The Captains Blog

It's Back....................

2011-09-05T20:20:00.000+01:00

I know, I'm not Captain any more, but I've missed the blogs, especially recording my golf and the teams performance so gonna start again.

Plenty to write about....not just golf either!

Perhaps I need to change the title!!!

Watch this space!!!!

It's Over!

2010-12-07T11:56:00.000Z

Well, my year as Captain is over and there is a sense of relief, pride and a large element of sadness, almost an empty feeling.

I was quite surprised that I would feel like this.

I did my closing speech and felt I covered the salient points, but to recap:

Well, where did that year go...............................a cliché I know, but it only seems like yesterday (12 months ago) that I stood before you, jacketless, Vice Captain less, preparing for my year as your Captain

And what an INTERESTING Year it has been.

We’ve just seen some of the winners presented with their trophies, but that’s not the half of it......

The teams had a mixed year, with the A team struggling towards the end of the season and ending up 5th. The B team, I guess it’s safe to say, struggled all season and did really well to stay in the 1st division. The only Silverware this year coming from the Scratch Cup and of course, not forgetting the Veterans Cup runner up spot.

Oh and we did manage to regain the Weston challenge which Trevor Managed to lose last year!!!

Playing for the team is a big commitment, so I thank everyone who has played this year, win, lose or draw.

I set myself a number of challenges in the year, one of which to have played golf with 100 different people, well I got to 83, which was not bad. Thanks to all 83 of you for putting up with me!

I was also presented with a number of other challenges throughout the year, which with the help of my committee and Iain Gray and Jon Farmer we managed as effectively and efficiently as we could.

I’d like to thank my Committee and the whole Devere team who I can honestly say have the members interests at heart despite the corporate demands placed upon them. As I said 12 months ago, we need to understand the situation we are in as a club and the relationship we have as Members with Devere,

There have been many high points for me during the year, the Joint Captains day, a long but rewarding day, with decent weather for a change.

A great Captains Awayday at Trentham Golf club, pity about the football afterwards Two personal highlights:

I actually won a couple of rounds of the Singles Knockout and I had the honour of playing in the Euro Pro pro am with the Winner and Runner up of our Club Championship and a professional who actually played at the Masters in Augusta.....he missed the cut, but at least he can say he played there!

Oh and thanks to the heavy frost I believe I hold the record for the longest Captains Drive In!!!

We also raised a significant amount of money for the Help for Heroes Charity, I will leave Elaine to announce the total, but thanks to all who supported the charity. And don’t forget you can now go in the water on 14 without any financial penalty!

Low’s.....well not too many, but one thing I do regret is not having been able to do more for the Junior Section.

Finally, a few thanks..........

Firstly I’d like to thank Elaine for her support throughout the year, keeping me under control...........I think she has done a great job in keeping the Ladies section going.

Secondly, I’d like to thank Will Clayton who has been Honorary Secretary for the past few years and has done an excellent job keeping us all within the rules!!! He has decided to step down, but my personal thanks go to Will.........

I’d like to thank everyone who has worked on the committee, but there are two people I’d like to single out.

Jeff Dean took on the onerous task of Treasurer this year and there were a number of issues that needed to be resolved when he took it on and the job he has done and the tenacity with which he has tackled the task has been immense!

Someone else who has also served on the committee for a number of years with probably the most difficult task on the committee is Paul Siviter..........having been competition secretary myself, it is at times a thankless task, but without the effort that Paul has put in there would be no competitions!!!! Having said that he is stepping down, so for those of you interested in taking it on, it’s the easiest job going!!!

One last thank you.................it goes to someone who over the past 5 years has been un-wilting in supporting the club championship, captains and presidents days and long may it continue.........Tony Welburn

So that just leaves me with one final duty, to thank you for your support and formally hand over to your new Captain, Mr Martin Wainman..............all the best Martin and I hope you have a successful and enjoyable year.

Nearly Over

2010-12-03T23:30:00.001Z

About 16 hours left as Captain!

That year has gone quick and tomorrow afternoon I hand over to Martin Wainman..............gonna be a fun year with Martin in charge!

Juast finishing off the handover speech and then that's me done. Highs, Lows and thanks! (I'll publish it tomorrow)

Promise to catch up on missing entries as well.

So "Un-England Like"

2010-11-28T06:55:00.000Z

Day 4 of the Ashes and resuming at 25 for none, chasing a deficit of 220 runs, I watch the first 5 or 6 overs and Strauss and Cook seem to be doing ok, so I decide to leave them to it and I'll just check through the night.

This was my modus operandi for the last series down under and it was usually not good news, with me timing my viewing with an England collapse or the last few overs of each losing match, so I was expecting my first check to see Englan 5 down still not having levelled the scores, so at over 100 for no wicket just before Lunch it was a pleasant surprise.

So I left them to it.

Alarm set for 6am, I was planning to see the last hour before going to play golf.

I turned on the TV, expecting to see England Fielding and the Aussies ready to knock off the last few runs for an opening win and a demoralised England.

My bleary eyes managed to establish that England were still in and were at 280 for 1!!!!

Strauss was out having scored 110 and Cook on 120 with Trott on 43.

The Aussies were not looking so cocky now! In fact they were relieved to get off the pitch early due to bad light!

At 308 for 1 a healthy position with a day to go.

The Ashes Down Under...........

2010-11-25T06:24:00.001Z

So the hype is over and the Ashes are about to start. No more talk, no more build up the toss has been won and England are about to bat.

With the Live coverage these days, it's a must to stay up and watch the first session of the first test, so having planned to work from home, it's time to hunker down and get ready for the midnight hour.

The first session, even the first ball, can set the scene and to go back 4 years to 2006, England were holders of the ashes and under the Captaincy of Freddie Flintoff it was looking good.

Having lost the Toss this time and Bowling, Harmison's first ball summed the series up. It was SO wide, Freddie took it at 2nd slip. It went downhill from there and England lost 5-0.

Poor Harmison, now working as a summariser in the studio has had to watch that ball about 10 times in the last half an hour!

Strauss facing the first ball...................good leave, second ball ditto.

Third ball and a short long hop outside his offside and 4 runs, great start. Only it does'nt go for 4, it's plucked out of the air by the Gully fieldsman and the Englan Captain is out 3rd Ball for a duck................here we go again!!!

Looks ominous and despite a recovery of sorts at 86 for 2, the Aussies are on a high at the end of the first session.

Bed for a few hours and then back up for the final session and it's 194 for 4, good recovery, Bell going well, until Siddle the "workmanlike" Aussie Bowler dismisses the beligerent Cook for 67. Out comes Prior and he goes first ball, stumps sent flying.

Now it's Broad to face the hat trick ball and despite the review, he is out LBW to give Siddle his hat trick.......I wonder if I'd stayed in bed this wouldn;t have happened!

The collapse is ievitable and despite Bell's effort of 76 with the tail offering little support it's all out for 260!!!

Here we go again!!!

Nothing like being prepared.................

2010-11-21T19:01:00.001Z

Winter League round 2 and the regular 4 ball of me, Mr Barrett and team Hallam. (Mark and Ben)

We are teeing off later than ususal as Mark was at a Wedding the night before, so he was expecting to be the worst for wear, but he was there well on time and had obviously had his sensible head on!

Mr Barrett, however, had forgotten that he was going to a 40th Birthday Party, with a free bar............do I need to say more?

Rob had suggested that he had managed to play well in the texas Scramble a few weeks before after not going to bed after a night out, so it worked last time so he'd be ok.

He was late. Infact when we called him he was still in bed! We were due on the tee in 10 minutes time!!!

He came screeching around the corner and into the car park as we were teeing off, so by the time he got to the tee, he was late enough to warrant a 2 shot penalty on the first. We didn't tell him this as he needed to focus on hitting the ball!!!

He teed it up and it looked like the effort of bending down and getting back up had taken it out of him!!!

A couple of practice swings, painfully completed and he addressed the ball.

Nice looking back swing, but unfortunatley he hit the deck about a foot behing the ball, taking a massive divot and the ball remained proudly on it's tee!!! An airshot.

Rob took aim again and managed to hit the ball, but only low and left into the rough!

A couple of hits at the ball to get out of the rough and he decides to save himself for the next hole.

It's a better ball format, so the best score of the 2 counting and Rob actually saves himself until the 7th hole when he manages a remarkable point with an 8.

Coffee at the halfway house seems to pep him up a bit, but he declines the shot of JD to go with it.

We manage to garner 26 points and that includes a birdie for me on 13, which scores 4 points, but to be honest Rob has done well to make it round.

Especially as when we are recalling his opening tee shot in the clubhouse afterwards, he can't remember it! In fact, he can't remember the first 6 holes!!!

Perhaps the preparation methods need to change.

We had a good laugh though!!!

The Shortest Drive Ever...............with a draw!!!

2010-10-30T01:04:00.000+01:00

Rob,

Sorry, but this has to go down in the annals of Wychwood History..............wish we had a photo!!!

Played probably the last Friday "9 at 4" today, with "Team Hallam" and Rob Barrett.

Arrived at Wychwood and the wind was a howling!

Threw the balls up and I was paired with young Ben Hallam (good shout), against his dad Mark and Rob "two shots" Barrett! Better ball Stableford, full handicap!

The wind was strong, but was behind on the first , but I was surpeised to see Ben hitting 4 iron off the tee!

Ended up with a poiht each on the first, second again with a point each and the third with 2 points each.

Nothing sectacular!

Get to the 4th and we are now straight into the wind and it's now I realise that the reason Ben hit a 4 iron off the first is that he is only carrying a bag with the longest club a 4 iron!!!

He hits a low draw into the left fairway and I hot a good Drive "straight down the middle!"

Rob steps, not with the "Big Dig", but a utility/rescue club to "keep it under the wind", which he duly does!

Unfortunately, it is so low that it travels about 6 inches, aided by the draw that his topped shot produces!

His playing partner commenting that at least he has two shots and is "there for -1"

Oh how we laughed! (Why didn't we take a picture???)

His second makes it past the Ladies tee (just), but he leaves Mark to make sure that we are still level after 4 holes!

We are still level after 5, but Ben, with a brilliant 4 iron into a cross wind on 6 leaving it 5 foot from the pin, I make my way to the tee with no pressure on. I hit a sweet rescue club to the right of the pin and see a slight "wind assisted" draw fl;y to the pin, hot the flag stick and ricochet 90deg left into past the bridge and into the ditch!

We are now 1 point up!

We all hack up 7, although Rob makes amends for the 4th and hits a great Drive into the wind and after 3 has laid up to about 120 yards.

A two point half leaves us 1 point ahead.

Ben hits his 4 iron on 8 and just makes the rough near the "melling road", and we all make the carry.

After the second shots, Ben and I are short, whilst Mark and Rob have gone long!

I knock one to about 15ft from the rough, but Ben hits a delightful pitc over the bunkers to about 6 inches, so we go down the 9th with a 2 shot cushion.

Despite a great drive from Mark, we manage to score 2 points which leaves us with a 3 point winning margin! A final "pre clock change" win for the Captain and Junior Captain to savour over the Winter months.

Bit what a momentous Drive on the 4th!

"I'm sure it comes in from the left!"

2010-10-24T18:24:00.000+01:00

First Winter League pairs game today. Partnered by Rob Barrett this year and we missed round 1 due to Rob sunning himself in Dubai. The rain was torrential here and only 8 or 9 teams finished their rounds!

So it was an 8:28 tee time with "Team Hallam" as our 4 ball partners! Three Quarters handicap was a bit of a shock to Rob, who, off 28, was used to 10 "2 shot" holes, but today he would get 3!!!

Crisp frosty morning with brilliant blue sky. Ice forming on spikes as we walked!

Ben Hallam tee'd off first and we had the first "club whacking" anger tantrum of the day as he hooked it left. Mark, hit a great drive down the middle. Rob hit a good drive as well and mine leaked to the right, but was in play.

We all hit decent 2nds, but I ended up losing my ball in the ditch right of the bunkers and lost my ball. Early loss of ball this week!

Rob managed to get a 6 and 2 points, Ben and Mark got their 2 points as well.

Rob lost two off the tee on 2 and i was online but just short, but the first chip of the day was a good one and a par for 2 points was good enough.

we got another 2 points on 3, losing the tee to the Hallams 3 pointer!

Rob had 2 shots on the 4th and hit a good drive, but hit a couple of fat shots after that. More club abuse from Ben as he hit, what he thought, was a bad shot. we thought it was ok, but a monster from Mark put them in good shape.

A good second for me, but my wedge only just crept on and I ended up with a 5 for 2 points against another 3 pointer for team Hallam.

Three decent tee shots on 5 and then I just caught the bunker. Rob was hitting it fat again and struggled up the fairway. I got out of the bunker and then blocked a shot right, but a good chip and run left me with a 5 footer for par which just slipped by and we ended up with a point.

6th and with visits to the water by rob and I, we managed a point. Rob struggled again on 7 with two failing to make the carry, but I managed to get a 6 for 2 points.

The 8th, off the yellow tees, was easy(!), but another miss from 5 foot and it was a 5 and only 1 point.

Good drive from Rob up 9, but two visits to the lake and we sent him off to get the coffees in at the half way house.

I duffed my second and left a 3rd short, but a bump and run from 40 yards left me with a tap in and 2 points. 14points for the fron nine was not bad, but could have been a few more with a few putts dropping!

Team Hallam securing a solid 20 points, with Mark strikig the ball well.

Good drive from all of us down 10, but I'm blocked out by the tree, but a great low punch under the tree and I'm pin high just through the green.

Rob is in a similar position for 3, but his chip races across the green and 3 more to get down makes 6. I manage to lag a putt from off the green to about a foot and make a good par for 2 points. Ben sinks a putt for Birdie and 3 points to keep the Hallam's momentum. (It's only about the 2nd or 3rd time he's counted!)

The 11th sees Ben missing the green right, Mark and I leaving ours short and Rob the only one making the green albeit left of the hole with a long putt.

Ben chips to about 3 feet, Mark nearly holes for a 2 and I slide mine past about 5 foot. Rob left his putt short, but has a put for a 3. He's lining it up and I have a look and suggest right lip.

He questions this, I have a look and reaffirm a right edge putt, he stands over the putt then walks away and is sure it's left to right! Mark has a look and agrees it's right edge.

Rob is not convinced, so we suggest he hit's it as he sees it.

He does, and hits it just outside left and is perplexed when it keeps going left! Oh how we laughed!

I miss another so we end up with a point!

We all hit good drives down 12, mine just catching the rough down the left, but managed to move the ball forward to within range. Rob hits another a little fat, but hits a good layup. Mark and Ben are across the ditch for 3, but some distance away. I decide to lay-up. Right on the limit out of the rough!

Leave the wedge short, but a great chip and a tap in for 6 and 2 points.

Par for team Hallam and another 3 points!

Rob is starting to hit the "Big Dog" nicely and he hits a sweet drive down 13, but it goes straight into the ditch!

I hit a decent drive, but the Hallam's are way over the ditch.

I hit my second but end up left of the green, whilst rob plays out of the ditch and then ends up left.

We both mess about and end up with a point!

Two great drives from the Hallams again and Rob strikes another great drive, but goes straight into the ditch!

I lay up with a 3 iron and then hit another onto the fringe. Great birdie from Ben and I chip to 6 inches and a par.

Two great drives from the Hallams and Rob again strikes the ball well, but ends up in the fairway Bunker. I hit a safe one and then a second just short. Good chip, but miss the par putt. Surprisingly the Hallams only get 2 points.

A 5 on 16 and 2 points and we are then off the 17th off the Ladies tee. Ben hits a shank and nearly ends up in one of the gardens, Mark and Rob are short and right.

I hit a decent shot, onto the green, but the line of the putt leaves me having to putt over the fringe. Rob chips on and secures a 4 nett 3. My second laggs to a couple of feet, but I leave the par putt on the lip.

Good drives off the 18th for everyone, but Rob's just leaks right and into the lake. His 3rd ends up behind the tree and with our encouragement he tries to hit through the gap. It's 80% air, we tell him. He manages to hit the largest trunk smack in the middle!

After three shots I was just short, but took 3 to get down for a 6 and two points.

30 points for us and 41 for the Hallams, but a fun day, and at least we have a score on the board!

Bring on round 2!

Bye Bye Wembley!

2010-09-30T21:17:00.000+01:00

Woke up to a cold, foggy, wet morning, one last look at the Stadium as I packed my bags. One last wait for the lift from the 11th floor and a fond farewell to the receptionists. I headed for the bus and was quickly making my way down the high street, past Wembley Central and after alighting from the 192, I was soon in the office for the last time.

I had a lot to finish off, so today was not going to be a breeze! It was going to end, come what may at 4:30pm as I would need to eave for my train.

The morning flew by and I had handover meetings with everyone and a quick goodbye meeting with all my colleagues over a cup of tea! They liked their Tea!

I said my final goodbyes and then set off to Wembley Central for the last time. I waited for what seemed ages, but was probably 10 minutes.

The usual stop at M&S at Euston Station for a couple of Harvey Walbangers for the train and I was on my way home!

Lords!

2010-09-21T20:20:00.001+01:00

Couple of weeks left in London, so decided to tale a half day and go to the penultimate England V Pakistan One Day International at Lords.

I've been to Lords before, but had never seen a day-night match. So I ordered my ticket and looked forward to the event. England were 2 up in the series. But a betting scandal had broken out before the first match that could affect the forthcoming match. (And I was worried that the rain may be a problem!)

After the second match, a Sunday tabloid had revealed that they had evidence that an "agent" close to the team, could persuade the Pakistan bowlers to bowl no balls to order! They produced video evidence of the conversation, where the "agent" said that in certain balls in certain overs would be "no balls" and when the match was played, sure enough they did! This would result in a betting coup on what are called spot bets, i.e. betting on how many ruyns will be scored in a set number of overs, or when No Balls and Wides will be bowled. With the odds on predicting a no ball so high there was a lot of money to be made, especially if you knew exactly when this would happen.

