston. Off 11 handicap, not much playng history, so I was fearing the worst, especially when I asked how often he played at Wychwood...............it was a lot.
Full difference handicap this year, for some reason, so I was getting 5 shots. I'd need them!!!
We headed for the first tee, apprently there were a nuber of 4 balls in front and a group of Ladies visiting from Shropshire......I seem to recall a colleague of mine telling me that her friend was Lady Captain of a club near Telford and they were have a Ladies Day at Wychwood.......must have been today! Boy it was going to be slow.
We got to the tee, Mick won the toss and teed off. Pulling his tee shot low and left he got caught up in the rough. I hit a reasonable drive, making the fairway.
Mick hit a good recovery shot into the fairway.
I spotted a the group making it'' way to the green and hit decent fairway wood, a bit down the left, but in play.
When I got to the brow of the hill, I realised that the group I saw near the green were not the 4 ball in front of us. There were some angry looking faces as I had fired the ball through them. This could take some explaining. Luckily they were friends of Mick's so we were ok!
Left the 3rd shot short, but an up and down for par, left Mick with a 3 footer for half whcih he missed.
Second was halved in 3, and we got let through the 4 ball.
Another half on 3 and on to the 4th with my shot.
I pulled a tee shot down the left into the rough and Mick hit a cracking drive, probably 40 yards further up the fairay.
I coaxed a resuce club over the hill and ended about 60 yards from the green, Mick was to the right of the green with a short pitch.
Up and down for a 4 nett 3 and I was 2 up. A bogie from me and a 3 putt from Mick made it 3 up and on 6 I hit a great shot to within 12 feet leaving an uphill put. Mick had hit into the ditch, but left a stone dead chip for 4.
The 6th is the only hole I have not birdied and with that thought in mind, I stood over the putt, determined to take the chance that was before me. I knocked it past by about 3 foot and now had a down hill put to win. Little break, nice roll.................par and 4 up.
Headed to the 7th and after another wait on the tee, hit a low skimmer that just made the carry. (And I mean just!!!)
Managed to get enoguh club on it to make it to the left of the tree. Tricky, but I was in play.
Mick's tee shot had made it into the plantation and he took his drop. Bit of a thin shot, but it looked ok until it took a boounce into the bunker, two to get out and then the next shot into the hazard and I simply had to run the ball under the tree, get on the green, which I did and the hole was mine! 5 up.
Don't start celebrating yet.........I've lost matches before after leading........get over the winning line. Got to say, Mick was not having the best of luckso far!
On to the Nemesis which is the 8th! Low tee shot again, down the left and just make the carry. In the rough, but hit the shot to well and end up in the bunker. Scramble to a 6, but lose the hole!
Wind assisted tee shot just makes the top of the hill, but a bad lie means I can only move it to within 90 yards of the pin.
Great wedge and a putt for par gives a 5 up half way score.
Quick coffee and we're on the 10th, drive down the right , bunker'd second, but a great sand iron and a 4 for a half.
Get to the 11th and there two ladies on the green, a four ball on the Yellow tee, a 3 ball on the White tee and us! We've caught up with the ladies and they ain't moving fast!!!
We wait for the two groups to finish the hole. Wind against and on the back I hit a sweet shot and it's bang on line runs up top the top tier and finishes just short of the hole. For a minute I thought...........well I've seen them go in!
Anyway, Mick is pin high, but about 25 foot away, but a magnificent put sees him stone dead for a 3.
I hot, probably the worst putt of the day and push it wide for a 3 and a halved hole.
Two decent shots on 12, but the third ends up in the ditch again.....loss of hole and loss of ball......it's been a while since I've retired a ball!!!!
Solid tee shot up 13, laid up perfectly......second clears first bunker, but ends in the greenside bunker.
Great bunker shot and a 3 footer for 4 nett 3 and it's back to 5............
Can I close it out on 14?
Drive pulled well left into hazard!!! Another 50p.
Decide to take 3 off the tee and hit a great ball up the left, perfect lay-up.
Mick has laid up nicely, but underclubs.
I'm to play and I've got 140 to carry over the water and need to go for it...........make the carry, but left with an awkard putt from off the green. Mick is on fir 3 just inside me. I knock the put to within 3 feet, Mick 3 putts and I know mine in, to halve the hole in 6 and win the match 5 and 4.
I've played well today, but Mick has been unlucky and I think the 5 shots handicap difference might have been a bit unfair.............not that I'm complaining, I've been on the other end of a hiding myself!
9 over for 14 holes, 21 putts, two sand saves (on stroke index 1 and 2) and through to the 2nd round for the first time! Not a bad day's golf.................and Mick Barnes..............what a nice fellah!!!!
Friday, 14 May 2010
KISS.................(my Arse!!!)
In 1976, I went to stay in Germany, a place called Marne, on a schools exchange trip.
I was to stay with a guy called Jurgen Katzerski and his family. He had stayed with us the year before.
He was a lanky blond haired, goofy, chain smoker, with beer bottle glasses, but apart from that he was ok!
I may go into more detail about the trip another day, but suffice to say it was fun!
Anyway, Jurgen, or "Katze" as he was nicknamed, like "heavy rock Ja" and "progressive too" and had recently bought the first album by a band called Kiss.
I'd not really heard of them, they had not hit Britain yet, but the German kids were mad on them. There was a drastic lacking of German rock artistes, with Oompah bands and balladeers being the staple diet.
Katze had left school and started work the 2nd week I was staying, so I hardly saw much of him, but he was always skint, so to get enough money for the last weekend I was there, he sold me some of his albums, one of which was the Kiss album, Destroyer. It wasn't their first Album, may have been the second, but it was certainly their "breakthrough album", which although I didn't really want, it was ok and no one else in the UK, ok, at school, would have it!!!
Kiss carried on to build a reputation for their live act, pyrotecnics, gore and of course the make-up. They also had some hit records, very much Anthemic, but the live shows were circus/pantomime affairs, visual as much as musical.
So last night, I got back to my hotel, aware that they were playing at the Wembley Arena, just around the corner to be confronted by the sight of a multitude of Kiss fans and a large number of "lookalikes" with their painted faces and wild black hair. One particual "Paul Stanley" clone was exceptionally lifelike.
Unfortunatley, some of the others were poor, very poor, with watery white paint daubed "a la" England footy fans, with nits of black daubed on for good measure.
I saw two such fans come out of the lift, looking like they thought they were going to be the only ones who had thought of wearing paint in homage to their heroes, only to see their faces crumble when they saw the real deal at the bar. They suddenly realised what tits they looked like. At their age as well!!!
I headed off to the Tesco Express to get my tea and decided to take a quick jaunt down to the arena to see if the box office was open. (Eric Clapton is playing here on the 20th May!!!)
The place was mobbed with people queuing to get in, or milling around drinking, buying t-shirts and other Kiss Merchandise. It was only 5pm!!!!
I headed back to the hotel and the foyer/bar area was now full of headbangers, young and old! It was going to be a noisy night............
And it was, although it was pretty quiet at 8am when I went to check out and saw every door I passed with a "do not disturb" sign on the handle!
Rock and Roll............
I was to stay with a guy called Jurgen Katzerski and his family. He had stayed with us the year before.
He was a lanky blond haired, goofy, chain smoker, with beer bottle glasses, but apart from that he was ok!
I may go into more detail about the trip another day, but suffice to say it was fun!
Anyway, Jurgen, or "Katze" as he was nicknamed, like "heavy rock Ja" and "progressive too" and had recently bought the first album by a band called Kiss.
I'd not really heard of them, they had not hit Britain yet, but the German kids were mad on them. There was a drastic lacking of German rock artistes, with Oompah bands and balladeers being the staple diet.
Katze had left school and started work the 2nd week I was staying, so I hardly saw much of him, but he was always skint, so to get enough money for the last weekend I was there, he sold me some of his albums, one of which was the Kiss album, Destroyer. It wasn't their first Album, may have been the second, but it was certainly their "breakthrough album", which although I didn't really want, it was ok and no one else in the UK, ok, at school, would have it!!!
Kiss carried on to build a reputation for their live act, pyrotecnics, gore and of course the make-up. They also had some hit records, very much Anthemic, but the live shows were circus/pantomime affairs, visual as much as musical.
So last night, I got back to my hotel, aware that they were playing at the Wembley Arena, just around the corner to be confronted by the sight of a multitude of Kiss fans and a large number of "lookalikes" with their painted faces and wild black hair. One particual "Paul Stanley" clone was exceptionally lifelike.
Unfortunatley, some of the others were poor, very poor, with watery white paint daubed "a la" England footy fans, with nits of black daubed on for good measure.
I saw two such fans come out of the lift, looking like they thought they were going to be the only ones who had thought of wearing paint in homage to their heroes, only to see their faces crumble when they saw the real deal at the bar. They suddenly realised what tits they looked like. At their age as well!!!
I headed off to the Tesco Express to get my tea and decided to take a quick jaunt down to the arena to see if the box office was open. (Eric Clapton is playing here on the 20th May!!!)
The place was mobbed with people queuing to get in, or milling around drinking, buying t-shirts and other Kiss Merchandise. It was only 5pm!!!!
I headed back to the hotel and the foyer/bar area was now full of headbangers, young and old! It was going to be a noisy night............
And it was, although it was pretty quiet at 8am when I went to check out and saw every door I passed with a "do not disturb" sign on the handle!
Rock and Roll............
Golf is a mental game.............
....and I don't mean a game played by mentalists! (although it helps)
A lot of the game is about controlling the mind, building confidence, positive thoughts.
So for last Sunday's Major, the Wychwood Masters, a nedal, I had a strategy in mind! Just 3 focal points that would see me through.
I'd been playing reasonably well over the past few rounds, but slipping up on a few holes. Off my handicap I only need 3 or 4 pars a round and if I can play bogie golf for the rest so be it and with 4 Par 5's that if played sensibly should yeild nothing more than bogies.
So the strategy.........play the Par's sensibly, putt aggressivley (the greens are slow at the moment) and keep a double bogie off the card as long as possible!