So before the one day series had started there was a lot of heated debate as to what was going to happen.

England had won the test series easily and with a demoralised team missing key players England won the first two one day matches easily.

The 3rd match had been at the Oval on the Friday and England had let a possible victory slip, or though to be fair, the Pakistan bowlers did play well.

On the Sunday, the papers were full of allegations from the Pakistan management team that England had accepted bribes to lose the 3rd match to keep the series alive to generate more money. this had then set off a war of words between the England team and management and the Pakistan cricket board.

I set off from Crewe on the 06:02 train to Euston as usual , not knowing if the ticket I had in my rucksack would be of any use.

I got to the office at 08:30 and checked on the BBC website. Still not sure! Talks going on.

As my colleagues informed me as they arrived in the office, all the Radio reports were suggesting that the game would not go on. Typical.

Then, at about 10:00, and hour before the gates to Lords were due to open, it was announced that the game was on!

The game was due to start at 1pm, but I planned to work until 12:00, walk to the hotel and check in, change and head to the ground. I could not check in until 12:30, but if I missed the first hour it would be ok.

There was quite a queue waiting to check in, but as I was a regular at the hotel, I was invited to another desk to check in.

I got up to my room, changed and left, stopping at the Tesco Express for a sandwich and some snacks as well as a couple of "stellas". You were allowed to take two cans in to the ground. They did count them as well.
I got on the tube at Wembley Park station and headed for St John's Wood. The game had started and I was listening to the progress on the Radio. When I left the station I joined the throng that was heading for the ground and after about a 5 minute walk, I was at the entrance. I was entering via the Nursery end into the ground and then to the Edrich Stand, Lower Tier, Row 11 Seat 17.

I walked through the Nursery area, where the Nets are, but it was which was full of people drinking and eating and watching the game on the big screen. I got my programme and was also given my 6 and 4 card, for waving wildly whenever a boundary was scored. I headed for my seat and as I got to the steps fo the stand a mighty roar went up and I turned to see that Pakistan had lost their first wicket at 62 in the 14th over. I got to the top of the steps and at the end of the over, I was allowed in to the stand.

I was in the lower tier, under the modernistic "media centre" at about the 3rd man position of the boundary. The stand was fairly full, but there were some gaps to my right and about 5 or 6 rows of school kids , 13 to 16 year olds, who would become more and more of a pain as the day wore on. But I settled down, headphones on ready for the action I tuned into the Sky Commentary on my radio.

The first thing I realised was how small the ground looked, the second was how far back the England wicketkeeper was standing to the fast bowling! The speed of the ball was also something that you don't get a feel for on the TV.

Apart form the annoying school kids, the game went along pretty quietly, with a fairly slow run rate and wickets falling on a fairly regular basis,with Swann doing most of the damage. The main excitement being a six from Afridi that sailed into the pavillion which a spectator tried to catch, only to miss and get it right between the eyes!

The empty seats to mi right had suddenly filled up with some young Pakistan fans who had obviously been waiting for the final exciting overs. The atmosphere and the noise soon lifted.
Afridi went shortly after and at 210 for 7 after 45 overs it was looking like a fairly low target for England to chase.

Then Abdul Razzaq came in and scored 42 runs off the last 2 overs to get the score up to a more than respectable 265.

Everyone started to leave the stand for refreshments and as I had finished my alloted cans, I headed of for something to eat and drink! I decided against the Veuve Cliquot champagne tent and sampled a cheaper fair from the Marstons bar.

After a quick trip around the ground, a visit to the souvenir shop, it was back to my seat to prepare for the England innings.

The seats were full again and the Pakistan fans were in fine voice, encouraging their fast bowlers to rip into the Enlish top order, but Strauss and Davies, the England Wicket keeper were scoring for fun, with numerous boundaries, not looking troubled at all. The Paksitan fans nearby were soon quietened down and many went off for a stroll!!!

At 113 in the 20th over, Davies played an airy shot and was bowled on 49, Trott came in, bit scratched around for a few overs and then was out, followed a couple of overs later by Strauss who had scored 68, but from 113 in the 20th over England were now 127 for 3 after 26!

After giving the Pakistan fans some friendly banter, things were looking bad as the dark set in and the lights were on.

The ground looked fantastic under the lights and the ball was much easier to follow. Three stands of 20 nudged England closer and the atmosphere was building with the return of the Pakistan fans. Time to receive some friendly abuse!

Sure enough wickets started to tumble and England were finally bowled out for 227, with 4 overs to spare.

I heard the last two wickets fall as I was just about to enter St John's Wood tube station. I wanted to miss the rush for the tube!

It was a great experience, pity about the result.

Englan comfortably won the final game at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, but I watched it on the TV in the hotel!

At Last...............

2010-09-17T19:48:00.001+01:00

....no, not "at last another Blog entry", but I do apologise for getting behind and I will fill in the gaps as I go along!

No, today way was a momentous occasion for me at Wychwood Park.

At last.................

I arranged a Friday 9 at 5 with Rob Barrett and Vinay Adatia and had not played for a week, so was not expecting much, so not too surprising that I blobbed the first 3 holes! I only managed a point on 4 and two on 5, but I was trying out a new grip!

I had the honour on th 6th and with the wind behind, I decided to take a club less than normal.

I skied it and it was heading for the stream, but hit the bridge and bounced off the bridge and creap onto the green.

I had remarked on many occasion the fact that the 6th was the only hole on the course that I had not birdied.

Surprising to some extent, not because it was an easy hole, but that there were tougher holes on the course that I had birdied.

The 15th was completed fairly early as was the 13th, although that was a chip in! The 4th, as I recall was a long putt, from the front of the green and some holes I have only birdied o the one occasion!

However, I had never birdied the 6th and to be honest not really come close. Sure I had had a number of putts for birdies in the past, but never hitting close enough for a tap in!

I regailed the story yet again, but this time with a flourish! With a tee shot like that, my luck must be in. Bet I sink the putt.

The putt was about 25 feet with about 3-4 foot swing right to left and with the putt swing down a steep slope to finish.

Not much chance, but as I stood over the putt I got a good feeling about the line and the pace. But it was a tough putt.

I struck the putt perfectly and it was holdin it's line well and turning back down towards the hole!

It was going in! I was going to birdie the only hole I had not birdied!

But as it turned sharp left and down the slop, it faltered, keeping a great line, but creeping slowly to wards the hole. It's going in...................

But at the last minute it started to slow up and came to rest on the lip..........

A fantastic putt, probably one of the best I have EVER hit, believe me I have hit some great putts, but this one looked as if it had stopped on the lip.

But it hesitated for a nano second and dropped in.

BIRDIE.

As Rob said, I did call it!!!

The Frank Kiddie Scratch...........

2010-08-14T13:28:00.000+01:00

You wait years to play with a Professional around your course and then 2 come along within a week!

Today is the Frank Kiddie Scratch competition and I am playing with THE Frank Kiddie.

Frank was the Pro at Wychwood until a few years ago when he moved on to Hawkestone Park to ply his trade. He has also been playing on the Seniors Tour, but as he tells us on the first tee, he has not played a round here since he left.

He then proceeds to hit the ball straight down the middle, with his usual flawless, effortless way.

The 3rd member of the group is the Vice Captain, Martin Wainman and he hits a great tee shot and I’m in my usual spot on the up slope, just reaching the fairway.

I hit a decent second and a really good 3rd that just runs through the green, but a chip and a putt left inches short and I start with a 6. It’s a medal today, so need top play it steady today. No attacking pins and putts!

A good tee shot on 2 and a good par. Feeling good, putting nicely.

A short drive on 3 and my second is just short and a bad chip leaves me with a long putt for par. I hit a reasonable lag putt, but tweak my par putt, missing from about a foot! Where did that come from? Nice Birdie from Frank.

A decent drive down 4 just short of the bunker, whilst Frank and Martin have clipped drives a decent length ahead of me. I hit a reasonable 2nd and a good chip from about 50 yards leaving me with an 8 foot putt for par. Just miss again, but not putting well!!!

We are waiting on the 5th tee and as usual, when with Frank, we start talking music and Martin has already heard about my murky past as a member of a Punk band! Martin also mentions, just as I get on the tee, how good it is to see that the trees are in play! My tee shot is pulled left and into the trees! "Sorry, said Martin!!!"

Now I had to find my ball and this was not going to be easy! we started to look and I was just about to trudge back to the tee and found it just on the edge of the plantation and managed to hit a good recovery shot to where the bell is, or where it would have been if it had not been removed!

Just short of the green with my 3rd, but a good chip and a putt for a bogie. Only I miss it for a double!!! This is starting to seriously piss me off!!! If I can't putt, this is going to be a LONG round!

Hit a good tee shot on 6, but it plugs on landing just short of the green. Ok chip and left with a little slider down to the pin. Good put, but just miss, so it's a bogie. But even with the double on 5, I'm only one off my handicap.

We have a bit of a wait on the 7th tee, so we have another chat about music and Martin decides to start singing!!!!

Frank hit's a solid drive as does Martin. I hit a decent one as well, which flirts with the plantation, but rolls nicely back into the fairway. I hit the second , but cut it a bit and end up in the hazard. Worse is to come as I drop and duff the next into the ditch!

The photographer fromGolf Buddy is back again. His appearance last Sunday in the pro am saw me have a bit of a nightmare....looks like he's not bringing me any luck again today either!

Another drop, followed by a wedge that leaves me with a putt for a 7, but an ugly 3 putt leaves with a 9..........This hole is getting me down!!!

We're off the back tee on 8 and a bit of a breeze against and I hit a bit of a "scabby" one which just makes it across! And I mean just.Wish I could hit it as effortlessly as Frank!!!!

Good second and a chip to within 5 foot, but just lip out for par!

More singing from Martin, he's not playing well, but Frank has given him a little tip, to place the ball a bit further back in his stance and it seems to be working.

I hit a weak drive and my second is ok, but I'm left with a longish shot for 3rd which ends up short of the green and with an agressive put from just off the green, I leave a two putt for 6.

49 for the front nine, Martin has hit 50!!! Off 10 handicap.

Martin persuades us to call into the bar for a beer, so after twisting Frank’s arm he joined us. A quick Guinness for me and Martin and a Lager for Frank and we were joined by Neil Cox, David Taylor and Nick Lea.

We swapped a few tales and then as we headed for the 10th tee, they stayed for a second pint.

I regaled for the umpteenth time, about the time I won the Concorde Cup, after scoring just 13 points on the front with a 4 pointer on the 9th. I then proceeded to score 26 on the back and win on count-back with 39 points. Beating Stuart Ryall. Even I was starting to get bored of this story, as well as the one about being Member no. 2!!!

I hit an ok drive, but Martin and Frank both hit superb shots! I was blocked by the tree and my attempt at a draw round the tree which results in a duffed shot that creeps past the tree.

We are all now roughly equidistant from the pin at the back. Martin goes first and hits it fat, just short of the bunker. Frank hits next and hits it fat, just short of the bunker! Chance for me to get it on and pull a shot back!

I hit it fat and end up short of the bunker!

Martin suggests a quick wager for whoever get’s closest to the pin.

Martin first and not a bad shot, but should be able to beat that, but Frank hits it past the pin and I hit a shot that looks good, but rolls to the back of the green. Martin’s up £2!

I manage only a 6, so not a good start.

Onto the 11th and I hit a reasonable shot which runs down to the bottom level, leaving me a tough one back up the slop. A 4 is inevitable with the way I’m putting!

A short drive off 12 is recovered by a good 2nd and I manage to get across the ditch, just. Getting down in 3 is a minor miracle!

Good drive on 13, followed by an indifferent 2nd, I hit a wedge from the rough just short and take another 3 to get down. Frank has recovered from his bogey on 10 and is now level again following his birdie on 12. He gets another solid par on 13 as did Martin.

Onto 14, memories of yesterdays Scramble! I take 3 wood to lay up and knob it into the hazard left. Take a drop and manage to get it over the ditch. Decent 9 iron and I've got an unlikely chance of a bogey! Just lip out for a 6!!!

Hit a safe one off 15, and with a decent fairway wood, I get a wedge on and two putts for a 5. Martin is starting to play well now, but his singing is getting worse!

16 and I hit a good shot to the left of the bunker and have a good line into the green, Just tug it left but a good chip leaves chance for a par, but lip out and tap in for a 5.

17th and the wind is challenging, so try to hit a draw, but pull it left and in the drink.

Take a drop and hit a decent shot to the heart of the green and two putts for a 5.

Hack it up 18th and will be glad to finish.....

Just to add a bit of spice and give us a chance to get our quid back, Marting bets he can get up and down from about 30 yards. He hits a poor chip and leaves a 15 footer.......which he sinks! This is getting expensive!

Trudge up the hill after taking 7 and surprised when I find out that I've broken 100! Well 99 to be exact.

We head to the clubhouse, there's a net 65 in and Jamie Clorley is leading the scratch comp with 75, until Coxy comes in with a gross 73! A Guinness fuelled back 9!

The other groups gradually roll up and it's chance to catch up with all of the banter. We are waiting for Lee Cole to turn up for a beer and the stories start about golf tours , but obviously can't share them on here as what goes on on tour stays on tour!

Lee eventually turns up and the craic continues for a while and then we decide we are going to Hawkstone next week to see him off on his way to Australia................

6,4,6,6,5,6,5,5,7

Texas Scramble.................

2010-08-13T21:24:00.002+01:00

First competition of the Festival Weekend and it’s a Texas Scramble. For anyone who has not played this format, or golf at all, it’s a 4 man team format where everyone tees off and you pick the best shot of the 4 and everyone plays their second shot from there and this is repeated until the ball is holed on each hole.

Each player has to have at least 4 of their drives used during the round and then 1/10th of the combined handicap is subtracted from the total.

The key to the game is to putt well, but also to make sure that you manage the tee shots well and also select the right ball to choose each time.

So I was teamed with Rob Barrett and team Hallam, Mark and son Ben.

We had played last year and struggled to get Rob’s drives in, so we were keen to get them in early this year.

Ben hit a god drive down the first, but Rob got a decent one away and we picked his to take. We played the hole out, with a chance of a birdie, but all failed to sink the putt from 15ft.

I recalled the first Festival Week Texas Scramble I played in and won with d some friends, when we all missed a birdie putt from about 5 foot, then went on to Birdie every hole on the front 9, apart from the 7th, which we eagled!

A birdie on 2 and 3 and we were on schedule. A tee shot marked off for everyone, but me!

The 4th and we took Ben’s tee shot, although I’d hit a reasonable drive and we made a good par, on the 5th we were struggling for par, but Ben sank a great putt. Rob hit a scrappy shot on 6, but it's in position to let us get up and down in 3 and Rob, get's a par, all on his own. He's dead chuffed and will probably continue to talk about it for some time to come!

On 7 a great drive from Ben and then a good second, leaves us with a relatively easy Birdie, so at 3 under we are starting to make a move.

Pars on 8 and 9 and we end the front 9 on 33. Trouble is, we haven’t used any of my tee shots yet!

I hit a decent drive down 10, but Ben has hit a monster, so we take his drive, make a decent par, but we had 3 birdie putts just lip out.

On 11, I hit a reasonable tee shot onto the green, but Mark sticks it to about 8 feet and we take a birdie chance from his tee shot.

No problem, we’ve got 12 and 13 which we can use my drives.

Unfortunately I hit my drive down the left and into the light rough so we take Rob’s drive so that he has hit his 4 for the round. We manage to get birdie, thanks to yet another putt from Ben, who has struck loads of putts fearlessly! I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually had to putt!

4 drives needed and 6 holes left. Got to use my Drive down 13. Which proves tough as I duff it into the crap on the left!

We make par on 13, but our chances of any more pars are slim!

I hit a 3wood up 14 and we take my first drive of the round and manage to make par.

On 15, Ben hits a screamer and I manage to hit a half decent shot, but it is way back, but we have to take it. After the second shots we have to hit a chip from right of the green, and are left with about a 15 footer for par, but we all miss, with Rob’s attempt lipping out and Mark’s “horseshoeing “out.

So a bogey.

On 16 I hit a reasonable drive and we end up just short right after we had all hit our second. After our chips we are about 6 feet, but amazingly we all shave the hole and miss par again.

Game over! To win this event, you need to shoot sub 60 and we are now only 3 under.

On 17, Ben hits his drive just short, and I get across the water, but left with a long chip. We select mine so that we can all have a go up 18. Bit 4 bad chips and we have a longish putt for par which we all miss. So 3 bogies in row and we wearily trudge to the 18th.

We make an easy par up 18 and end up with a nett 64.

A nett 57 wins it, so we would have had to not only not Bogey the 3 holes on the back 9, but convert them into birdies!

Ben played really well as did Rob. “With 4 votes...............I was the weakest link.......Goodbye” (Yes I voted for myself!!!)

"Kim, Bet you've never been as close to a Willy as big as this before!!!"

2010-08-09T00:23:00.018+01:00

We were ready for the start of the back 9, and saw Brian heit a decent drive from the back tee.

I hit , for me, a good drive off the white, but was blocked by the tree that is positioned in the middle of the fairway.

Mike and Jason have knocked it way past the tree!

I manage to hit over tree, but short with a par from Brian we are looking good. Especially as Jason has hit his second to within 3 foot, Sunk the Birdie putt, but with his plus 1 handicap, it's only 2 points!

The 11th was a "beat the pro" hole. Basically, if you managed to get your tee shot nearer to the pin than the pro, you were entered into a draw.

Brian hit his tee shot just short of the green, almost on the fringe! So all we had to do was hit the green.

I pulled my tee shot left, but ended up on the green, albeit on the wrong level and quite a distance from the pin, but I had beaten the pro! Jason also hit the green, but was just outside my shot, so Birdies were not looking good. We all managed Par, and considering the slope and line I had to take, It felt more like a birdie!

On 12 I just sat back and enjoyed the ride, hitting an ok Drive and second, but my 6 was never going to be good enough to count!

The 13th and again it was time to marvel at the long hitting. I was starting to swing quick and had lost the tempo i started with, but pars from the other 3 kept us on track.

The 14th and a steady drive from Brian, followed by monster drives from James and Mike, but two par scires was all we could muster.

On 15, I was again a passenger as Mile and Jason, "boomed" drives that I could only dream of hitting! How simple is this game when you have talent!!!

Two more pars and we were looking like posting a reasonable score, but maybe not a winning one.

Last years winners scored 86 points. Were we anywhere near that? I had lost count.

On 16, Brian hits a great looking shot that clears the bunker, drawing nicely, just bouncing on the top of the bank.

I lay up short of the bunker whilst Mike and Jason hit rescue clubs that end up in perfect positions. Brian has actually found himself caught on the downslope past the bunker and in the rough. He manages to hit a decent shot, but ends in the greenside bunker and his bunker shot leaves him with a longish put for par, which he misses. His first, and only, bogie of the day.

We make 5 points thanks to a birdie from Jason!

On 17, a great shot from Jason, leaves us with another potential 5 pointer, but his putt just skims by, he and we can't believe it didn't go in. That's been the problem today! Putts just not dropping!

Up the 18th and Brian is way back on the Blue tees, hits a safe drive. I manage to get a decent shot away, but marvel at the distance that Mike and Jason hit the ball.

I manage to move the ball past the tree with my second and a good 3rd leaves me just short of the green. I chip and putt for a 5 nett 4 and 3 points, with Jason making birdie for a 6 point hole.

We shake hands, I thank all 3 partners for a great experience.

On reflection, I'd played well, especially the start, but I probably got caught up with the big hitting of Mike and Jason and had a bit of a bad patch, but I can honestly say I have not enjoyed a round of golf as much as this for a long time, maybe even ever!

We finish on 83 points which I am quite surprised to see, but I've not really been thinking about the score.

We get up to the score board and there are three 84's in which are leading and we suddenly think, quite naturally, about the ones that got away, but we never thought about the ones we got away with!

We have a quick chat and a pint and then I have to go home to return for the evening do! One last check of the score board and there is now an 85 in, so feel a bit better now!

Come back for the do, scrubbed up, Captains Jacket on and after a couple of drinks, it's up to the meal.

I'm sitting next to Brian and we have a great chat about Augusta. His experiences, obviously not mine.

He told us of Practice rounds with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, Jim Furyk and Rocco Mediate and getting some advice from Monty!

And the course? Everything you hear, times 10!!!

The meal was ok and then to the presentations.

Trevor Brennand's team were 4th on Countback, so that was a fiver I'd lost, but the winners, on 87 points were our Seniors, John Jackson, Mark Brown and Roger Newell. I think John may have samples a few, as his speech was a bit of a ramble, but they had obviously had a good day.

The presentations were done by Phil "the Power" Taylor, but he didn's stay for long.

Jason had won the Longest Drive competition, not surprisingly with a 375 yard drive! He donated his prize, a new golf bag, to the Auction that was to come.

Didn't win the raffle from the beat the pro hole. I never win raffles!!!

Willy Thorne did the auction, ably assisted by the lovely Kim. I bid on the golf bag, bit it ended up going for silly money!

As did the other prizes, a weekend yachting on the Solent for 8, a signed photograh of Phil Taylor, Steve Davies signed Pool Cue, plus a couple of other items, including a signed Bolton shirt. Who on earth wants a signed Bolton shirt? Not many here tonight!

Mr ABC solutions appeared to win most of his own auction items!!!

Willy then did a 15 minute spot, which was entertaining, included a round of applause for the recently departed Alex "Hurricane" Higgins, with a few Higgins stories and others about his fellow commentators, but the main thread was a "is'nt Golf wonderful, Ladies and Gentlemen?"

A little Blue at times, but nothing too smutty, although two of the members of our table were determined not to crack into a smile. Almost a look of distain.

A great day!

"Yer man played at Augusta you know!!!!"

2010-08-08T11:29:00.001+01:00

So it was the day of the Pro Am......................had practised the night before and was feeling ok, especially with my putting.

Up bright and early for the 11:20 tee off time and got to the club in plenty of time to get a bit more practice and get a bite to eat.

I was playing with Jason Timis, this years club Champion who plays off +1 and Mike Harrington, the runner up and course record holder, who's off +2. Not a bad team! Perk of being Captain I guess!

We were due to play with Loydd Saltman, who had been the BEst Amateur at the 2005 Open at St Andrews and by all accounts was handy!

Met up with Mike Harrington and sat down with Coffee and Bacon Rolls, met up with a few others, all excited about the day, laid a few bets down and then headed for the practice area. As I was getting my clubs out of the car, bumped into Jason had a quick chat and then knuckled down to a bit of practice.

No mats today! Off the grassed area and a pyramid of balls neatly arranged.

Hit a few wedges to warm up. Felt nice, then a 6 iron and again, nice tempo. Striking the ball well. Will I be able to take it out onto the course. 5 or 6 shots with 3 wood off the deck and then a dozend drives and that's enough. It's going well, so let's not leave the good shots on the range.

Down to the putting green and Jon Farmer brings us the news that Loydd can't make it, so we are going to play with another pro call Brian Mcilhenny, an Irishman. We shake hands, exchange pleasantries and then head to the scoreboard for the obligatory team photograph, along with a couple of skimpy short wearing young girls, obviously there to add a bit of glamour to proceedings. It was a bit too cold for one of them!

Back to the putting green and I'm putting well. Pace is good and I hole a few longish putts as well!

Will I keep up this form on the course! Tempo.....that's the watchword for today.

We get called to the first tee and the starter gives us the cards and rules for the day.

The pro is playing an individual medal on hos own off the Blue tees, but we can also use his score in our team Stableford which is best 2 scores on each hole. We are playing off the White tees!

On the tee, Brian Mcilhenny.................small smattering of applause from the "gallery".

Brian meticulously takes a couple of practices swing and then nonchalantly flicks the ball down the centre of the fairway.

We head forward some 50 yards to the white tee and the starter announces over the tannoy............."On the tee, Wychwood Park Captain for 2010, Mr Paul Price"

Not a single clap!!!!

Still, it's not me they've come to see!

Just get the drive away. remeber, nice easy tempo.

Not the best of tee shots, but it's in the fairway!

Jason up next......................BOOM...................the ball disappears!

Mike Harrington is next, not as much raw power, but a smooth swing and the ball is launched way over the hill!

This is what I've been looking forward to all week.................what a dream team.

I get to my ball, 3 wood, nice smooth swing, straight down the fairway.

Brian plays his second and then we walk forward, probably another 100 yards to where Jason and Mike are. Hope they are'nt putting Brian off.............well I don't mind too much. We want to win!

Mike hits a good shot and is just short and right for 2. Jason launches his second, tracking towards the pin and to within 5 feet! This is what we came to see.

We have a small gallery following us. Shane Townsend and a couple of mates, see me hit my 3rd from about 180 yards onto the green and with a chance of a Birdie! To be honest, I surprised myself with that one, but tried not to show it.

Brian is on the green with his 3rd and takes two putts for his par. Mike chips close to secure his Birdie. I hit a good putt, which leaves me with a tap in for a par, net birdie and 3 points! Six points on this hole with Jason to putt from 5 foot for an eagle and 4 points. It hust shaves the hole! But six points is a good start!

As we are waiting on the second tee, we have a quick chat with Brian. Mike says he is sure he has seen Brian before and asks him where he's played. Brian tells us, without any hint of bragging, that he was Amateur Champion in 2005, played in the Open and then the Masters in 2006. We'd have to quiz him about that later!

We left him to get on with his own game, after all he was playing for the prize oney today!

He hit a good tee shot from the Blue tee and hot the green on the right.

After pulling the last 5 or 6 tee shots to the left on the second, I hit a sweet shot over the pin and left a 15 footer down the green.

Jason also hit the green, but Mike was just short. Mike hit a chip which was inches short. A great chip, but you could tell he was expecting to hole it! That's the difference!

Brian hit a good lag putt down the hill as did Jason. I had a slightly easier putt, but hit a good line that just ran out of pace and so it was another tap in for par.

Onto the 3rd and another smooth tee shot from Brian. I hit an ok drive but was way back, but then again, I ususally am! Mike and Jason were way up the fairway.

I hit another good shot, just coming up short from about 170 yards. Chip and a put and it's another par and 3 points. Mike and Jason hit wedges for second shots and just missed birdie putts.

Onto the 4th and this was the longest drive hole.

Not an issue for me and the marker looked a long way away. Brian misses the fairway right, but he's be ok.

I pull mine left and into the light rough.

Jason launches another, low and powerful but it's way past the marker. Mike also hits a great drive, but no one is going to get past Jason's drive. Just give him the prize now!

Our Gallery leave us, can't believe why, I'm level par and Jason has just hity that monster!

A decent second shot and I'm left with a chip and a putt for another par, but leave the chip short and end up with a bogie. Still, it's ok, although the two pars from the boys leave us with 4 points. for the hole. Need to use my shots.

Brian's getting a bit chatty now and we have plenty of opportunity to talk as the round is a bit slow. Waiting on most tees and over second shots is going to be the norm today!

Bit of a blocked drive on 5, but on the fairway. Jason hits a well used rescue club, an old Adams club which is obviously a favourite club.

I block my second and it looks like going out of bounds. Never mind the others are on for 2 with good birdie chances. I must have hit the out of bounds marker, because I'm just in play!

Chip out and manage to grab a 5, but the boys have grabbed points anyway.

Off to the 6th and Brian is off the back tee. He hits one slightly short and left, but show his class with a tricky up and down. My ball is to the right, but a reasonable chip leaves me with a tricky putt and it slips by for a 4. Mike and Jason also make pars, with Jason, just missing his birdie put. It looks good all the way but just slides by again!

Off to the 7th and Brian hits a great drive off the back tee, I get a reasonable drive away that flirts with the plantation on the left and rolls into the fairway. Two booming drives from Mike and Jason and we're looking good to pick up points.

I pull my second left, but I have a shot albeit from the rough by the tree.

Good connection, but the ball trickles into the pot bunker short! With three attempts to get out I end up with an 8 no points! But a team Birdie from Brian and a par from Mike and we get 5 points!

Onto the 8th and with no wind and a forward tee, I'm feeling confodent, but hit a bit of a high block and make the carry by about 20 yards! Needless to say Mike and Jason have ripped drives over the bunkers. I pull my second left and into the rough left, but end up with a relatively simple chip over the bunkers and on the green, but 2 stab for a bogey 5. Two pars from Mike and Jason so we have got our level par 4 team points.

9th tee and another bit of a delay, so a chance to quiz Brian abit more about who he's played with and his times at Augusta.

Furyk, Mediate................Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in a practice round! You're not going to meet many who've done that!

The fairway clears and Brian hist another straight one into the fairway. I make a good swing, but just pull it into the fairway bunker and end up against the face. A bit greedy with the second and it bounces back off the lip into the bunker. Take a resuce club and muller it up the fairway.

Mike and Jason have "laid" up and hit reasonable 2nd shots. I hit wege on and just miss out on a 2 pointer, but we walk of with 4 points.

Brian has manged to shoot 2 under par 34. Made it look easy. Never in any trouble, with a very solid short game. He doesn't seem to hit it that far and you wonder how he got on at Augusta! Well he shot 80 and 75 actually, missing the cut, but he did Birdie 16!!! He also beat Paul Mcginley, Craig Stadler, Fuzzy Zoeller, David Duval, Gary Player, Fred Funk, Mark Calcavecchia and Sandy Lyle!

And now he was playing with me (and beating me!) at Wychwood Park! What an honour!

We headed off the 9th green and walked past the scoreboard. No scores in yet so not sure what the target is, but not sure what we've scored anayway. Last year was won with 86 points and I can't imagine we are anywhere near that.

We get to the half way house and meet up with another team who have played the back 9 first. They are keeping tight lipped about there score! Must be doing well!

There are burgers on, but I can't eat, still too excited about playing in this company.

Mike tucks into a hot meat and potato pie. Didn't know they did them..............mental note..............winter league, hot pies at halfway house.

Fairway clears and Brian sets up on the tee to start the back nine!

Tomorrow Belongs To Me.................

2010-08-08T00:05:00.001+01:00

The title of a "Sensational Alex Harvey Band" song may not be familiar to you, but that's the way I am looking at tomorrows Pro Am.

Whatever happens, I want to enjoy tomorrow and whatever it brings.

After all, I will be playing with the top two golfers at the club, as well as playing with someone who is trying to make it as a Professional in the tough world that is the sport of Golf.

It is one of the only sports going that due to the handicapping system should enable parity in performance and the chance for a mediocre golfer to "beat" the golfer of better ability.

There are in the world of club golf, those who use, or maybe abuse, the handicapping system to allow them to win competitions, with some fairly hefty prizes, when they are not actually being honest about their playing ability.

I hope that the "bandits", as they are known realise that they are cheating and spoiling it for every honest golfer, who are the majority!

Having been handicap secretary for a number of years I know that most golfers want to get their handicaps down and the Cat 1's are particularly keen to manage their handicaps.

It's just a few that "manage" their handicaps in a negative way that need to be tackled!

You, and more importantly, WE, know who you are.

Me, I'm really looking forward to playing with 3 golfers who don't have a negative handicap............A pro, a a plus 1 and a plus 2!!!

Bring it on!!!

International Pairs

2010-08-01T20:04:00.003+01:00

Good one to win this one! International Pairs, a 4 ball better ball stableford.

I'm paired with Craig Collins, or "Burger" as he's now know apparently (Not Captain Slow!!!!)

Off at 7:48 paird with Steve Cooker and Gary Hand. Newish members of 27 and 22.

Get on the first tee and see Gary (27) launch one, but with a "bit of a slice" that nearly hits the road!

I manage to hit one straight and onto the fairway and Craig hit's a great drive.

I manage to squeeze a fairway wood down the left and a lay-up short of bunker.

Craig lay's up and puts a 3rd on, whilst I'm just inside him for 4. Craigs par nicks the 2 points off my 6.

For the umpteenth time in a row, I pull my iron left on second and scramble for 4 but Craig gets a solid 3 for 2 points.

Hitting the ball better, I strike a good drive up 3 and a 2nd pushed a bit, but pin high and just miss the birdie, but our first 3 pointer. Another good drive from me down 4 and a second leaves me with a pitch from about 60 yards. Craig's hit a great drive and is on for 2. A solid 2 putt from Carig and another 3 points in the bag.

COntinue with another good drive on 5, seem to be getting through the ball better today and a good second and I'm just short. Craig hit's his approach a bit fat and ends up short. I hit a good chip across the ridge to the pin at the back and Craig also hits a good chip. No shots on this hole, but we both have a chance of par and 2 points, but both miss!

Still we can pick it up!

Par for Craig on 6 and another 3 points.

The 7th and I hit an awful drive and I'm out of the hole, but Craig hits a good drive and second and is on for 3. Mind you his 3rd never got more than knee height, jumped the Pot bunker in front and ran up to the back of the green pin high.

"Bet this get's a mention in the Blog", said Craig..............You bet!

He just misses the birdie, but another 3 points!

We've both hit left on 8 and I manage to cut one to the front edge and Craig ends up just short of the green side bunkers. No shots on this hole, so need an up down from one of us. I chip to within 8 feet, but Craig thins one over the back. Get's up and down for a point, but I just lip out with my par putt.

I've been striking the ball quite well, but not solid, so I decide to grip further down the shaft with my driver and hit a good drive up 9, top the second, but chip just onto the fringe to pin close to the front. Leave the par putt on the lip, but 2 points for a halfway score of 21. Could have 24 in reality with a few putts dropping.

Will need to do the same again.

Steve and Gary have started to play better, but they've not scored well!

Quick Bacon Butty and another solid drive from me, but blocked by the tree. Hit a great 8 iron over the tree, but end up just short. Solid par from Craig, good start.

Forward tees and pin at front, so it's a fairly easy par and 2 points.....good start.

Striking the driver well now and a half decent second into the wind and I've got about 190 to the 12 pin! Bit of a downhill lie and I just scramble over the ditch, but short of the green. Fantastic chip and I nearly hole of for Birdie. I don't miss from 2 inches....ever.

Both Craig and I hit good drives, Craig carries the ditch I have laid up. Never gonna get over so it's easy.

Hit a good second, but just short and right.

Steady 5 nett 4 for 2 points.

14th and last hole without a shot, in good nick, if we can just get a par for 2 points.

I hit a lay-up, but a bit too far back. Craig has hit it long and right, but is in the rough!

I decide to lay-up and live myself enough distance for a full wedge. Craig goes for it, but endsw up in the water. Another 50p for the Captains Charity!

A decent wedge and 2 putts for a five and 1 point.

Safe drive on 15 and good second leaves me a fairly simple pitch, but leave it short as does Craig, but we manage another bogey for 2 points.

My drive on 16 looks good inthe air, but just catches the bunker. Craig also hits the bunker. Craig splashes out, but although I am tight to the edge of the bunker, but can get a fairway wood onto it. Catch it well, but just catch the hazard up near the green.

Craig gets on, but a long way from the hole and 3 putts. Just one point.

17 and we have lost the honour for the first time!

I end up in the bunker right, taking an iffy bounce at the end. Craig ends up in the water.

I have a difficult lie, but manage to get the ball out, but 3 putts and it's only a point!

The eighteenth and a good drive, just catching the rough down the left. Craig hits a monster, but I hit the tree with my second and have to take a drop. Out of the hole!

Craig's second is a bit shabby and catches the fairway bunker on the right. Get's out well and a par to finish.