I was drawn to play with Frank Gould, an old work colleague from the Barclays days, and a new member called Colin Naylor.
Quick introduction on the tee and then they gave me the "Captains Honour"
Par 5, play it sensibly, nice easy swing, a 6 will do, keep a double bogie off the card!
Awfull tee shot pulled left, low, into rough at bottom of hill..............hack forward with 8 iron, still not reached the other two's drives! Push next shot into rough near tree. Manage to get 4th shot past bunkers.....up and down from here for 6????
Hit a great wedge shot to within 15 feet. Chances..........putt bang on line, but not hit it hard enough........double bogie 7
So let's review the strategy..............
Play Par 5's sensibly...............Doh!
Putt Aggressivley....................Doh!
Keep a double bogie off the card for as long as possible.......Doh!
Bogie on 2 -5 giving some semblance of control.
On to 6 and thoughts of previous day's par in tougher conditions, so nice easy swing to front right pin position. A pin position in exactly the same place as I hit it yesterday!!
Carve it right, slicing further right into the gorse bush on the bank.........
Play a provisional, with exactly the same result.......well at least the swing must have been consistent!!!
Manouvre myself into the centre of the gorse bush and find 4 balls..............not mine, but at least I'm not the only one to have been in here! Find another 2 balls, the second of which is my second ball.
Extricate myself from gorse bush, extract the thorns that are sticking in my back, legs, buttocks and hands, take a penalty drop, no shot at the pin, so hack down onto the flat bit, miracle up and down for a 7!!!
At least it wasn't an NR which it easily could have been.
Good drive down 7, but the fairways are beginning to harden, so a nasty bounce leaves me in the rough! Reasonable second, but pulled left in rough blocked by the old rotting tree.
We stop to let Jamie Clorley and Mike Harrington through. Scratch and Plus 1 respectiveley!!! Majestic.
Contemplate my shot.......no need to be greedy, just get it over the ditch and 3 to get down from 80 yards for a 6.
Hit the shot fat, clip the tree and into the ditch!
Drop, playing 4.......another 7.
So getting to the nemesis whole, the eigth, hit a low drive left from the back tees, struggling...............get up there and for once it's just made the carry........lay up with second shot and a rare par.......
Poor drive on 8, and a three putt leaves me with a six for a 50.........not what I wanted.
Much of a muchness, with Frank on 53 and Colin on 49.
Colin looks like a decent player off 14, having only played the course about 10 times, he has the length, but today, keeps leaving his putts short!
Stop at the halfway house for a coffee and bacon roll. It's been a long time coming, but after 6 years of cajoling, we finally have one. Nice coffee, good scoff and reasonably priced, surprisingly. We won't have to hear how Crewe have got "Madge's hut" or whatever her name is, and Carden park have their facilities, why can't we.
We have, now use it!!!
Right, lets get things sorted on the back 9.
Reasonable Drive off 10 and despite a weak 2nd, a chip and a good putt for par.
Into the bunker on 11, 2 to get out and a messy 5.
Onto the 12th, which I've been playing well recently. Par's for fun.
Good drive and second laid up short of bunkers. Perfect. Hit an awful slap shot and the ball goes straight into the stream! Take the drop, straight into a divot. (Note to self, must practice dropping the ball!)
Not a bad chip, but 2 putts for another 7.
Bogie 5, not bad considering the conditions and onto the "back nine" nemesis, 14th.
Hit a lay up down the left, which is a bit too short to go for the pin at the back, so lay up. Layup is a bit short, only just crossing the ditch! Good third to the centre of the green and 2 putts for bogie 5. Happy with that, no money in the box for a change!!!
With a successful 14th, I am adamant that I'm not going to hit it in the water on 15. I don't. Infact I don't even reach the water. Knock a simple shot up the fairway, 3rd shot just off the green and a putt from off the green lips out, so another bogie! Bogie again on 16 so I've pulled a reasonable back nine together, better than of late anyway.
Hit a naff shot on 17 and scramble a 4, but a weary 7 up 18 and time to shake hands and head for the bar.
Some good scores in, looks like John Aspinall has one with a net 68, Jamie Clorley in with a gross 70!!! So the conditions were obviously there for a decent score.
I've come to the conclusion that strategy and planning are all well and good, but you've got to be able to execute!!!! (As Andy Flowers the England Cricket Coach keeps telling us!!!)
Single KO next week! Don't think I've ever got past the first round......here goes!!!!
A lot of the game is about controlling the mind, building confidence, positive thoughts.
So for last Sunday's Major, the Wychwood Masters, a nedal, I had a strategy in mind! Just 3 focal points that would see me through.
I'd been playing reasonably well over the past few rounds, but slipping up on a few holes. Off my handicap I only need 3 or 4 pars a round and if I can play bogie golf for the rest so be it and with 4 Par 5's that if played sensibly should yeild nothing more than bogies.
So the strategy.........play the Par's sensibly, putt aggressivley (the greens are slow at the moment) and keep a double bogie off the card as long as possible!
I was drawn to play with Frank Gould, an old work colleague from the Barclays days, and a new member called Colin Naylor.