We both played well, reasonable score of 38, but could have been better. But not as good as the 46 points that were leading when we left!

Poor Gary though, he lost 10 balls!!!!

Bloody Weather!

2010-07-30T15:35:00.000+01:00

I've spent the week sweating profusley in an office in Wembley with no air conditioning. It's not been sunny, but it has been hot, with the odd rain shower to break the heat.

But all week I've been thinking about getting out on the golf course and especially my 3rd round knockout match against John Charlton.

Get down to the club at 4pm and feel quite relaxed, practice a fw putts on the practice green and it feels good, but after the debacle that was the club championship, not particulary confident.

Skies are starting to get a bit grey and as we head for the first tee, it starts to spit with rain.

I am getting 8 shots off John, not sure whether this is enough as he can destroy the course on his day! I need to forget about his game, he hits a long ball, and just concentrate on hitting fairways, notmaking mistakes and relying on my short game.

So, first drive into a slight breeze! Block it right and it ends up inthedeep stuff!

John's drive is solid and is well placed over the hill and on a fairly flat area.
I find my ball in deep rough and take a big slog with a wedge to make the fairway. Decent 3rd and then a lay up in front of the bunkers. John then plays his second and is just short and right for 2!

I play a good wedge, but leave it a long way from the pin.

John chips up to within about 5 foot.

I hot a great putt and sink it from 35 ft, but, it's for a 6 and no good to beat John's birdie.

The second and I pull it left for about the 5th time in a row and my 4 is not good enough as John gets an easy Par.

2 down.....not the start I needed. And it's now starting to rain quite heavily now.

3rd and I hit the fairway, but have along way to go. John is abot 75 yards ahead. I hit a good second and leave myself about a 30ft putt across the green.

John hit's his to within 10 ft! I hit a good putt which has a chance but ends up just past for a gimmee!!!

John races his birdie putt about 5 foot past, so I see it in and he misses! A bonus!

The 4th and my first "shot" hole. I hit a reasonable drive and see John Boom one over the bunkers.

Drag my second left, but in reasonable position. Connect too well with my 9 iron 3rd shot and it runs into the back bunker. A good bunker shot left me with an 8 footer and John's second was about 15ft away. He lagged it for an easy 4 and I just lipped out, so back to 2 down.

Still pretty positive as I was hitting the ball fairly well now and as long as I kept it in play, I could pull this back. I'd got 3 shot holes to come berfore the end of the front 9!

I try to hit a draw, but the hands are too fast and I drag the drive into the hazard.

So, easy for John again. Manage to get a good 5, but John has a simple par to go 3 up!

Shot hole on the 6th and John is a bit short and right and I just manage to reach the fringe. Par, nett Birdie to get straight back to 2 down with the 7th and a shot to come.

I hit it down the left and just catch the plantation. John's now hitting 3 wood off the deck and hits one that just ends up in the right hand rough.

I manage to work the 2nd out of the plantation and into the fairway just past John. He lays up a bit short and I am just past him, but down the left. John puts his 3rd to about 15ft and my fourth is pushed a bit right and ends on on the green 30ft from the pin. Just miss Par and watch as John just misses his putt for a win.

The tees are fairly forward tonight, so we are off the lower level on 8th, John hits a monster over the left hand bunkers, I sky one and don't make the carry. Play 3 off the tee and smash it into the Bunkers!!!

Get out but even with John messing it a bit for a bogey easily beats my 7!

John, with 3 wood hits a solid tee shot on 9 and I get away with one up the right. Line up for long approach, but block it into lake. 4th just catches the lip of the bunker and I end up 4 down for the front 9!

It's raining heavily now and I'm not expecting to get much further. Just hold on to 10 and 11 with no shots and then I've got 12 and 13 with shots to hopefully pull a couple back!

Bad drive off 10, blocked right, and it's a provisional off the tee. Luckily find the first, but can only hack it onto the fairway and just catch the greenside bunker, up and down for a 5, but lost to a par again! 5 down.

Perhaos I sohould shake hands now and then we can get back to the bar, but, remember playing a medal with John a few weeks ago and John would have been 5up against me after 10, but started to lose his irons after shanking on 11, and I would have lost on 18, so let's see what happens!

John misses the green left and I am on the green, but on the lower right with pin top left. I hit a good first putt, just past and get a par. John gets up and down, so it's a half.

It's tipping it down now and I can hardly grip the club at the moment. Still got a shot here.

John's 3 wood is into the fairway and my Drive ends up short down the right, but way back. As I hit my second, I feel my grip slip and it slices high and right into the gorse bushes, unplayable, drop and hit 4, into the rough, fifth just gets out, so it's six from 220yards. Have to go for it, but straight into ditch.

John is on in 3 and so it's time to shake hands...............

Still, on reflection, not a bad campaign this year, just not good enough to come close.....in fact, I don't even think I was 2nd today!

Club Championship Round 2

2010-07-25T21:29:00.000+01:00

Whilst I was disappointed with Round 1 and quite rightly, I had played ok considering the extra length, over 7000 yards and the breezy conditions, so was looking forward to round 2. Plenty of scope to improve with an 11 and a couple of 8's. Just stay focussed and play some simple bogey golf again! Just cut out the big scores!

Get the ball past the Ladies tee, is the first thought off the tee. (Again)

Into the wind on the first. Opposite to yesterday............helping on 7th, but against on 8!!!

Not a bad drive down the first, but weak second leaves me with a difficult shot from the rough blocked out by the tree on the left.

Hit a good rescue club just short of the bunkers and a manage to convert a poor wedge into a bogey 6.

1 better than yesterday already!

A scrambled 4 on the second and that's another one back.

Poor drive on 3 and despite a good recovery shot, I hit an awful chip which spins back into the bunker. No up and down so a diappointing 6.

Good drive on 4th and second, but a bad chip again and the chance of a par just missed with a lipped putt! Still a good 5.

Safe drive on 5 and this time I manage to carry the bunkers and end up just short of the green. Yet another crap chip, the wedges are definitley not working to day, but manage to grab a bogie. So I'm looking good to knock a few off yesterdays. can I really pull shots back with yesters 6 and 11 coming up.

Wind assited on the 6th and I make the carry with a 3wood. Chip on, just past the pin and really unlucky with my down hill sliding putt which ends up on the lip. But a 4 pulls back two shots from yesterday.

Now to the 7th.

Just manage to squeeze my tee shot across, just avoiding the hazard on the left. Poor lie, but manage to get my 2nd down the fairway. Lay up, just and my approach leaves me a 15 footer for par. Just drift past and walk off with a 6. Still 5 better than yesterday. That's 7 shots back in two holes.

Up to the 8th, but a stright drive and against the wind I manage to make the carry by aiming at the melling road!

Second shot with a good lay up and chance of a an up and down for a par, but yet again an awful chip, another chip and 2 putts for a six. But a bogie and I'm under 50 and 4 shots better off!

Skied drive and weak second and I'm in the plantation. Not staked and so a hack out. Still felt confident about hittng the green from 150 yards and getting the ball close to an fairly easy pin. Big slice and it's in the lateral by the green. A drop , fat chip into the bunker and barley getting it on to the fringe and 3 to get down and it's a 9!!!

Fifty-One

Still a nice Bacon Roll at the Half Way House

Another awful drive on 10, making a habit of this! (Perhaps I ought to ditch the Bacon Roll.

By the way, try saying "Beer Can" and telling me it doesn't sound like a Rastafarian saying Bacon. Go on try it!!! It will amaze your family and friends!!!

Into the rough down the right, two to get out, 4th into the bunker right, out ant two stabs , 7!

Tee shot on 11 pulled left and it's in the rough. Get it out and two putts for a 4.

Unlucky on 12 to find the ditch with too good a lay up (i.e. it went into the ditch instead of pulling up short.and it's another 7.

Nigel is struggling as well, not the player he has been and it's a pity as he's been a good player for the teams in the past.

Paul Siv is quietly going along, not brilliant, but he ends up with a decent score and wins a place prize on the day!

I hot a good drive off 13 and I'm thinking of making up for the bad start, but I block my second and have a tough lie in the rough short of the hazard on the right. Can only hack it from the fairway. My wedge to the green takes a bad bounce and ends up in the green side bunker.

I take 3 to get out and the 3rd only just makes it! Chip on and two sorry putts for a 10!

A skied drive on 14 and fronm the deep rough right I mange to get a 6, but I've gone now.

Much to the amusement of Paul and Nigel, my drive off theback at 15 fails to even reach the hazard, but a second that is up near the bunkers, a 3rd on and two putts salvages some pride, especially as Paul hit a great Drive, but still ended up with a 6!!!

I hot a skier on 16 as well and a wedge over the corner for my second is followed by a wedge on and 2 putts for a 5. Perhaps I've found a new way to manage my way around the course!

Water on 17 and I get away with a 5. No Par, Par finish today.

Hack my way up 18 and get a good up and down for 7.

Glad it's over. 109

At least I clawed a fiver back off Trevor, but down a tenner!!!

Jason Timis hits another 74 to win with 148, Mike Harrington shoots a great 70 for a 150 and second place.

Tony Welburn wins the Handicap Cup.

A good day had by all.......................

Club Championship Round 1

2010-07-24T21:14:00.000+01:00

It’s now 6:06 on Monday the 26th July 2010 and I’m on my morning train to Euston to start me week of work in Wembley. I’ve just passed the 4th green and I’m reminded of the up and down I got out of the greenside bunker, one of the decent shots I played in the 36 holes of golf that was the 2010 Club Championship. One of the shots out of the 214 shots, including various penalties along the way that was my contribution to the competition.

The Club Championship is the Blue Ribbon event of the year when we get to crown the best Golfer in the Club, supported by a cast of many who make up the field and compete for the Handicap Cup.

36 holes, played over the full 7000 plus yards of the Blue Tees, with the Club Champion being the player with the best “scratch scores” over the two days.

Just to add an extra dimension, it was the Help for Heroes National Golf Challenge weekend, with our best 10 handicap scores forming our entry into the challenge.

So at 09:06, I teed up with my playing partners, Colin Garside and Ian Pruden , facing the challenge of the first drive off the Blues into a slight wind!

Ian Pruden blocked his right into Indian Country and then proceeded to hit his provisional straight and long. Funny how the provisional always goes where the first should have gone. Unfortunatley he found his first ball.

Colin hit a solid drive, nice swing.

My first drive, the first swing for over two weeks, is ok and I hit the fairway just. As long as I can get each drive past the Ladies tee I will be happy.

I had decided on my target for the weekend. To break 100, preferably on both days. I had no intention of even contemplating winning the Handicap Cup, it would be nice to make the top 32 scratch in round one to play in the Club Championship proper, but if I could break 100 off the Blue tees I would have a good weekend.

I had also decided on my tactics. To play bogey golf and keep a big score off my card. I only had to shoot a net 75 to play to my handicap. In fact a net 78 would keep me in my buffer zone.

So, with plan hatched, just need to execute.

I hit a decent 2nd, but with the green out of range, I laid up short of the bunkers and hit a wedge onto the front edge of the green. Good putt, but a tricky short putt lipped out, so a double on the first.

Never mind, I could pull that back on the 2nd. I hit a decent tee shot, slightly left and a chip which I hit to leave me an uphill putt, but a bit too long. Just missed par putt, but a bogey was alright.

Decent drive up 3, but a long way to go. The Blue tees do make a difference. Good second, leaving me a pitch of 30 yards and two putts for a bogey.

The 4th was long, into the wind and I actually hit a good drive, the second left me about 100 yards short and I was confident about my wedge shot, but I blocked it and into the right side bunker, but as you already know I hit a great bunker shot for an up and down for a Bogey. A good drive up 5 and I was feeling good about my game. I hit my 2nd, great strike, but it takes a bounce into the left hand bunker. Another up and down and my first par...............thin my bunker shot over the back of the green. Hit a good chip out of the rough and make a good par for Bogey. (Perhaps this was the best shop of the weekend.

It also gave me the honour on the 6th! Colin and Ian had started well, with Colin, playing off 15, having got good pars on 3 and 4, but a 6 on 5. I reckon they’d let me win the hole on purpose, so that I’d have the honour.

We got to the tee to see the previous group just finishing teeing off. It did not inspire confidence.

We waited a while, why the group ahead searched for their balls and take their drops and finish the hole off.

I hit Driver to ensure I made the carry, but hit it low and left and straight into the Hazard. Ian hit a great drive and was left with a 15ft putt, but he just missed the birdie putt.

I took a drop and a bad chip left me with a longish uphill putt. Which I raced at the hole, looking for a 4, but it went way past and left me a tricky down hill put of about 10ft, which I missed and walked off with a triple.

Now my work was cut out to pull 3 shots back.
we get to the 7th, off the back tees, into the wind and with the plantations now in play. Hit an awful shot which went left and into the deep rough, not sure it made the carry anyway, so called it lost and dropped at the fron of the tee in line with poiht of entry. Hit a 3wood off the deck, but it was a bit left and drifted across the fairway and into the hazard. Dropping to play 5, I hit a weak, but safe shot and left me a shot of over 220 yards to the green. I decided to go for it as I only had about 140 yards to make the carry over the ditch. Blocked again and into the ditch! Take a drop and playing 8, see the shot heading over the pot bunker straight at the pin, only to see the ball hit the bank on the green side of the bunker and spin back into the bunker. A great bunker shot gave me a chance of a 10, but just lipped out and walked off with am 11.

Game over, tactics blown, chance of making the cut, Nil, and I’ve got the drive off 8 to come next.

Hit a great drive up 8 and get an easy bogey, followed by a good drive, the best of the day, up 9 and a good 2nd left me with another bogey, to end with 51 for the front nine. The 6 and 11 on 6 and 7 had cost me dearly!

Still, If I could shoot to handicap on back 9, I might still be able to break 100.

Quick bacon roll at the Half-way house. Check Cards and Ian and Colin are doing ok. Nothing brilliant but ok! If they can break 90 they will definitley be in the top 32, although they don't believe me. Trust me, I've played in this before.

We all need a good start to the back nine. Blue tees off 10, stroke index 18, the easiest hole on the course! That's a laugh!

Ian hit's his ball right, going further right! Into the deep stuff!

Colin follow's him!

Mindful of not hitting the ball into the deep stuff right................pull left into the trees. Reload! OK drive, but 4th into bunker left. Been playing out of bunkers well, so still a chance of getting up and down, but virtually shank it and it ends up on the top level! Good 2 putt for a 7 in the end!

Into the wind on 11 and a shot into the front bunker, even having taken plenty of club and an ugly 5. A 7 on 12, followed by a decent 5 on 13 despite hitting an awful 2nd into the rough right.

I stand on 14 and think about getting my game back in order! What did Tonm Watson say on the radio anout the one tip he would give to someoe who wanted to hit the ball better? Ah yes! Two knuckles showing on the left hand when gripping the club. Drive sales left into the hazard. Play 3 off the tee, decent, but end up with a 7.

What am I doing, trying to change my grip in the middle of the Club Championship and I've got a bet for both rounds with Trevor Brennand. Am I mad???

Standing on the back tee on 15 and I'd forgotten how far back It is. A pulled drive and I joined Colin into the lateral hazard left of the fairway! Now it's a long was and the 3rd is decent, but another eventul trip to the green side bunker and an 8 on the card!

Poor tee shot on 16 leaves me carding a 6, mainly due to a poor chip and 3 putts!

17th tee is miles back. Looks more than the 216 yards on the plate!

Waiting to take tee shot, club selection easy for me. Driver into the breeze is the only way I can make the carry!

Bit of a consternation behind us, looud conversation and laughter coming from the road. It's only Rob Barrett and his furry daughter chatting to a neighbour walking their dog!

"Oi Barrett! Keep it quiet!" He laughs, but his neighbour seems to take offence!!!

Settle down having seen both Ian and Colin hit decent tee shots, but end up left.

I'm going straight at the pin and strike the ball well and just run through to the back of the green.

Long putt, but get the pace just right and tap in for par. First Par of the day!!! In fact all 3 off us get par. Bet there won't be many 3 balls doing that today!

Ok drive up the left on 18, again it's a long way back off the blues. Good 2nd and the 3rd manages to creep to the edge and a good long putt again and it's my second par of the round! Just like "First" Buses Mr Barrett. You wait for one all day long and then two come along in quick succession!

Thank Ian and Colin for putting up with. Actually surprised that I finished on 104.

If I can improve on a few key holes tomorrow, I could actually break 100!!!

The main event sees Jason Timis with 74 leading by a couple of shots. Jamie Clorley is up there with a 76, but Mike Harrington is back on 80!

Good chat with fellow competitors, sharing stories, good shots, bad shots, funny moments.

This is what a lot of non-golfers don't realise, good bad or indifferent, everyone likes to share their experiences after a game with a few beers in the bar!

There'll be more to come.

Didn't make the cut, by quite a margin, but going out in the 2nd round with Paul Siviter and Nigel Edwards at 8:26!

B team at the Chase Again

2010-07-17T23:14:00.000+01:00

I usually manage to play at least one match a year for the B team. They have to be short of course. Very short.

For some reason, it's usually away to Uttoxeter that I getmy chance, but this season, and for the second time, I was playing away against the Chase. The previous time I had had to play on my own, cannon fodder as someone failed to turn up. So I went out last playing agains an 11 handicapper and a young lad called Lance of 4. In Division 1, there is only one shot available, so I was getting 1 shot off Lance, but so was his partner.

I had started ok, but at 3 down I pulled one back by birdying the 6th and that stung them into action and I got stuffed.

This time I was out last again, but this time at least I had a partner. Craig Collins.

I spotted Lance loitering around the clubhouse and sure enough I was playing against him again.

The first and Lance opens up with a long drive, but Craig has matched this with a drive that just hangs up in the rough. I do nothing, but we manage a half.