Quick introduction on the tee and then they gave me the "Captains Honour"
Par 5, play it sensibly, nice easy swing, a 6 will do, keep a double bogie off the card!
Awfull tee shot pulled left, low, into rough at bottom of hill..............hack forward with 8 iron, still not reached the other two's drives! Push next shot into rough near tree. Manage to get 4th shot past bunkers.....up and down from here for 6????
Hit a great wedge shot to within 15 feet. Chances..........putt bang on line, but not hit it hard enough........double bogie 7
So let's review the strategy..............
Play Par 5's sensibly...............Doh!
Putt Aggressivley....................Doh!
Keep a double bogie off the card for as long as possible.......Doh!
Bogie on 2 -5 giving some semblance of control.
On to 6 and thoughts of previous day's par in tougher conditions, so nice easy swing to front right pin position. A pin position in exactly the same place as I hit it yesterday!!
Carve it right, slicing further right into the gorse bush on the bank.........
Play a provisional, with exactly the same result.......well at least the swing must have been consistent!!!
Manouvre myself into the centre of the gorse bush and find 4 balls..............not mine, but at least I'm not the only one to have been in here! Find another 2 balls, the second of which is my second ball.
Extricate myself from gorse bush, extract the thorns that are sticking in my back, legs, buttocks and hands, take a penalty drop, no shot at the pin, so hack down onto the flat bit, miracle up and down for a 7!!!
At least it wasn't an NR which it easily could have been.
Good drive down 7, but the fairways are beginning to harden, so a nasty bounce leaves me in the rough! Reasonable second, but pulled left in rough blocked by the old rotting tree.
We stop to let Jamie Clorley and Mike Harrington through. Scratch and Plus 1 respectiveley!!! Majestic.
Contemplate my shot.......no need to be greedy, just get it over the ditch and 3 to get down from 80 yards for a 6.
Hit the shot fat, clip the tree and into the ditch!
Drop, playing 4.......another 7.
So getting to the nemesis whole, the eigth, hit a low drive left from the back tees, struggling...............get up there and for once it's just made the carry........lay up with second shot and a rare par.......
Poor drive on 8, and a three putt leaves me with a six for a 50.........not what I wanted.
Much of a muchness, with Frank on 53 and Colin on 49.
Colin looks like a decent player off 14, having only played the course about 10 times, he has the length, but today, keeps leaving his putts short!
Stop at the halfway house for a coffee and bacon roll. It's been a long time coming, but after 6 years of cajoling, we finally have one. Nice coffee, good scoff and reasonably priced, surprisingly. We won't have to hear how Crewe have got "Madge's hut" or whatever her name is, and Carden park have their facilities, why can't we.
We have, now use it!!!
Right, lets get things sorted on the back 9.
Reasonable Drive off 10 and despite a weak 2nd, a chip and a good putt for par.
Into the bunker on 11, 2 to get out and a messy 5.
Onto the 12th, which I've been playing well recently. Par's for fun.
Good drive and second laid up short of bunkers. Perfect. Hit an awful slap shot and the ball goes straight into the stream! Take the drop, straight into a divot. (Note to self, must practice dropping the ball!)
Not a bad chip, but 2 putts for another 7.
Bogie 5, not bad considering the conditions and onto the "back nine" nemesis, 14th.
Hit a lay up down the left, which is a bit too short to go for the pin at the back, so lay up. Layup is a bit short, only just crossing the ditch! Good third to the centre of the green and 2 putts for bogie 5. Happy with that, no money in the box for a change!!!
With a successful 14th, I am adamant that I'm not going to hit it in the water on 15. I don't. Infact I don't even reach the water. Knock a simple shot up the fairway, 3rd shot just off the green and a putt from off the green lips out, so another bogie! Bogie again on 16 so I've pulled a reasonable back nine together, better than of late anyway.
Hit a naff shot on 17 and scramble a 4, but a weary 7 up 18 and time to shake hands and head for the bar.
Some good scores in, looks like John Aspinall has one with a net 68, Jamie Clorley in with a gross 70!!! So the conditions were obviously there for a decent score.
I've come to the conclusion that strategy and planning are all well and good, but you've got to be able to execute!!!! (As Andy Flowers the England Cricket Coach keeps telling us!!!)
Single KO next week! Don't think I've ever got past the first round......here goes!!!!
Saturday, 8 May 2010
How could they?
First round of the pairs knock-out today and I was looking forward to it. Have resonably good record over the years, couple of Quarter finals and a Semi (oooer missus!!!)
Got Paul Siviter, the competition secretary, as a partner and expecting good things!
We were playing Brian Trenbirth off 8 and Derek Fulluck, off 15, should be a good match.
Ok drive down the first and a reasonable second, but block the 3rd a bit and left with a tricky pitch which I knock stone dead. Only problem is, Derek has hit his 3rd inside it and a "gimmee" puts us 1 down.
A par on the second by Brian and we are 2 down. Perhaps it;s not going to be our day! Not a good start!
On 3, Paul has a 2 footer for Birdie, so looks like we're going to get one back straight away, but Derek, slams it in from 25 foot and we end up with a half! It's definitley not going to be our day.