The second is a par 3 and I sky my tee shot and I'm basically out of the hole as the other 3 are on the green. A 3 from our opposition and a 3 putt from craig and we are 1 down.

We manage a half on 3 and then come to the first par 5, long down hill. Lance hits one way left and is on the next fairway. His partner hits it right and in the rough.

I hit a reasonable second and Craig is in a good position. My 3rd is short and then Lance hits his second from the other fairway onto the green and a two put birdie is too good for our measly par. If he'd hit that drive as wide at Wychwood, he would have been out of the hole.............as we told him so. We're now 2 down and it's looking ominous.

A poor hole from both of us and we are 3 down.

We then have the 6th, a longish up hill par 5. We are both in good nick on this one off the tee and Lance, as usual has hit it long, but has found the light rough. His partner is nowhere.

I hit my second and I'm left with about 120. Craig is just short of the green.

Lance finds the left edge of the green for 2.

I hit a good shot and I'm left with a putt of about 8 feet for birdie.

Craig thins his shot through the back of the green and then hit's a poor 4th .

Lance lags his up stone dead, so now I have a put from 8 foot with a left to right swing for par. Hit it perfect, so we walk off with a half in 4's. I've birdied this hole both times I've played the course.

Short par 4 comes next and all four of us are in good shape, but I mis-judge the length of the second and end up long. Up and down for a par is not good enough as Lance trundles one in for a par and we're now 3 down.

Long par 3 next and it's got a big step down at the back. I'm just short and a chip and a putt for a par, but only for another half.

Ninth is a long Par 5 and just for a change, Lance is short of the green and in the hazard, but he is only on the edge, so he can play a shhoy and knocks it to about 10 feet. He misses his birdie and Craig gets a great up and down for a par to half.

Off to the 10th, a great par 4 from a high tee into a valley.

Tweo good tee shots from out opponents, but from no whereCraig develops a hook and puts two drives seemingly out of bounds. I hit my best drive of the day. We find both of Craig's balls in the ditch lining the oob, so he drop and plays 3 near to the green.

I manage to get close to the green, but have an awkward chip. Lance is on in two and makes par easy. I'm left with a 5 foor putt for par and just manage to make it!

Next is a shortish par 4 with a big dogleg and using local knowledge, our two opponents hit shots that look as thiugh the are way off line. Craig hits a drive that uses the bank on the right to good effect, but we are undone by a birdie. Par 3 next and we lose to a par after we both miss the green, so we are Dormie 6 down.

Par 4 next and after a good drive I hit the right hand green side bunker. With both opponents on the green, I say to Craig that I need to hole this one. Got a feeling on it's going in. Thin it across the green. Hit the next chip perfectly and see it go in for a par. Only a half though and we lose 6 and 5.

We palyed ok, but our opponents, especially Lance were just too good.

Team result was good though....9-3 win.

The Inaugural...........balls!!!

2010-07-11T21:01:00.000+01:00

The Inaugrual celebrates the opening of Wychood Park in July 2002.

It is a pairs event and I was paired with Jerry Poole.

Jerry has been on form recently, so I was hoping for good things. We were palying with Geoff Russ and Steve Swindail, and to be honest, there was nothing to shout about with either pairs.

We just could not get a par and in fact we were getting more single points than 2's or 3's.

So 13 points for the front 9 was'nt going to do much!

Still we may at least be able to pull a decent score together on the back!

Decent drive down 10, but pulled the 2nd into the front bunker! Hit a briliant bunker shot the length of the green, to within 5 feet. First par coming up. No shot,but at least it will be two points.

As I;m walking around the green Steve Swindail marks my ball for me.

I get ready to take my putt and Steve throws me the ball. I place it on the marker and give him his marker back!

I take my time and roll the ball straight into the middle of the hole. Good up and down for a par.

Walk off the green and notice something odd about the ball. It's not mine!!!

Bit I played my ball into the bunker and out. Where did that ball come from?

Steve's pocket.......he had given me thewrong ball!

I should have checked, my fault, but what a choker!

That was it, whilst we managed to to get to 30 points, I will never forget to check my ball again!!!

Bit it was a great up and down!!!

"Big Sunday!"

2010-07-05T21:21:00.000+01:00

The “Big Day” Sunday

Sunday the 27th June 2010 was going to be a momentous day! The first Medal win of the year for me and England to beat Germany in the “round of 16” of the World Cup!

Teeing off at a reasonable time this week for a change, 9:34, playing with John Charlton and Kev Gordon. Sun shining, plenty of water in the bag, feeling good!

Get the honour and hit the fairway, good job as the other two hit the ball miles, probably would have put me off!

Push the second right and hit 3rd out of the rough into the fairway left, decent approach and then a reasonable chip and 2 putts for a bogie.

Bogie, golf will be ok today, nice and easy, not disasters, couple of pars and we’re in the money.

Pull tee shot on 2 left for about the 3rd week running, but leave it on the bank left. Great chip shot, leaving a 8 footer downhill left to right! Bang on line but just left on lip.

Push Drive right into rough, find it eventually (4 mins!!) Good rescue from rough and a chip leaves me with a ten footer for an unexpected par. Online and short again!

Hit a good drive down 4th, not as good as the other two, but it’s straight down the middle. Second leaves me with a simple enough chip, but a just creep on and then 3 putt for a 6! How many times do I do that? Taking 4 to get down from 50 yards!!!!

Ok drive on 5 and it’s a decent 2nd, chip and 2 putts for a bogie. Not had a par yet!

Hit a decent shot on 6, just off the green right, take 3 to get down, but a 4 on six in a medal is always good.

7th tee and sky my drive left, trying to keep it from going right, don’t think it made the carry! Hit a provisional and it’s in the fairway. Amazing how the provisional always hits the fairway! Well almost always!

Try to play a simple shot to lay up, but knock it weak and it catches the hazard, drop in the rough and duff the next into the ditch! This is now looking bad. In the ditch for 6!!! Luckily I can play from the ditch this, well I can have a go! The ball is in the water, but the only way I have a chance of not racking up double figures plus is to play it.

I get the ball out, just short of the green and manage a chip and two putts for.........a ten!

Bang goes the medal!!!

...and so to the 8th.................but hit a great tee shot, 2nd just short and a chip and leave par putt short! Half decent drive up 9 over bunker , but take 4 from 50 yards again for a double!

50 for the front nine!

Quick bite at the half way house and then onto the 10th.

Skied the drive and a bad second leaves me about 100 yards from pin, just like Friday! Only this time, I pull the half shot with the wedge into the bunker left!

Walk off with a disappointing 6.

John has been playing well and as I've got him in the next round, I do a quick calculation and see how I would be fairing if we'd been playing today! Not good.......5 down! Let's see if I can turn it around!

John tees off on 11 and hits a shank. He'd been saying earlier on that he had started to have problems during previous rounds, when all of a sudden..............well it's happened on 11!!! He's in the bushes to the right!

I hit a skanky shot and end up just short of the front bunker. Great chip and putt for a par!

Bogie on 12 and 13, with chances of pars at both then a nice solid par on 14, with an up and down from the front bunker!

The shanks have got to John and he's under hitting his irons, especially his wedges and from 5 down at the turn, I pulled it back to two down.

On to 15 and a solid drive for once with the 2nd just short a chip and 2 putts for a good bogie! Pity about the 10 on 7!!!!

Pull my drive on 16 left, but get lucky with a good lie and line onto the pin and hit a great shot to within 10 feet, just miss the birdie, but a great par. Puts me one down to John!

Two pars and I can still play within my buffer zone, get a decent tee shot on 17, but left with a long putt and definitley 3 putt country which it is. I would have lost 2&1

We get to the 18th tee and there are two visitors walking off the course, telling us we timed it perfectly, you'll be in the bar in time for kick off!

Forgot the second big part of the day is still to come!

Perhaps the excitement and anticipation got to me, but I pulled my drive to the left and into the rough. Half decent recovery into the fairway, but push my 3rd right into the long stuff again! 4th just short, a chip and 2 putts leave me with a double bogie and a nett 79! My best medal round of the season, so far.

So off to the England v Germany game.........Come on England!!!! woo hoo!!!!

.......more of that later, when I write a World Cup special!!!

Unexpected Victory

2010-07-03T00:15:00.000+01:00

As I have previously mentioned, I love match play, but my record is somewhat poor.

So having won my first round match in the Summer Handicap Single, I was now to play Kristian Oakes, a recent addition to the membership at Wychwood and someone whose reputation had gone before him.

He had beaten Rob Hendry in the previous round, no mean feat, but he had, apparently played very well.

The word “Bandit” had been used.

So you could say my expectations were low. Especially as I was giving him a shot!!!

We set off to the first tee on a hot afternoon with a slight breeze. Kristian won the toss and proceeded to hit his Drive out of sight. I hit a shirt drive down the middle, hit my second right into the rough near the tree and a lay up for 3rd and I had still only just got past Kristian’s Drive!

Not looking good. My 4th shot left me a 12 foot for par, which I sank, but Kristian birdied from 4 feet. This could be bad, very bad.

2nd Halved in par, wild tee shots from both of us on 3 and another half. Well at least the game would make it to 12th!

On the 4th and giving a shot, Kristian pulls his drive left and has to take a penalty drop, I hit a drive down the middle and am about 60 yards from the pin after 2, ok Chip leaves me with a 12ft putt for par, Kristian has managed work his way to about 25ft from the pin for 4 and when he slams the put in, I now need mine for a half. But I miss. 2 down.

The 5th sees me get a half and a reasonable tee shot on 6 and a four, but Kristian slams in another putt to go 3 up. It really is not looking good.

Drive on 7 goes into staked trees and my drop leaves me with a tough lie, ball well below my feet, a high percentage chance of pushing the ball right and into the hazard. Manage to pull the ball onto the 8th fairway! Kristian has hit his drive on to the 8th fairway, so we meet as he gets his ball back onto the 7th Fairway. In now have to hit over the environmental area, bushes, carry the ditch and the pot bunkers. Well 3 out of 4 aren’t bad. I’m in the pot bunker, as Kristian tells me with relish!

I manage to get out and 2 putts for a half in 6.

Nemesis hole and I get the tee shot away, good second and a par pulls me back to 2 down and a Bogie on 9 and I’m 2 down at the turn.

It could be worse and to be honest, Kristian is not playing that well. If I could get another one back, who knows?

We both hit our tee shots on 10 to the right, Kristian is in the hazard and takes a drop, I manage to squirt my shot back onto the fairway. I have about 90 yards to the pin at the back of the green and hit a half shot with my pitching wedge. Great connection, bang on line.....................and in for a birdie!!!

Turning Point!!!

Half in Par on the 11th and on the 12th, I hit a Drive down the centre of the fairway, but not particularly long, Kristian takes an Iron for safety, which he’s done a few times and not too successfully. Well this one goes right about 4o yards right of the fairway into heavy rough.

HE reloads and his provisional, with a Driver, goes left, hooks further left and keeps going. I reckon it made the fishing lake!

We try to find his first ball, but fail so, we’re all square.

I’m trying desperately not to consider winning, I can’t win this can I?

I lose the 13th to par, but a par to win on 14 and we’re back to all square again.

A simple drive on 15th and I then see Kristian hit his drive right and fading up the line of the hazard.

He hits from the dropping zone and is short of my second shot. Another par and I am now 1 up for the first time in the match. Chance on 16 to get par and go two up, but leave the putt agonisingly online but short!

Hit my tee shot on 17 and see it roll into the back of the right hand bunker! Kristian, knocks his right and into a tuft of reeds short right. When we get to his ball, he is tucked in the side of the reeds, not an easy shot.

It’s a bit muddy, but his request for a free drop cos of casual water goes unheeded!

He proceeds to hit a miracle shot and has a 12 footer for par.

My shot from the bunker suddenly becomes a lot more difficult!

It was already tough, downhill lie, back of bunker, only about 6 inches from the back lip. Water looming for a thinned shot, easy to leave in the bunker. Get the club up steeply on the back swing and commit to the shot.

Out it comes, a foot from the hole!

Kristian pushes his par putt to the right and I calmly knock my putt in for par and a 2 and 1 victory.

Yes a victory. A very unexpected victory.

Captains Curry Night!!!!

2010-07-02T20:13:00.000+01:00

Traditionally, when the Captain elect has selected his Captain, he invites all of the Past Captains to join him for a curry to discuss his choice and get agreement for the appointment.

So this should take place prior to the AGM in December.

So tonight, July 2nd 2010, I finally got to present my proposal for Vice Captain, Martin Wainman, to the 4 remaining past Captains, in order of seniority, Steve Cooke (Capt no. 2), Rob Hendry (no. 5), Pete Keena (6) and Trevor Brennand (7)

And they rejected him..................they were only joking!

We preceded the evenings excitement with 9 holes, fiver in, winner takes all, joined by the new Handicap Secretary Paul Stubbs,

Pete, Paul and I played first with Steve, Trevor and Rob taking up the 2nd tee time............Stableford, full handicap.

Pulled the first drive left and for the 3rd round in a row, pushed my second shot left towards the tree, into ankle deep rough. Bashed it out onto the fairay and a punched 7 iron onto the front of the green left me with a 2 putt from about 50ft for a bogey and 2 points.

2nd and a solid par, regulation and two putts! 2 points

Hit a reasonable drive on 3,but pull 2nd into bunker left, get out and 2 putts for another 2 points. Playing out of bunkers reasonably well at the moment, not like last year when a trip into the sand took at least two shots to exit!!!

Great Drive into the wind down 4, but what did I do differently?

Forgot to mention, I bought some new Dryjoys, paid in the main for by my winnings ovver the past year, not a lot, but the 1st and 2nd places, plus a few 2's soon add up.

Play my second, bit precariously as the "cleats" on my new shoes get caught up and I nearly fall over as I connect with the ball.

Keep it in play and a half shot wedge from 80 yards leaves me an uphill putt for for a par but just miss on right!

Must have sub-consciously remembered what I did on the 4th as I his a solid drive on 5th. Block second and end up right and just short of the green, chip down the slope and just miss par putt again, but easy 2 points again!

Great strike on 6 and 8 foot putt for Birdie. Downhill, but a chance for my first ever Birdie on the 6th.

I have birdied every hole on the course apart from the 6th. Come close a couple of times, but never succeeded. This could be the first.............what a night to do it...........I can tell the tale in the Naaz Tandoori later!!!

Hit a nice pace down the hill, but it just slides past! Tap in for par.

Take a practice after and sink it...........no Mulligans, so still not par'd the 6th. Perhaps next time!

With the memory of last weeks 10, I stand on the 7th tee with the honour and into the wind! Good connection, but left into the staked trees, free drop, but ball well below my feet. So fighting a slice, I aim well left, but the inevitable, push into the hazard.....drop and go for the carry, but end in the ditch............playable, but too good a connection and end up in the pot bunker at the front. too good a connection and leave myself a 40 foot putt down hill over the ledge. Apart from getting the pace and the line wrong, it's a good putt and so a blob!!!

Drive up the right on 8th, fortunate 2nd that skirts with the bunker, but leaves a birdie chance, up hill 15feet, but it just slips past!

Back to level 2's!!!

Really solid drive up 9 and the second from about 180 just catches the back in front of the green and stays on front edge.............good pace to the putt but a 4 footer for par. Paul stubbs putts another one in from of the green.............."you need that to beat me" he says.

I line the putt up, but catch the ground before the ball and the it limps straight to the middke of the cup, looking like it's going to pull up short, but gets to the edge and drops in. Another par and 19 points.

Get into the bar, waiting for the other 3 to come in, only to find that Trevor has won the money with 20 points!!!

Oh well, not starters at the Curry house then!!!

Went to the Naaz Curry house in Nantwich and I can highly recommend it, even though I was paying!!!

"Doing a Robert Green"

2010-07-02T12:44:00.000+01:00

............Well England made a great start to the the first World Cup game against USA, with a goal after 4 minutes, but then came one of the latest in a long line of mistakes by England keepers.......Bonetti, Seaman, Carson, Robinson, etc etc, but this was probably the worst!

Still we got a draw, but I found that a round full of school boy errors, or "doing a Robert Green" in a major is not a good idea!

It was the Wychwood Bowl, a stableford competition, which after scoring 39 points the previous weeks, I was in an expectant mood.

Pulled my drive on one a little, but an easy 2 points and then onto the 2nd, no shot again, pulled the tee shot left and with a reasonable chip I had a chance of a 3, but a cast iron 4. Wrong, mis hit first putt and then again from about 3 feet. 5, no points!!!

His a good drive on 3rd, but scuff my second just short, then proceed to duff a simple bump and run shot into the bunker, a good up and down saves more embarresment. A solid drive on the 4th and it felt like I was going to get into the groove. Good second and I've got about 50 yards to the pin. Duffed chip and 3 putts later I walk of with a point!

Striking the ball better, but missed par puts on 5, 6, 7 and 8, with the one on 8 another bad 3 putt!!!

Still I was playing to my handicap and a par on 9 would put me on 16 points. Poor drive, but 2nd shot recovers the position, but a duffed chip ends up in the left hand bunker and just missed an up and down and just the point for 14 points!

Start the back nine afresh, forget all that's gone before...............Good drive on the other hole I don't get a shot on, but an awful 2nd leaves me way left and short. A duffed shot into the front bunker, 2 to get out and it's a blob again!!!!

The 11th and hit a good shot, only to duff a chip from off the fringe and 2 putt, but a run of bet pars that stretches to the 13th followed by a solid par on 14 and it's looking good! Well good in restoring some respectability to the score, maybe crawling into my buffer zone.

Chance of a par on 15 as well, but miss a fairly easy putt. How many times have I been bang on line today and pulled up short! Then I miss from a foot!!! 1 point.

Bogie on 16 with a good up and down and another 2 pointer on 17, could still make 17 points if I par 18.

Hit a reasonable drive and ok second, but still got a way to go. 3rd is just short, with the pin at the back.

I duff yet another bump and run and leave myself a very long putt, which I read completely wrong\nd end up with a single point...............not a good day!

The next day...............

2010-06-22T22:33:00.000+01:00

after the long day spent manning the first tee for captains day, I was invited to play in an AM/AM at Crewe Golf Club.

I actually live within a 5 minute walk of Crewe Golf Club and despite what my wife thinks, I did not know that the course was there when we joined.

So when I made the discovery, I decided to enquire about membership.

I had been a member and handicap sec at my previous club, was playing off 10, so thought I'd get a chance of at least a 5 day membership, but when I was abruptly told I'd have to join a waiting list, probably for about 8 years and pay to stay on it, I was a little dismayed.

After being a member of a club and playing regularly, reducing my playing activity to 4 or 5 times a year, I quickly fell out of love with the game. It was 12 years later that Wychwood opened and I started again.

Perhaps I should thank Crewe Golf Club for not allowing me in as I would probably not have discovered Wychwood! (Author wipes a crocodile from my eye!!!)

So, I pitched up at 10:30 to take up the challenge and joined up with Geoff Boyd, who had invited me to play with his son-in-law, Glyn Leech and his mate Dave, from Sandbach.

I had played in invitations at Crewe with Geoff in the past and reciprocated by taking him to play at Wychwood, in a Texas Scramble.

He was one of those golfers who had heard of the reputation of Wychwood Park being tough and let it affect his game! A kind of self fulfilling prophecy! He hated it. So much that he says he never wants to go back again! I'll get him back one day.

Anyway, we teed off down the first, a fairly gentle start of a par 4 and I hit a reasonable drive into the fairway, which left me a 9 iron down the hill to the green. Pond left, but didn't need to worry about that as it was way left of where I needed to be. Over the top, "doooshh!", pulled it into the water. Lost a ball already!!!!

Take my drop and a good up and down for bogie.

Jon Farmer had told me that the tip he had given me may make me pull shots to the left if I over did it, so with this thought fresh in my mind I pulled my next drive left and under the trees. Tried to drill one low back to the fairway, but proceeded to finish blocked by trees on the left again! Another low punch, then a wedge on, chance of only dropping one, but two putts for a double!

The greens looked really goo, nice colour and hardly a blemish, maybe a bit slow.

Next hole, longish Par 4 down hill, tug drive left again, on the next fairway, blocked out by trees. Nice, low shot out, looks like I've perfected that shot, but don't want to have to prove it again! Line up to take my next shot when Geoff informs me that we are playing to the "winter green" which is about 70 yards to the right of where I am aiming! Good job he told me. Manage a 5 and head to the next tee, another shot up the hill, Ok drive, but great second and a solid par.

Par 3 down the hill, I'm on front edge and Dave is about 12 foot away. Glyn thins a chip across the green onto the back edge, I lag for a 3, but no shot, so it's just a par. Glyn then slams his putt from off the green for a 3 nett 2 and dave, just misses his birdie putt.

The next hole is a tough drive up a steep hill to the flat fairway. Always dread this hole as it should be easy to get to the top of the hill, but thos is not a hole to duff a tee shot on!

Just get to the top! Great second shot just short and a chip and 2 putts for a 5.

Next hole is a short par 4.....never play this well. So 3 wood lay up, but just in the rough short of the gully! Just left of green, but chip and putt for par!!

Next is a great par 3, across the gully to a plateau green with no chance if left and trees and bunker if loft, hit a great shot to 10 feet, but just miss birdie putt.

Striking the ball well, but poor second and bad chip leave me with a bogie. Still a good front nine and as a team we are 7 under par!!!

We've dove tailed well.

Long 10th and a bogie and the then half way house for bacon roll and coffee.

The 11th is a noce gentle hole and a good drive over the trees and I'm in a good position, but block the 2nd and do well to get a 5. Short Par 3 next and a good drive leaves me with a short pitch which I overcook and leave myself a tricky 15 footer down the hill, which I run past, but make Par.

Next comes the SI 1, a Par 5 which I have always found quite easy. Reasonable drive, a bit left, but a good second gets me in a reasonable position. Block right again and lucky not to be in hazard. Messy double on the par 5.

The others play the hole pretty badly as well! We're letting it slip a bit.

Next hole is a great hole, probably my favourite. Need a good drive in position to play this dog leg, woth a pond short of green. Hit the best drive of the day and left a wedge over the tree in front of the pond.

The other 3 are in the lake after 2, in fact Dave pays a visit twice.

I manage an ok shot, but a bit long and can only manage a bogie 5. The only other score is Glyn with a net 6!

Long par 5 now and Geoff proceeds to tell us how he hates this hole and always knocks it left, which he proceeds to do with ease!

I block a Drive into the trees on the right and manage to squirt my second onto the other fairway on the right.

Nobody covers themselves in Glory and we lose a couple more shots.

We're adjacent to the short 12th and I spot Steve Waddington, who has the same putt as I had, but he sinks it and I just know it's for a tee. Have a quick chat with him as we head for the 17th tee.......it was!!!

The 17th is a longish par 4 and by now the wind is getting up.

I hit a solid tee shot, but it goes "nowhere!" The others are back on the previous fairway and struggling.

I hit a good second and manage another bogie 5, but we drop another couple.

The 18th and I hit the best drive of the day, and the 2nd is just short, but a chip and a putt gives me a par to finish.

Unfortunatley, we end up 2 over with a score of 14 under already in.

Still we had a good laugh, pity the golf was not brilliant, but we enjoyed and as is the norm, discussed the round over a few scoops!!!

Joint Captains day!!!

2010-06-08T23:01:00.000+01:00

The Longest day was famously D-Day the 6th of June 1944. Well this was close!

5th June 2010 was Joint Captains Day and it was certainly, for me, the longest day!

Just 12 months before, it was Trevor Brennand and Jeanie McKenna’s day and the conditions could not have been different. People were wrapped up in Winter gear and waterproofs, coming in after their round with a tingle of blue about them.

12 months later and it’s the hottest of the year (so far hopefully) and red was definitely the colour of the day.

As part of the tradition, my day was to be spent on the first tee, seeing everyone tee-off taking a photo and handing out some freebies, so it was an early start to get things set up and ready for the first group to tee off at 07:38!!!

The first group were Paul Siviter, Jeff Dean and Eric Wills and I welcomed on the tee, gave them their Joint Captains day pencil, and offered them the tees I had got made especially for the day, 1000 tees for about 100 players, so roughly about ten each.

I told them to take a handful of tees, but didn’t realise how many tees you can get in a hand, especially when you have hands the size of Jeff Dean! They are like shovels!

The second group came along and were a 2 ball, Dr Pughe had not turned up! Strange, he was a regular early starter and not usually one to drop out! Surely he knew it was Saturday and not Sunday!

The handful of tees was not working, so after group 3 it was time to ration. I might even have to wait in the 9th green to grab some back of Jeff!

By 9am it was time for the Ladies to tee off so I had a bit of a break to grab something to eat and get some water on board. It was starting to warm up.

As I was about to return to the first tee, I popped into the pro shop just as Dr Pughe had rung up to ask what time his tee time was on Sunday!!!!

It was now straight through to my tee off time at 2:30pm and it started to become a bit of a blur, but I did get to meet a lot of new members, as well as the old ones and I saw some great tee shots off the first. In fact there were not many bad ones!

With 20 minutes before my tee off time, I was cooked and considered not playing, but I grabbed my clubs and got myself ready and hooked up with Jon Farmer, Paul Wilson and Paul Ward and teed it up!

Having seen good drives all day, mine was, to be honest, pretty naff, but I got away with it, scuffed two more down the hill and then duffed it into the fairway bunker. Got it out ok, but ended up with a 7 and 1 point. Not the best of starts, but was not expecting too much.

There were a number of “Special prizes” set up for the day with nearest the pin on all par 3’s and longest drive on the 4th.

I missed the green, but got up and down for a 3 and having gone back to a 17 handicap scored 3 points!

3 putts and a double on 3 and a bogie on 4, I was not really hitting the ball well and Jon said he’s have a quick word with me and give me a tip. On the 5th I hit a weak tee shot and still no advice! I ended up on the edge of the hazard. I managed to hack the ball out and left me a downhill lie!

I creamed it on to the green, best shot I’d hit for ages! Jon came over and said the downhill lie had helped me to get my swing plane right (or something like that) and I should concentrate on that feeling!

Unfortunately, another 3 putt and I came off with a point, but a good par on 6 and 7, I was back on track. My nemesis hole, number 8 and with a bit of a breeze against I smashed it down the middle and came off with an easy Par, ended the front 9 with a bogey and 19 points.

Paul Wilson was playing really well, if a bit “power” and “draw” crazy and Paul Ward was also playing well with 17 points.

Jon had, as usual, made the game look easy, I wish I could hit bad shots like him!

As we passed the club house we found out that 41 points was leading, so at least 23 points needed!

The back 9 started with a Bogey on 10 and then to the 11th, another nearest the pin. I hit the green but not particularly close. Suddenly remembered that there was a raffle for hitting the green on 11th and chance to win a brand new Driver. Good job I had forgotten about it before hitting my shot!

Good drive on 12 and solid 2 points, I got onto the 13th tee confident of hitting a decent drive. Wind assisted, I decided to lay up with a 3 wood, but struck the ball so well I ended up in the ditch! Got to the ditch and my ball was actually on the far bank and hit a great shot and made the green, just missed for birdie, but a bonus par and 3 points.

Laid up on 14, bailed out into the bunker and managed to get out and a good lag putt! Missed from 4 inches. Didn’t even touch the hole!

End of chance of winning!

We had moved the 15th tee up to the dropping zone, leaving a shot of 290 yards to the green and a prize for anyone hitting the green in 1.

Unfortunately the wind was in our faces, so it was not going to be easy. I was not even considering going for the green, but hit a good drive into the fairway.

Jon smashed it to within 10 yards and then chipped in for a 2!!!

I got an easy par and was close to birdie. 3 points.

Three pars for 41points!

Good drive on 16, but pulled 2nd into hazard by the green. Round over! Really the only bad shot I’ve hit! Dropped under penalty, chipped on and sank the putt for a 5.

A solid bogey on 17 and a good par to finish and I ended up on 20 points for the back 9 and 39 overall.

Paul Wilson ended on 40 points and Paul Ward with 37, it was a good group. Jon was probably close to level par!

Came off exhausted to see that 39 got me 12 place!

Ian Ellis won with 42, Gary Leese and Geoff Marchant on 41 points and over a 3rd of the field scored 36 points or more!

All in all a great day, with some good golf, everyone appears to have enjoyed the day and the only disappointment was that nobody stayed or came back for the planned presentation, but it is a long day for everyone and they had supported the day and the charity, so at the end of the day, everyone was a winner!

mEYE Walk - 5 days to go!

2010-06-01T10:47:00.000+01:00

Not sure whether I've mentioned this before, but a great old friend of mine (that's doesn't mean he's old, I've know him a long time that's all), is into the last week of his epic journey in aid of a couple of "eye" charities.

Lee (Shayler) was a colleague of mine back in the 80's in Gloucester, moving to Denver in the 90's where he set up home with his wife Sandra. Lee has been suffering with a degenerative eye condition and after about 20 years has recently been registered as blind. To double the blow he also lost his job with IBM, but having time on his hands, as he put it, he decided to take up a challenge in aid of the charities and go on a sponsored walk.

Not any old sponsored walk. Oh know. Not Lee.................

He wanted to recreate a walk made famous in the late 19th Century by a man called Captain Barclay.

Barclay was a renowned "prize" walker and was challenged to walk 1000 miles for 1000 Guineas, which on the face of it seems easy.

However, the real challenge was that he had to walk one mile every hour! So it was 1000 miles for 1000 hours for 1000 guineas.

So Lee has been walking, albeit not non-stop, for the past 5 weeks, walk a mile, stop, rest, eat and whatever else he needs to do, and at the top of the hour, walk another mile and so on, continuously for 1000 hours.

He's up to 880 miles now and I've been following his progress via Facebook, through all of the problems with Shin Splints, Achilles tendon problems, blisters, weather............

It is a phenomenal feat, just think about it, say 10-15 minutes walking every hour for nearly 6 weeks!

Lee has invited all his friends to join him to walk the last mile.................if only we could!!!!

Pity he supports Leicester City!!!

Battered, Bruised, Blooded Beaten, but not Bowed by the Bentley Blues...........

2010-05-31T00:23:00.002+01:00

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!!!!

Is Clapton still God?....................

2010-05-27T21:11:00.001+01:00

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!

You can't beat good preparation.............

2010-05-25T20:16:00.000+01:00

....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!!!!

Clapton is God...............

2010-05-20T18:29:00.000+01:00

.....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!

....Another World Cup under the belt..............

2010-05-18T19:44:00.000+01:00

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!!!!!

Putt-tastic!!!!

2010-05-15T20:17:00.000+01:00

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!!!!

KISS.................(my Arse!!!)

2010-05-14T12:20:00.000+01:00

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............

Golf is a mental game.............

2010-05-14T11:41:00.000+01:00

....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!!!!

How could they?

2010-05-08T21:15:00.000+01:00

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!!!!

A momentous occasion.............

2010-05-06T22:42:00.000+01:00

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!!!!

Duckworth Lewis....my arse!

2010-05-03T22:38:00.000+01:00

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!

Bogey, Bogey, Bogey............

2010-05-02T23:49:00.001+01:00

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!!!

............How did they get away with that.........

2010-04-29T20:48:00.001+01:00

Short and sweet tonight, mainly due to the iffy internet connection, sooooooooo Sloooooooow.......

Anyway, limited entertainment at the Stonebridge Park Travelodge, so watching film 4.....can't be bothered to see the 3 stooges "debating" in Birmingham.

Waiting for Predator to start and just watched a film called Ringers and can't believe it got made.............

It's basically a film about a guy, played by Johnny Knoxville who "pretends" to be "mentally challenged" in order to win the Special Olympics in order to win a bet for his uncle to pay of a debt to a gangster!

At first it looked like it was a bit Politically incorrect, in fact, very politically incorrect, but ended up as a "feel good" story! With a bit of Rom Com thrown in!

How did they get Saavi's fingers back on, that's what I want to know!

Still, I guess it was Johnny Knoxville and the Farrelly Brothers!!!!

Anyway, bring on Arnie and the Predator!!!!!

Who wants to go to Woburn anyway..........

2010-04-26T20:47:00.000+01:00

BMW Qualifier yesterday. Good one to win as the winner goes on to Woburn and possibly the international final after that!

Afternoon tee time for me this week, 1:10pm.......strange. Bit of a lie in, well 9:00 anyway!

What to do with myself....bit of breakfast, walk the dog, get the papers.

Get to the course in plenty of time I thought..............got there 15 minutes before tee off, no practice, listened to moans about slow play and the condition of the course.

Playing with the Scallans, Phil and his son Nick and Iam Callbutt. Looking forward to it!

Greens have been dressed and fairways spiked, but the lack of rain has dried the course up a bit!

Weathers been lovely all week, whislt I've been at work and Saturday saw me slaving away clearing out the garage. Sharon has ordered a skip whislt I've been working away in London, so I was left to sweat it out. Still it would be shorts weather on the golf course................wrong!

It was a bit nippy and overcast.

Got on the first tee and it was a bit gusty as well and the skies were getting greyer by the minute.
What's that all about. No waterproofs in the bag!

First drive into the wind and not bad made the fairway. Half decent swing. second blocked right though and through the plantation on the right, into heavy rough.

Manage to get a wedge on it and make the fairway, but no opening birdie this week. Hit a good shot running just off the back, but end up with a bogie 6. That's 2 worse than last week.

Solid shot on 2 and it's a 20 footer straight up the hill for a birdie, only I catch the ground and leave it halfway. Lip out for a 4.

That's 4 worse than last week!!!

Ok drive on 3rd, but the wind into the face again means it is left short. Good 4 iron runs just off the back, but a good chip leaves me with a simple tap in for par, only it jumps out of a hole on the green and misses.
As we get to the 4th tee the heavens open up. really heavy! Looks like it's going to be around for a while. Get a tee shot off and manage a bogie somehow, luckily the rain stops and the sun makes an appearance!

Bogie golf through 5 and 6 and onto the 7th. Been playing it well recently. Drive off the heel and I'm on the bank left in deep rough. Hack out into the plantation, free drop and obscured by the plantation, clip a branch and only manage to get it about 120 yards down the fairway.

Decision time. Do I go for it. 160 carry over the shortest part of the ditch. Tricky lay up with the hardness of the ground, so go for a rescue club (3 iron)

Cut block it, but get away with it as it lays up on the right side of the fairway. Wedge, pin high left and surprisingly a chance of a 6 from 15 foot. Catch the ground again and leave it half way, miss the next putt and end up with an 8.

Now I've got the nemesis 8th to face.

Wind helping today though.

Great strike and the ball sails miles over the hazard, makes the carry easily and bounds up the fairway....250 yards.

Ok 250 is nothing to most,but to me on the 8th, it's something!

9 iron just catches down slope and runs through the green, missing the up and down for a 5, but I'm happy with that on 8.

Finish with another bogey 5.

48 for the front, but hopeful that today I will get around ther back nine in 45 or less!!!

Just miss for par on 10, solid par on 11 and to my favourite 12th. Not today though. decent drive, block second and with 190 to go from rough decide to lay up. Sensible, but not when you knock it past the hole and 3 put from 20ft! A run of 3 rounds with Par ends with a double!

Still, this could mean that I don't suffer around the Wychwood Amen corner!

There must be something about crossing the gravel path between the 12th green and 13th tee as I seem to lose any semblance of a swing after the 12th.

Today was going to be different I told myself as I crunched across the gravel!!

Skied it left and into the lateral hazard. Penalty drop and then a decent hit into the fairway. Good chip, but a double.