You get a sense about these things! I've played a number of knockout matches, pairs and singles, and you know that no matter how well you play, you're gonna lose!!!
Anyway, the 4th and I've struggled in the fairway bunker and although I recover well and have a shot, I'm never really in it. Paul gets us a 5 net 4, but Derek has a tricky, but gettable 8 footer for a win, but knocks it 3 foot past and missed the return for the half, so it's back to 1.
A half, on the 5th and I still have not really come in on a hole, although I par'd the first!
Hit the green on 6, but got a long put across the ridge, which I 2 stab for a par and a win to get back to level.
Tee shot on 7 takes a bad bounce and whilst I'm not in the hazard, I'm in deep rough and only move it about 50 yards down the fairway. Derek is in the hazard and both Paul and Brian are in the fairway bunker. Tight layup near the bridge and I've got about 120 to the pin at the back, with my shot got a chance, but a poor finish, leaves Paul to sneak a half.
On to my favourite (not) tee shot on the 8th. Tough wind today and straight into the face. Even though we are off the forward white tees, I hit the usual block and fail to make that carry, as usual, by a matter of feet, In fact , if the hazard marker posts hadn't been moved further up the hole, I may just have crept in.
As it was, the other 3 made a mockery of the wind and Derek's 2nd to within about 10 foot made it difficult and we duly lost the hole to par.
I was starting to miss time my drive and blocked it short right, looked like I might waste my shot, good recovery from under the tree, but messed up with 3rd leaving me a 30 footer up the hill...............Nailed it. Never left the hole, 4 net 3 and back to level.
Quick stop at the "half way house" that is now set up and very nice it was too. Pity it's taken 6 years to persuade Devere to set it up! (to be fair, not just devere, but previous owners as well!)
10th sees a grat up and down by Paul from the greenside bunker for a half which takes us up in the match, but we give it back to a par from Brian on 11, although I lip out from off the green for a 3!!!
I hit a majestic (for me) drive down the 12th and a shabby second still leaves me with a wedge for my third. Hit is fat, got a chip and two putts to win the hole. Back to 1 up.
Amazingly, all 4 of us go in the hazard on 13 and it's hacker time for me and somehow we lose to go back to leLay up on 14, but hindered by the bushes on the left and make the 140 yard carry over the water, but hitting the ball 140 yards and 6 inches, leaving me with a chip and a putt for a half.
Make the carry on 15 for once, but a long way back and scuff it into the bunker short of green. get it out, but bad chip leaves me out of the green. Paul misses for par and a win, so we're still all square.
We somehow lose 16 and need to win 17 to keepp the match alive. Wind is so strong I hit Driver and still short, just.
Poor chip makes me 4, Brian is out of it but Derek manages to make 4 leaving Paul with a tricky 2 footer for a par. He gets it so it's all square going up 18.
We all manage to hit poor tee shots, mine poorest and whilst I recover, reasonably I am still left with 100 yards for 4th and leave that on the edge of the green.
Despite hitting a decent drive, Brian manages to find heavy rough for his second and the fairway bunker on the right for his 3rd.
It just leaves Paul and derek to battle out and they are both just off the green for 3 and derek the furthest away. He uses his putter and nearly holes it. Gimme for 5.
Paul has a putt from off the green for the win, but realistically 2 for the half and extra holes. His first putt comes up short by about 4 feet and he slides the next past.
We've lost. Good match, but I can't believe that Bryan and Derek have had the audacity to beat the Captain and the Competition Secretary in the first round of the knock-out.
Still there's always next week................in fact there's always tomorrow..............Wychwood Masters!!!!
Got Paul Siviter, the competition secretary, as a partner and expecting good things!
We were playing Brian Trenbirth off 8 and Derek Fulluck, off 15, should be a good match.
Ok drive down the first and a reasonable second, but block the 3rd a bit and left with a tricky pitch which I knock stone dead. Only problem is, Derek has hit his 3rd inside it and a "gimmee" puts us 1 down.
A par on the second by Brian and we are 2 down. Perhaps it;s not going to be our day! Not a good start!
On 3, Paul has a 2 footer for Birdie, so looks like we're going to get one back straight away, but Derek, slams it in from 25 foot and we end up with a half! It's definitley not going to be our day.
You get a sense about these things! I've played a number of knockout matches, pairs and singles, and you know that no matter how well you play, you're gonna lose!!!
Anyway, the 4th and I've struggled in the fairway bunker and although I recover well and have a shot, I'm never really in it. Paul gets us a 5 net 4, but Derek has a tricky, but gettable 8 footer for a win, but knocks it 3 foot past and missed the return for the half, so it's back to 1.
A half, on the 5th and I still have not really come in on a hole, although I par'd the first!
Hit the green on 6, but got a long put across the ridge, which I 2 stab for a par and a win to get back to level.
Tee shot on 7 takes a bad bounce and whilst I'm not in the hazard, I'm in deep rough and only move it about 50 yards down the fairway. Derek is in the hazard and both Paul and Brian are in the fairway bunker. Tight layup near the bridge and I've got about 120 to the pin at the back, with my shot got a chance, but a poor finish, leaves Paul to sneak a half.