14......Captains water hazard and this week I'm gonna beat it!

Lay up perfect, but in a bit of a divot.

Lay up? No I can make it with a rescue club! Comes out low, but it's gonna make it.....wrong. Catches wooden wall and bounces back into water!

Drop, thin and double.

!5th, block, water, double! This is getting boring!

Manage to get a decent drive and second on 16 and a 5 steadys the boat a bit, but a 5 on 17 and 7 on 18 leave me only just breaking 100.

Disappointing, but it was tough......................net 67 won it!!!

Back to work in the morning!

BYE BYE Malcolm

2010-04-22T21:15:00.000+01:00

...you can almost hear Jonny Rotten snarl.......he probably did at some point!

But today, Malcolm Mclaren was laid to rest in Highgate Cemetery along with such luminaries as Douglas Adams, Jacon Bronowski, Charles Cruft, Michael Cruft, alexander Litvinenko, Sir Ralph Richardson, Max Wall.................

And of course the most famous internee, Karl Marx!

For those of a certain age, which means me, Malcolm Mclaren was something of an influence, even if it was what he kicked off and not for who he was.

I guess that each generation has their equivalent to "Punk", that is at the age of between 14 and possibly 17, whatever is the latest thing, is the only thing! Maybe the age will change, but through modern history, the "flappers and the Charleston" in the 20's, the Jazz of the 50's, "Nice", the Rock and Roll of the late 50's and 60's, the beatles, the hippy fest of 67, the glam/Heavy rock years, Mods, Skins, Ska, Madchester, Hip Hop, Rapetc. etc.etc.

Well for me, I'd been into Rock, some would say heavy rock, Deep Purple, Led Zep, Floydd as well as Blues, mainly in the form of Rory Gallagher.

But in 1977, October 1977 to be exact, an album came out that changes the music scene forever.

"Never mind the bollocks...........here's the sex pistols"

Yes, there had been punk records released prior to this, the Sex Pistols had already released "Anarchy in the UK" as a single on a couple of different labels.

But the album was the killer album that kickied it all off. Clash fans may disagree, the first Clash Album was released in February 1977, but they did'nt have the marketing machine, the PR nouse that one Malcolm Mclaren clearly had.

Whilst Bernie Rhodes, the Clash manager was getting his band playing clubs around the UK, recording in between gigs, Macolm's boys were getting themselves banned, getting in the headlines and simply not playing!

Infamously, on 1st December 1976, they appeared on the Bill Grundy show, an early evening live show, akin to the "One Show", but for London only. The rest is history, suffice to say the attitude and language upset a lot of people, one "lorry driver from Dagenham" was so incensed at what he saw that he put his boot through the television screen!

Althoguh we didn't see it, it was only seen in London, we saw reports in the paper, it was something that set "our world" alight!

Was it Malcolm's idea to cause trouble on that show? Reports suggest that he was shitting himself and thought it was all over!

Was it incompetence on his part and pure fluke that he made a success with his famed "Cash from Chaos" strategy?

Well he made money out of cancelled contracts with EMI and A&M, follwed by a shrewd move of one Richard Branson to sign them, no mean publicity seeker himself, he obviously saw beyond the music!

But actually, the music was good. Of it's time, obviously, but despite the punk ethic that anyone could get up and play, the Pistols pre Sid were a tight unit.

Listen to Nevermind the Bollocks, the playing is good, very good and maybe Chris Spedding did help Steve Jones with some of the guitar work, but if anyone doubts Steve Jones' ability, watch the "Classic Albums" TV programme which shows how the album was recorded!

If you need further evidence of what a band they could have been, see the "There'll always be an England " gig at the Brixton Academy. Awesome.

Yes, Sid Vicious was a punk and looked good for the band. I've always been a devotee of Sid, my Dad once asked me who this Sid Bishop was! He was that famous!

But he could'nt play and that was in essence Malcolm's preference. He didn't want to build a musical legacy, he wanted to make an artistic/PR statement. He was an artist........maybe even a Performance Artist, maybe a piss artist.

He famously gave us the New York dolls, Bow Wow Wow, was instrumental in starting Adam and the Ants on their way and also for an 80's skipping craze, imported from the USA.

Malcolm, thanks for the memories and providing so much entertainment, even if it was by mistake.

Oh, and don't give Karl Marx too much hassle!

Wemberley......Wemberley.........

2010-04-21T21:06:00.000+01:00

...........we're the mighty Sky Blue Army and we're off to Wemberley..............

I wish! Mind you they do play the Johnson Paint final at Wembley now, so you never know, if we play our cards right we could get there after all.

I did actually sing the song for real once......April 87 to be exact............Hillsborough the venue, beating Leeds Utd 3-2 in extra time! We were off to Wembley!

Well the team were! I couldn't get a ticket for love nor money! Who would think that there were that many Coverntry City Supporters. So I ended up watching it round at a friends house with 3 Spurs fans, so when Clive Allen scored in about the 3rd minute it did not look good. But (one of) the Best finals ever in FA Cup history, saw is win in extra time with a fantastic shot by Lloyd McGrath played accuratley off Gary Mabbutts knee (the name of one of the Sky Blues Fanzines) for a famous victory!

The new era was about to dawn! Yeah right!

So visits to Wembley Stadium have been for England International, including to the fogged off Bulgaria international, American Football and Speedway world final!

So where have the Bloody Twin Towers gone.

On many train trips to London on business via Euston station, I would stare longingly at the famous twin towers and hope one day that by beloved Cov would get back again to repeat past glory! (Not glories obviously)

So when the decision was made to rebuild Wembley I was one of the people that hoped the iconic towers would be preserved. But no!

I'd seen the new stadium from the train and it did look spectacular, so I was looking forward to seeing what it looked like up close. Really up close. In fact I'm staring at it close up from my Hotel window as I type.

The problem is, and I'm not the first to say it, it's a fantastic lokking stadium, but it's in the wrong place. Ok, they're re invigorating the area with apartments and new train station, but it's a rubbish place to have to drive to! It's in the middle of a North London Suburb!

It wasn't until I got here that I realise how bad it is! I'd always been by coach, or when I lived in London by tube, but it really is squeezed in. I remember coming by coach to see the Redskins versus the 49ers and the coach had a TV and Video player on the coach, which was going to show Police Academy 5 on the way home. The film was finished before we got out of the Car Park. Stuck in a car park AND forced to watch Police Academy 5, now that was torture! (remind me to tell you about that trip, it is quite a tale to tell!!!)

It just doesn't have the aura that it had, no real memories yet I guess, but to think that we had to keep the stadium in the same place to keep the history and tradition of the old Wembley was a ridiculous idea. It means nothing. And it wasn't exactly cheap.

There is another claim to fame for Cov at Wembley.............they were the last team to climb the famous steps to the royal box before the box was moved lower down before the next Final.........perhaps that was the reason they had to build the new stadium on the same spot!

What a rip off!!!

2010-04-20T22:51:00.000+01:00

Bit of a rant today!

Working up in London for a few months! Did I mention that? Working in Wembley? Near the stadium (More of that tomorrow)

What a rip off.......and I'm not talking about the cost of hotels, or the price of beer,coz I'm not drinking any...honest.....well not at those prices!

No it's the train tickets to get here!

Now I've used the Trainline booking system and apparently I'm getting a discount by booking through them. The thinng is, I need to travel across London, so I'm getting an Oyster Card to pay for Underground, Overground and Buses. Bit of discount, apparently.

So I thought I'd book train tickets to from Crewe to Euston and yes they are cheaper than getting from Crewe to Wembley, by about £12 on the journey down.

So I check out the cost of a ticket from Euston to Wembley and LO and BEHOLD, it's £4!!!! With Trainline!!!

So Trainline, who are supposed to be giving the cheapest possible ticket are ripping me off to the tune of £8.

Now that might not seem like a lot, but thats a pint and a half of cheap lager!!!!

Now If I get an Oyster card, I might even be able to save enough for 2 pints!!!

So Mr Trainline.................what's going on!!!!

Rant Over

What a Start!!!!

2010-04-19T19:46:00.000+01:00

Last week, I might have mentioned that I started my round with two pars and lipped out for Birdies on both.........

Well this week I started with two Birdies!!!

Three solid shots and a 15ft putt on the first and a solid tee shot and tap in from a foot on the second.

So as you imagine I crossed the road to the third hole I was feeling positive.

It was a team event, with best 3 scores of the 4 counting on each hole and I was playing with Wes, Craig Colins and Nick Bridgwood, so we were feeling pretty confident.

Hit a solid drive on 3, but tugged it into the fairway bunker.

I suggested to Craig that that was the end of the birdie start, but I connected well with the ball out of the sad and left me an uphill putt of about 20ft. Chance of a third...............

Left it a couple of inches wide, but a Birdie, Birdie, Par start was acceptable!

Poor Bogie on 4 after being just short in 2 and a trip in the pond on 5 resulted in a double, so back to some normality. But up and down for a par on 3 and another chance of a Birdie and tap in for par on 5 and I was on fire again. Hitting the ball really solid!

So how come, I get up to the back tee on 8, bit of wond in the face and hit a weak block that fails to make the 180yd carry? What is going on? Just missed a 5, but the 6 was a pain in the ass. Still I wasn't on my own as the team score for that hole was 1 point!!!

I needed a 5 to break 40 for the front.

Skied the drive to the left and find my ball in the rough in between the trees. Not looking good. Hit a rescue club, great connection and I'm lefy with a pitch of about 70 yards. Knock it a bit long, left a down hiller and just miss par, but tap in for a 39. 3 over par!!!

The team score of 58 was good, but could have been so much better if'we'd have scored more than 1 point on 8.

So to the back 9.......target 45.....level 5's.....84 gross!

Just miss up and down for par on 10 for 5, bogie on 4, so to 12.

Best drive of the day, lay up with rescue club and 8 iron to 15 foot. Miss the birdie, but solid, solid par. Striking it well again!!!

Hit a weak drive on 13, not concentrating, did'nt commit to the shot. In play though. Top 2nd into bunker, flick out, leave wedge short, 2 putts for a double.

Here we go.

How many times have a put a decent, or even great score together through 12, ususally getting par and then.........

How many times have I put a ball in the water on 14, the Captains Charity water....well not off the tee. Nice, little lay up and then an awful shot blocked and landing in the water! Another 50p!!!

Just miss the up and down for a bogie, so another 6.

Another blocked drive into water on 15 and another double.

Skied right on 16, nearly in the houses, provisional straight down the middle!!!

Another double.

17 blocked tee shot, manage 4.

So to 18......Drive tugged left, into rough....rescue out, fairway wood into fairway bunker up right. Never been in there before. Got it out, but messed around and ended wiith a double bogie 7. No 84 then.......

39 + 49 = 88.......would have been happy with that last week, but with the start I had, disappointed!

How can I strike the ball so well for 12 holes and then absolute rubbish for the other 6!

The team score fell apart on the back as well!!!

Well there's always next week.....................the BMW!!!

Masters over for another year! Will Westwood ever learn?

2010-04-12T22:18:00.000+01:00

Was it the best Masters for 20 years as the BBC were trying to convince us?

Don't think so!

It was good, but to be honest I thought it was a bit of an anti climax, probably because there were'nt the usual lead changes and twists and turns.

Once Mickleson, who is not my favourite golfer by a long way, got 2 ahead that was it. All over.

You can ususally bank on him missing a short putt or two, which he did and hooking a drive or two, which he did, but he hit, as he does some miracle shots. He's one of those players who revels in making miracles recovery shots.

Hopefully Westwood will learn that to win majors, you sometimes have to take a risk and go for it.........the 13th was a prime example.

Both hitting wayward tee shots and blocked by trees, Westwood lays up. Mickelson in more trouble plays a shot of 200yards through a tiny gap in the trees, pitches a yard of the brook and to within 3 foot.

Now he missed the Eagle putt and both he and Westwood make birdie, but it was the sign that one player was willing to win it whilst the other was perhaps hoping that his opponent would lose it.

It was a stroll in the park from there on in, with K J Choi fading and Kim falling short. Mickleson even had the temerity to play a conservative looking 3 wood off the tee and sticking the boot in by making Birdie.

Westwood will probably get tagged as a choker, but he played a decent round, but did'nt go for the jugular!

How Tiger Woods did as well as he did is some feat given that his swing was all over the place. He must have "dropped his club" over half a dozen times following a "double cross over" shot (as Sam Torrance kept mentioning) and have you ever seen him 3 putt from 5 foot?

Poulter flattered to deceive, with an unusal capitulation. Where was the fight he has shown at the Ryder Cup on the last couple of Majors.

So the USA win again and no British winner since Faldo and his amazing win against Greg Norman. Now that was a spectacle!

Hazel Irvine..........better than Lineker.............Peter Alliss...........from a different age. Will he be back next year?

I will....................might save up and fulfill a dream and go next year.

April Medal.............

2010-04-11T22:41:00.000+01:00

Best weather of the year by far this weekend and quite an eventful weekend!

On Saturday, there was a special competition for potential members of the Devere Membership Scheme and I was asked, as Captain to "Drive-In"

So, having been inspired by the first two rounds of the Masters, I turned up at the club and hit a few warm up balls on the range and then headed for the tee.

Photograph's taken, introductions completed, hit a decent drive into the fairway. Not long, but received a ripple of applause! Jon Farmer took a photo and the swing looked pretty decent.

I suggested that if anyone did'nt beat my drive, they would have to put a quid in the charity box! Poor guy who hit first, topped his shot about a foot. It literally fell of the tee. How embarrassing!

As the weather was good, decided to hit a basket of balls on the range.

Got into a really good rythm and was striking the ball nicely, so I decided to come back later and play 9 holes.

Pitched up at about 4pm and Bob Aston and Joe Baskerville were going out so I joined them.

First shot was ok and managed to hit a decent second from the light rough, but ended with a 7 for 1 point!

3 putts on 2 for another point, not a good start. still the 3rd was one of my favourite holes and the way I was striking the ball on the range, this would be easy. Wrong! Awfull drive, rubbish second and another 1 pointer.

Good 5 on 4 and scrambled 5 on 5, but back to 1 pointer on 6. I was just not striking the ball well. Where had the Rythm gone. Probably did'nt help that Bob and Joe were smacking the ball miles and even though I was trying to concentrate on my own game I was possibly trying to hard.

Had a pretty lacklustre drive on 7, but a good 2nd and 3rd left me with a Birdie chance that just ended up short.

On to 8th, my Nemesis hole, off the back tee position and into the wind. Hit the drive, aiming at the pathway, "the melling road" and stopped just to the side, inches from going into the hazard. Still finished with a six after a visit to the green side bunker.

Awful drive on 9 with some advice from Bob and Joe, I hacked up the fairway and a blob. Still the advice was sound, something to work on. No expectations for the April Medal in the morning!!!

Watched the Masters again and saw some unbelievable shots made, eagles galore!

Woke up early for my 9:30 tee time and got to the club in plenty of time to have a practice. Go to find the Rythm and thimk about the advice Bob had given me.

A few 7 irons and I started to get the feel back and after practicing a few wedges, I got the big timber out.

It felt good again, nice easy swing and timing it well. Finished off with a few chips and headed off to the putting green where I met up with my playing partners, Bob Aston, Pete Keena and Lee Bailey. Lee was probably a longer hitter than Bob, but don't tell him I said that!

I teed of first and hit a reasonable drive, nothing like the other 3, who smacked the ball miles. But a great fairway wood left me with an iron in for my 3rd which I hit to about 15ft. Hit a good putt but left it on the lip. Good Start, solid par and strruck the ball well.

2nd hole was the same distance as my approach to the first, so I hit the same club and knocked to about 8 foot. Downhill putt and slight borrow, I left the birdie putt on the lip again, but this was good.

Ok Drive on 3 but weak second, left me with a chip and 2 putts for a 5.

Hit a good drive down 4th and great strike with a 3wood for second shot leaving me about 80 yards to the pin. Undecided what to do and ended up going with a 52degree wedge, but got under it and left it short of the green. Another 4 to get down for a messy 7. Ok 5 on 5 and then off to the 6th.

It was pretty slow playing and we had already had to wait on a number of shots, but on the 6th we were stuck on the tee for a long time. Hit a decent tee shot, but duffed 3 chips and then 2 putted for a 6. Not good.

Wind was getting up and the 7th tee shot was daunting. Saw the others smack tee shots way down the fairway, I made a reasonabke connection , but it was tight on the carry. Bob was sure I was ok. I was 6 inches from making the carry, so it was back to the tee to play 3 off the tee!

Hit a great drive and following a two solid shots I had a putt for a 6 ( a birdie with the second ball), but left it short, but still a good recovery.

*th tee at the back, into the wind, considered hitting back down the 7th Fairway, but the group behind were in the landing area, so gritted my teeth and went for it. Just cleared it by the 6 inches I missed the carry on 7!!! managed a 5 that stopped the rot, but skied tee shot on 9 and 3 putts, ended me on 50.

Started the back nine well again, with birdie chances on 10 and 11, solid drive and second on 12 and a great 3rd across the hazard to the back pin position and another birdie chance! 3 putts for a six!!!

Shabby play on 13, water on 14...again 7's on each, good 5 on 15, but hacking down 16 and water on 17, left me in danger of not breaking 100.

Good six on 18 and I managed a 99...............back to the driving range!

Oh well, at least I've got Westwood winning the Masters to look forward to!

More on that tomorrow!

There's something about the Masters.............

2010-04-10T21:10:00.000+01:00

I love the Masters, apart from the Ryder Cup, or "The Open" at St Andrews, it is THE tournament to watch.

It signals the start of the sporting year..............FA cup semi final, The Grand National, The Boat race, all around this time and the summer of sport to follow!

But perhaps the greatest thing about this tournament is the tradition and the fact that it is the same course every year!