On to my favourite (not) tee shot on the 8th. Tough wind today and straight into the face. Even though we are off the forward white tees, I hit the usual block and fail to make that carry, as usual, by a matter of feet, In fact , if the hazard marker posts hadn't been moved further up the hole, I may just have crept in.
As it was, the other 3 made a mockery of the wind and Derek's 2nd to within about 10 foot made it difficult and we duly lost the hole to par.
I was starting to miss time my drive and blocked it short right, looked like I might waste my shot, good recovery from under the tree, but messed up with 3rd leaving me a 30 footer up the hill...............Nailed it. Never left the hole, 4 net 3 and back to level.
Quick stop at the "half way house" that is now set up and very nice it was too. Pity it's taken 6 years to persuade Devere to set it up! (to be fair, not just devere, but previous owners as well!)
10th sees a grat up and down by Paul from the greenside bunker for a half which takes us up in the match, but we give it back to a par from Brian on 11, although I lip out from off the green for a 3!!!
I hit a majestic (for me) drive down the 12th and a shabby second still leaves me with a wedge for my third. Hit is fat, got a chip and two putts to win the hole. Back to 1 up.
Amazingly, all 4 of us go in the hazard on 13 and it's hacker time for me and somehow we lose to go back to leLay up on 14, but hindered by the bushes on the left and make the 140 yard carry over the water, but hitting the ball 140 yards and 6 inches, leaving me with a chip and a putt for a half.
Make the carry on 15 for once, but a long way back and scuff it into the bunker short of green. get it out, but bad chip leaves me out of the green. Paul misses for par and a win, so we're still all square.
We somehow lose 16 and need to win 17 to keepp the match alive. Wind is so strong I hit Driver and still short, just.
Poor chip makes me 4, Brian is out of it but Derek manages to make 4 leaving Paul with a tricky 2 footer for a par. He gets it so it's all square going up 18.
We all manage to hit poor tee shots, mine poorest and whilst I recover, reasonably I am still left with 100 yards for 4th and leave that on the edge of the green.
Despite hitting a decent drive, Brian manages to find heavy rough for his second and the fairway bunker on the right for his 3rd.
It just leaves Paul and derek to battle out and they are both just off the green for 3 and derek the furthest away. He uses his putter and nearly holes it. Gimme for 5.
Paul has a putt from off the green for the win, but realistically 2 for the half and extra holes. His first putt comes up short by about 4 feet and he slides the next past.
We've lost. Good match, but I can't believe that Bryan and Derek have had the audacity to beat the Captain and the Competition Secretary in the first round of the knock-out.
Still there's always next week................in fact there's always tomorrow..............Wychwood Masters!!!!
Thursday, 6 May 2010
A momentous occasion.............
We are, or could be, on the precipice of a historical moment.........
We could be at the end of an era of Labour governent that has been in power for 13 years....
There is a saying that if you don't want to fall out with people, dont't talk politics or religion.........
So what is the political equivalent of an atheist or agnostic, cos that's what I am...........
To be honest, I don;t give a toss who wins tonight, because whoever it is, we, the "ordinary" people will lose.
In the good old days, you knew where you were! Labour on the Left, Conservatives on the Right, the Liberals/'Lib Dems nowhere and the Scots and Welsh scoring minor points that made no difference!
I voted in the first general election I was eligible to do so, in 1979 and have not bothered since! Perhaps toy can blame me for the Thatcher years, but I couldn't be arsed to vote. Event at that stage, I didn;t want to vote for anyone I didn't belieive in.
This caused a lot of consternation with my family, especially my maternal Grandmother, whose mother was a sufferagette, who fought for the right to get a vote. How could I possibly not use my vote?
My argument was that the fight for my right to vote made it a precious commodity that I was not prepared to simply give away! She was never happy with the response, but respected it, although she tried to convince me otherwise!
Like most people, I am, and have been, disappointed with the actions of politicians for a number of years.
I cite Tony Benn as a shining example of the type of potiticians I respect. Not agree with but respect. HE gave up a privileged upbringing, he gave his hereditary peerage away and became a Labour politician, MP and Cabinet minister. A bit on the left for me, but he stuck to his principles! I never agreed with what he said, but at least he never gave in and started to go on speaking tours or sought massive recompence for what he belieived in.
A message to Blair, Ian Duncan Smith and most politicians of the current day.
So, according to the exit polls, it is going to be a minor victory for the Conservatives, but a hung Parliament.........so it will be a bun fight....and with the financial markets tumbling, it's going to be a rocky ride for whoever takes over!
What about Nick Clegg? The supposed winner of the debates, but again according to the exit polls, it's looking like losing seats, it shows that the media hype and televised game that was the debate, has made no difference!
Who ever gets in, or does'nt, there is no magic wand and there is no easy ride and it's us who are going to suffer. Not the politicians...............they will be ok, thank you..........."Turkey's don't vote for Christmas!"
Perhaps after 13 years of Labour Government, people want a change. They blame Labour for problems that are global. I'm not defending Labour, mainly because there is little if no difference between Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem............
At the end of the day, what any of them say "they" are going to do and what they actually do, are miles apart........
Normal service will be resumed!!!!
We could be at the end of an era of Labour governent that has been in power for 13 years....
There is a saying that if you don't want to fall out with people, dont't talk politics or religion.........
So what is the political equivalent of an atheist or agnostic, cos that's what I am...........
To be honest, I don;t give a toss who wins tonight, because whoever it is, we, the "ordinary" people will lose.
In the good old days, you knew where you were! Labour on the Left, Conservatives on the Right, the Liberals/'Lib Dems nowhere and the Scots and Welsh scoring minor points that made no difference!
I voted in the first general election I was eligible to do so, in 1979 and have not bothered since! Perhaps toy can blame me for the Thatcher years, but I couldn't be arsed to vote. Event at that stage, I didn;t want to vote for anyone I didn't belieive in.
This caused a lot of consternation with my family, especially my maternal Grandmother, whose mother was a sufferagette, who fought for the right to get a vote. How could I possibly not use my vote?
My argument was that the fight for my right to vote made it a precious commodity that I was not prepared to simply give away! She was never happy with the response, but respected it, although she tried to convince me otherwise!
Like most people, I am, and have been, disappointed with the actions of politicians for a number of years.
I cite Tony Benn as a shining example of the type of potiticians I respect. Not agree with but respect. HE gave up a privileged upbringing, he gave his hereditary peerage away and became a Labour politician, MP and Cabinet minister. A bit on the left for me, but he stuck to his principles! I never agreed with what he said, but at least he never gave in and started to go on speaking tours or sought massive recompence for what he belieived in.
A message to Blair, Ian Duncan Smith and most politicians of the current day.
So, according to the exit polls, it is going to be a minor victory for the Conservatives, but a hung Parliament.........so it will be a bun fight....and with the financial markets tumbling, it's going to be a rocky ride for whoever takes over!
What about Nick Clegg? The supposed winner of the debates, but again according to the exit polls, it's looking like losing seats, it shows that the media hype and televised game that was the debate, has made no difference!
Who ever gets in, or does'nt, there is no magic wand and there is no easy ride and it's us who are going to suffer. Not the politicians...............they will be ok, thank you..........."Turkey's don't vote for Christmas!"
Perhaps after 13 years of Labour Government, people want a change. They blame Labour for problems that are global. I'm not defending Labour, mainly because there is little if no difference between Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem............
At the end of the day, what any of them say "they" are going to do and what they actually do, are miles apart........
Normal service will be resumed!!!!
Monday, 3 May 2010
Duckworth Lewis....my arse!
Twenty 20 world cup in the West Indies and it's raining.
England bat first and score 192, great innings from 4 of the England Batsmen, Kieswetter, Petersen, Lumb and Morgan. (That's 3 South African's and an Irishman)
It was a good score and possibly gettable on the wicket, especially as it was the West Indies, with Chris Gayle and relatively short boundaries, but when the rain came along the game was going to come under the Duckworth Lewis system and the revised target was 60 from 6 overs! Trouble is they'd already got 30 from
Just to cap it all the West Indian bowler Sammy got the man of the match award for his bowling figures of 2 for 22...........not Morgan for his 55 runs of 35 balls!
So a run rate of 9.6 over 20 overs gets rubbed out by a target of 30 off 22 with no wickets down! No change, in fact England did well to take to the last couple of balls, or West Indies nearly cokced it up!
How can a scoring system designed for 50 over games be used in a 20 overs match where a minimum of 5 overs constitutes a match.
No wonder Collingwood was pissed off.
Got to beat Ireland tomorrow! Wonder who Morgan is rooting for!
England bat first and score 192, great innings from 4 of the England Batsmen, Kieswetter, Petersen, Lumb and Morgan. (That's 3 South African's and an Irishman)
It was a good score and possibly gettable on the wicket, especially as it was the West Indies, with Chris Gayle and relatively short boundaries, but when the rain came along the game was going to come under the Duckworth Lewis system and the revised target was 60 from 6 overs! Trouble is they'd already got 30 from
Just to cap it all the West Indian bowler Sammy got the man of the match award for his bowling figures of 2 for 22...........not Morgan for his 55 runs of 35 balls!
So a run rate of 9.6 over 20 overs gets rubbed out by a target of 30 off 22 with no wickets down! No change, in fact England did well to take to the last couple of balls, or West Indies nearly cokced it up!
How can a scoring system designed for 50 over games be used in a 20 overs match where a minimum of 5 overs constitutes a match.
No wonder Collingwood was pissed off.
Got to beat Ireland tomorrow! Wonder who Morgan is rooting for!
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Bogey, Bogey, Bogey............
Until the Stableford scoring system was invented by Dr Frank Barney Stableford in 1898 and first used in competition at Wallasley Golf Club in 1932, the alternatinve to Medal (strokeplay) was the Bogey format.
In the Bogey format, you bacsically play matchplay against the course and after your nett score for each hole mens you either win, loser of halve the hole, so as in Stableford, where the worst you can do is score 0 points, in Bogey the worst you can do is lose the hole!
Not my favourite format!
So with a 3/4 handicap allowance giving me 12 shots, I teed up on the first in inclement, cold but dry conditions with a strong wind, playing partners were Pete Keena and Paul Woodbine.
The art to Bogey competitions, so I have been told, is to use your shots and try not to get behind, as it is hard to get holes back!
So after a reasonable 1st and second shot down the first, topping the 3rd shot into the bunker was not good. Even with a shot the resulting 7 meant I lost the hole. 1 down!
An awful tee shot on 2 left me with an awkward chip and whilst the 25ft putt was stone dead, it was 2 down after 2!
Good drive on 3, but a pulled second into the green side bunker and 2 to get out, left me 3 down after 3.
Was hoping to less than10 down!!! Looking Iffy now!
A steadying net par on 4 and at least I won't lose every hole. No shot on 5 and a poor tee shot leaves me with another loss! Nett 3 on 6 and I've got another half. 4 down.
Good drive down 7 and a great second, leave me 110 from the pin. Fat shot catches the pot bunker and I take two to get out. Lip out for a half and now 5 down.
No shot on 8 and a drive into the wind on my nemesis and a solid hit just fails to get across the carry. 6 down.
Weak drive on 9 and bunkered 3rd, leaves me 7 down at the turn!
Good par on 10, silly 3 putt for 4 on 11 leaves me on 8 down, but pars on 12 and 13, with shots and I'm back to 6 down.
Greens are really slow, but deciding to go for the putts hard and straight is starting to pay dividends.
On 14th tee, back on the Blue plates and hit a good drive, safe in the knowledge that I won't reach the ditch!
Not in the water off the tee, for a change.................costs 50p to Help for Heroes a time for going in the water off the 14th!
190 to the pin across water. should I lay up.......don't get a shot, so go for it. Top the shot, across the ditch and hit my third into the bunker at the back of the green. Need to hole it to halve the hole!
So back to 7 down.
Pull tee shot on 15 down left, leaving me the full length of the hole to go. short in 3, but good up and down to stay 7 down. Target to keep in single figures looking like being realistic.
16th and we are off the ladies tee, but this is not as easy as it seems. Play over the bunker and leave myseld 130 to the pin placed on the the front. Hitting the driver in play on the back 9!
Pulled second shot left, but up and down takes me to 6 down.
Poor chip and 3 putts on 17 and a tired hack all of the way up 18 for an 8 and another loss, finish on 8 down and the bonus is I beat trevor Brennand for the fiver................
Still hate the format though!!!
In the Bogey format, you bacsically play matchplay against the course and after your nett score for each hole mens you either win, loser of halve the hole, so as in Stableford, where the worst you can do is score 0 points, in Bogey the worst you can do is lose the hole!
Not my favourite format!
So with a 3/4 handicap allowance giving me 12 shots, I teed up on the first in inclement, cold but dry conditions with a strong wind, playing partners were Pete Keena and Paul Woodbine.
The art to Bogey competitions, so I have been told, is to use your shots and try not to get behind, as it is hard to get holes back!
So after a reasonable 1st and second shot down the first, topping the 3rd shot into the bunker was not good. Even with a shot the resulting 7 meant I lost the hole. 1 down!
An awful tee shot on 2 left me with an awkward chip and whilst the 25ft putt was stone dead, it was 2 down after 2!
Good drive on 3, but a pulled second into the green side bunker and 2 to get out, left me 3 down after 3.
Was hoping to less than10 down!!! Looking Iffy now!
A steadying net par on 4 and at least I won't lose every hole. No shot on 5 and a poor tee shot leaves me with another loss! Nett 3 on 6 and I've got another half. 4 down.
Good drive down 7 and a great second, leave me 110 from the pin. Fat shot catches the pot bunker and I take two to get out. Lip out for a half and now 5 down.
No shot on 8 and a drive into the wind on my nemesis and a solid hit just fails to get across the carry. 6 down.
Weak drive on 9 and bunkered 3rd, leaves me 7 down at the turn!
Good par on 10, silly 3 putt for 4 on 11 leaves me on 8 down, but pars on 12 and 13, with shots and I'm back to 6 down.
Greens are really slow, but deciding to go for the putts hard and straight is starting to pay dividends.
On 14th tee, back on the Blue plates and hit a good drive, safe in the knowledge that I won't reach the ditch!
Not in the water off the tee, for a change.................costs 50p to Help for Heroes a time for going in the water off the 14th!
190 to the pin across water. should I lay up.......don't get a shot, so go for it. Top the shot, across the ditch and hit my third into the bunker at the back of the green. Need to hole it to halve the hole!
So back to 7 down.
Pull tee shot on 15 down left, leaving me the full length of the hole to go. short in 3, but good up and down to stay 7 down. Target to keep in single figures looking like being realistic.
16th and we are off the ladies tee, but this is not as easy as it seems. Play over the bunker and leave myseld 130 to the pin placed on the the front. Hitting the driver in play on the back 9!
Pulled second shot left, but up and down takes me to 6 down.
Poor chip and 3 putts on 17 and a tired hack all of the way up 18 for an 8 and another loss, finish on 8 down and the bonus is I beat trevor Brennand for the fiver................
Still hate the format though!!!
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