If you know your golf, you know Amen Corner, the key holes, 12th 13th 15th and 18, plus the slopes and the speed of the greens. The Green Jacket, the fact that all previous winners can play, but the qualification criteria and invites are comoplex.

Above all for me it's the fact that in my "formative" years, the Masters saw a hiatus in European and then British golf.

The South African Kegen, Gary Player was the first "Non-US winner in 1961 and his wins in 1974 and 1978 were still the only non0american winners. Seve started the ball rolling for a European domination of the event with his wins in 1980 and 83, he was also beaten in a playoff in 87 by an audacious chip in by Larry Mize!

Then came Langer in 85, Sandy Lyle, the first British winner in 1988, Faldo, Back to back in 89 and 90, Woosnam in 91, Langer again in 93, Olazabal 94, Faldo for his 3rd in 96, with the amazing final round and the capitulation of Greg Norman.

This was not the first time that Greg Norman had "Bottled it" hitting his approach shot into the stand on 18 when he needed a par to win!

Olazabal won his second green jacket in 1999, which was the last European winner to date, with dominance, apart for Vuijay Singh, Mike Weir and Trevor Immelman returning to the the US, mainly in the guise of Messrs Woods and Michelson!

There are so many memories, but hopefully as we start "moving day" which is the 3rd round on Saturday, Westood and Poulter can bring the bacon home!

I'm sure, as usual that the final round will see "many a slip, tween cup and lip" as Peter Alliss would say.

It will be rivettig as ususal.

First Major of the year................Wychwood bites back!

2010-04-04T23:52:00.000+01:00

Easter Cup done and dusted for the year.

First Major of the year and the competition that throws up the players who have been practising through the winter, but not necessarily playing in competitions.

So first major, first chance to get your name up on the board, first medal and first competition back off the white tees and just to make it interesting the wind was up.

Forget the rough, forget the bunkers, forget the water, the biggies defence that the course has is the wind!

Few and far between are the times that there is little or no wind at Wychwood and today the wind was up and it was in the direction that appears to be in your face all of the way around.

A few of the "new" members have been questioning how tough this Wychwood track is, but whilst the winter conditions mean the ball travels less, runs less, the extra distance from the competition tees make a difference and a few of them got a shock today. Just wait until the fairways get firmer and the ball runs more. It get s tougher!

Saw Stuart Robinson take 7 on the 2nd. He score 43 points to win the Railway Trophy a couple of weeks ago, with a a nett 65 off a handicap of 4. He used up his 4 shots on 1 hole!

Me? I've finally, after 8 years, realised how I need to play the course and was planning to take the approach that has borne fruit over the winter months. Game plan.............course management, use shots and take chances when they occur!

Working ok for the first 6 holes. Nothing spectacular, but a few putts left short. Greens were slow! Sometimes, you just can't bring yourself to hit the putts that hard!

On the 7th tee, hitting the ball ok, but "slapped one" across, but in the rough at the top of the hump before the Plantation on the left!

Rescue out too well and into the fairway bunker, out of the bunker leaving a long shot to the green, but to close to lay up.

Decvide to hit fairway wood up left and short of bunkers.

Hit the shot as I wanted, good connection, but took a kick left into the environmental area left. I could reach the ball and if a normal hazard would have been able to play it. But had to take a penalty.

Tugged left, chip and 2 putts for a 9.

Not the end of the worl, but we're off the back tees on my Nemesis whole, the 8th and the wind is in our face! Strong wind as well!

Playing partners all get across the carry with no problem.

I block it right, as usual and in my heart I know it's not made it despite the thoughts of the others. "It might have got across", bit I know it hasn't. I've hit the same shot so many times!

Manage to scramble a 7, but a bogey on 9 leaves me on 51.

Despite a good start to the back 9, ditto with 51 on back and 102, nett 86, bit disappointing.

Still the season has started, Summer Knockouts to be played, monthly medal next week.

US Masters to look forward to as well!!!

"A Game of two halves Brian"

2010-03-21T21:08:00.000Z

Or may be 13/18ths.

Railway trophy today. Winners and runner ups from all Winter Stableford qualify for todays final. With people dropping out about 12 of us played.

Stuart Robinson was bouyant and confident. I was just happy to have qualified, perhaps that's why he's off 4 and I'm off 16.

Anyway, the weather was good, so.........

First decent weather....

First Trophy of the year to contest.....

First Sob story of the year!

So Jeff Dean, Chris Brayne and myself set off for the first tee. Bit of a nip in the air, but not a lot of wind and the sun is starting to break through.

Chris is the colourful one with bleached "punky" hair and colourful outfits, today is Lemon Zest yellow!

Three decent drives all in play. Mediocre second and 3rd for me, but a solid 2 putts for me and 2 points.

Nice Par for Mr Brayne.

Three awful teeshots on 2 especially mine. Back a bit stiff and don;t get through the ball, top it short of the water, but in the hazard area. Managed to move ball onto the green from within the straw, two putts for a point.

Hit the fairway on 3, long way back and a bit of a "stinger" through the back of the green, but a good lag putt and tap in for par! That's made up for the 2nd!

A decent bogey on 4 followed by a safe drive on 5 and I'm left with a tough shot, not sure whether I can carry the fairway bunker. Go for it and end on the bank in front of the green, two putts, Par. Thank you very much!!!

6th sees a safe bogey, could have been a bit braver with the putt, but 2 points is good.

Bogey on 7 sees another 2 points and then to the Nemesis hole (on the front nine anyway)

Hit best drive of the day and left with shot of about 120 or so, but with bunkers to carry and a tight pin. The safe shot is to play long, but I've started to strike the ball well, so it's a 9 iron that just clears the bunker and leaves me a 10 foot putt. Lip out, but a good par for another 3 points!

Steady bogey on 9 and it's 20 points. I've had the honour since the 4th and Jeff is not on his game today. He's on 12 points and Chris is slightly better on 16.

Chris tells me I have 20 points, I reply quietly, "I know".....He comments on how I should sound a bit more up beat.

I suggest that having played this course for so long, I don't count any chickens before the hatch! Many a time I've had a good front 9 and indifferent back 9. When I qualified for this competition, I scored 23 on the front, but only 16 on the back!

It sometimes works the other way though. I won the inuagrual Concorde Trophy with 13 on the front, including a 4 pointer on the 9th, and 25 points on the back!

Still back to today. I've been pulling my driver left into the pond for the past 3 or 4 rounds, but today, nice smooth swing, timing perfect and that extra snap sends the ball straight down the middle and leaving me about 130 to the pin.

Into the wind and the pin is tucked bhind the bunkers on the right.

Still , stick with the "keep it simple" game plan and aim to take the bunker out of the equation.

Block it a bit and it hits the bank on top of the bunker, kicks right and rolls into the bunker. A kinder bounce and it would have birdie time.

Hit a good bunker shot out and lip out for par, still a 5 and one point is sufficient. Keep the blobs off the card!!!

Simple par on 11, gives me 3 points, back on track!

Good drive on 12, block second and I'm left with a tricky shot. 150 yard carry into the wind, then another 30-40 yards to the pin. Trouble is I'm in the rough and there's a tree is in the way to get over as well!

LAy up would be sensible, but it's not a bad lie and I can probably crash something over.

I'm going for it. Needs to be a good connection and a solid hit!

Top it, under the tree, running towards the stream, pulls up, perfect lay up distance!!! Not quite what I meant!

Great chip past the pin, bit too tentative on the downhill putt, but another 2 points.

Drive safe on 13, on in 3, two putts for another solid 2 points. (Stop rehearsing your acceptance speech in your head!)

To the 14th. Since making this the Captains Charity hole, making all of the water hazards in play for a donation of 50p, I must have gone in nearly every round. Sometimes twice.

There is a lot of water on 14, but is should'nt be as tough as I make it.

Having pulled drives down the left the past few rounds, I go for the shorter carry on the right, but cut the tee shot slightly and.......................straight into the ditch.

Never lands short and bounces over, never hits the far bank and stays in play, straight in! Find the ball, so I may still be able to retire it by getting it all the way around the 18 holes, but it's unplayable, so take a drop.

Still got more water to get over, so play safe and get it over, but end up in bunker. Up and down for 2 points? Well I get the ball out well, but just lip out from about 10ft, still it's a points. Just getback in the groove on 15.
Poor drive and I'm in the hazard. I can play it, but it's plugged so hack it out. A good chip gives an outside chance of a bogie and 2 points. Hit a good putt, but just ends up bang online, but on the very edge of the hole. 1 point again!!!

Poor drive on 16 and trying to force the 2nd, I'm in the hazard to the left of the green. This time I can't play it, so have to drop under penalty. Playing my 4th I again give myself a chance of 2 points, but miss from about 12 feet!

Two pars and I can still play to handicap, but on 17, I hit a low tee shot and it just catches the fence protecting the swans nests in the pond and stays in the hazard......ball lost. Would have liked to retire that ball as well.

No points!

So to 18 godd drive, but hack my way up the course, end up in greenside bunker and manage a point....takes me to 32 points. Just 12 on the back 9.

Shake hands with the others, commiserate with Jeff who has had a nightmare, congratulate with Chris, who hung on for 31 points.

Suddenly remember, I've got bets on with Trevor Brennand and Bob Aston.

As I trudge up from the 18th, I can see Trevor outside the clubhouse.

He's got a fiver in his hand, which is a good sign, but he must havfe beaten 32! He's got 31!!!!! Result!!!!

At least I've got a fiver to pay Bob with!!!

Get in the clubhouse, leader with 43 points is Stuart Robinson. 2 under par gross. Good knock, too good for me even if I'd played better in back 9.

Quick pint and then back to see Cov on the Box against the Foxes (Leicester!)

Big derby game, with Leicester potentiallly in for the play offs, whilst we are flattering to deceive!

Saw us putting on a pitiful display in the first half at the "Walker" stadium. We were 2 down, but to be honest, it should have been 3 or 4. That said, their second was a bit iffy as the ball may not have crossed the line, but we were lucky to have scored nil!!!

Decided to go and walk the dog with Wife and Kids at half time and came back expecting us to be another few goals down, but lo and behold, Captain Mustard's (Chris Coleman, get it!), half time team talk must have made a difference as we had pulled a goal back and despite the 100 mile an hour pace of the Derby, we were playing some good stuff.

With 5 minutes to go we score, although it could have easily been disallowed for offside we got an equaliser! Perhaps the Lino was making up for his error with the second Leicester goal! Amazingly, we managed to hold on for a draw. We have lost so many games in added on time this year.

So it was definitley a day of "games of two halves!!!"

What a load of Balls!!

2010-03-19T13:50:00.000Z

The golf season proper is almost upon us!

The fairways are getting drier and firmer!

The greens are getting greener!

The rough will soon be getting lush!

Time to start using the decent golf balls that I've been keeping back from winter conditions!

I had an hour to kill today, so I thought I'd grab a sandwich and head off to the American Golf shop in Telford and see what they had on offer.

As I was perusing, I suddenly realised what a choice there was, compared to when I first started playing!

That was in the early to mid 80's and not only was there a lmited number of manufaturers, but a distinct lack of ball types. Although you could still buy the smaller British ball. 1 6/8" diameter?

Dunlop appeared to corner the market, with the Warwick, the 65, latterley the 65I. I believe that the name 65 came from Henry Cotton shooting a round of 65 in the Open and him, being quite shrewd, endorsing the ball!

I remember Maxfli, Ultra's and there may have been a Topflite or two.

There was also Penfold, who produced the Ace and the rock that was the commando.

Titleist were ever present, but they had maybe a couple of "models" based on compression and possibly cover.

Pinnacle suddenly appeared on the scene as well and they were the ball of choice for a number of my golfing buddies, especially as they did them in Yellow!

I recall a ball called Prince (which we dubbed Vince Prince after a comic alter ego of Russ Abbott), but it was an awful ball. (Much like the character itself)

Back in those days, the ball you chose appeared to be fairly insignificant as there was probably little difference unless you were comparing Penfold and Titleist or Pinnacle.

It was a matter of reaching into the bag, grabbing a ball and getting on with the game!

Fastforward to today and today's manufacturers are claiming everything.

We still have Titleist, with the Prov 1, Prov 1x, NXT Tour, NXT, PTS SoLo etc. etc.

Nike with distance balls, feel balls, soft balls, Hi spin, Lo Spin, Juice, One..........etc. etc.

Even Pinnacle have Gold, Long , Distance, Soft, Feel

Callaway bring you the Big Bertha, Warbird, HX Hot, HX Tour..........

Taylor Made, with the Burner, Tour, Noodle, Srixon long, soft, spin, AD333.......

The choice is endless and confusing.

What ball am I going to use today...............probably one I found on the course last week!!!

Obviously the price has changed as well. I used to baulk at the thought of paying over £1.50 for 3 pinnacle golf balls! I recall asking my foursomes partner to allow me to change to my cheaper ball when it was my turn to tee off the 6th tee at Wychwood Park. all I could think of was I was in danger of losing £3.75 worth of Titleist Prov 1!!!

Sure technology has changed and the balls are much better than they were and combined with the advance of Club Technology, the game is a lot easier, but now there is too much choice.......

Let's see how i get on this weekend with my New Srixon Distance balls that:

"has higher initial velocity and a penetrating ball flight for greater distance. A responsive light feel and exceptional durability make it ideal for those with a swing speed of 80mph or greater.

Highly resilient, larger Energetic Gradient Growth core with softer compression gives higher initial velocity and high launch angle with lower spin resulting in greater carry and distance together with a responsive light feel.

Highly resilient ionomer cover provides longer drives and exceptional cut proof durability. Aerodynamically superior 420 dimple configuration provides a true and penetrating trajectory."

All for the knock down price of £9.99 a dozen!!!! Now you're talking!!!

Ball Personalisation printing takes 5-10 working days to complete. This is in addition to the delivery option you decide to chose at the checkout. Please Note:

The print link is applied to the ball using a chemical process.The ball surface (Colour, texture and finish)has an affect on the finial print colour and the finish of the image.Therefore we cannot guarantee the printed colour or the image will be an exact match.

It's Health and Safety gone mad...............

2010-03-18T14:05:00.000Z

There's a famous, well famous around the vicinity of Gloucester, annual event held every May Bank holiday at Coopers Hill, just outside Gloucester.

It's the annual Cheese Rolliing races, but actually it's not going to be annual this year!

The hill in question, is very, very, VERY, steep and access is via a hedgelined, narrow country lane that winds it's way to the base of the hill. There are ususally 4 or 5 ambulances waiting to cart the injured competitors away and they are kept very busy.

There are a number of "races" with competitors, with plenty of Cider on board, spread across the top of the hill, 15 to 20 at a time and the starter pushes a big circular Double Gloucester cheese over the edge and the runners charge then fall down the hill.

It is spectacular!

Members of local Rugby teams are at the bottom stopping some fo the competitors who are "out of control" from falling over the wall into the road at the bottom.

There are a number of broken limbs, unconcious and concussed competitors who are led off to the waiting amulances and it's a fantastic spectator sports.

But it's being banned this year.....by health and safety!!! But not because of the plethora of broken Tibia, Fibia, Collarbones and jaws, but because there are too many spectators and the roads nearby may get blocked! Ridculous! The world has gone mad!

It's the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival this week and anyone who has ever tried to travel around Cheltenham racecourse when the festival is on will wish that the festival was cancelled on the same grounds.

I've been tothe Cheese Rolling at Coopers hill, only to spectate and it was a hidden bank holiday secret, but now it's been shown on TV as the funny bit at the end of the News or when Paddy McGuinness and Rory McGrath had a go (ok it was on Channel 5), the coverage has meant a massive increase in spectators, but to ban it because of that is not on!

You can even pay £45 and join a "tour" of the event!

Give Coopers Hill back to the Cheese Rollers! What next, they'll be letting people surf the Severn Bore!!!

Only in America........

2010-03-12T12:33:00.000Z

An often used phrase when our colonial cousins come up with a seemingly hair brained scheme, but last night an item on the news had me dumbstruck! (Well as dumbstruck as I can get!)

I can't recall the exact detail, but the item followed a married couple, strolling around the supermarket in Milwaukee (in the state of Wisconsin), the Beer Capital of the US (so therefore in their eyes the World!)

Strapped to their belts were leather holsters, not containing mobile, sorry Cell Phones, but hand guns!

Real hand guns!!!

These were serious weapons, the Husband had Gloch Automatic 9mm, whilst his wife was packing a .38 calibre revolver, which was all white with a pink handle!

As they shopped, you could see other people openly carrying holstered handguns!

It appears that the gun laws in certain States, makes it illegal to carry concealed hand guns, so instead of making it illegal to carry a hand gun at all, they have decided to allow what they have termed, the "open carry" laws, which allows guns to be holstered, but on show!

As one of the carriers interviewed said, "look at the constitution, statute 1 is the freedom of speech and statute 2 is the right to bear arms!"

Chicago is just about to invoke a similar law and Starbucks have come out with a statement that allows "open carry" in their coffee shops!

They finally showed people in a family restaurant in Wisconsin, with nearly every adult in there carrying "a piece"

They are however, looking to change the law to stop an individual from buying more than one handgun per 24 hour period!

Sense prevails(????)

Only in America...........whatever next?

Guess we're off to York then......................

2010-03-07T20:16:00.001Z

I knew after last weeks match that the next round of the Winter League KO today was going to be tough. Gary Leese beat Bob Aston last week and was a good 16 handicapper, so playing him off scratch was going to be a big ask!

Practiced on Friday with Rob Barrett and was striking the ball well and the putting was good. The greens here at Wychwood are in good nick for the time of year, in fact the whole of the course is in great condition considering the weather we've had.

Got a call from my parents on Saturday evening and they suggested that we go away with them for a long weekend to celebrate their wedding anniversary. What about York?

Only one problem, it;s the weekend of the Winter League Knockout competition! I know, it's only the quarter final, but you need to plan ahead! So additional incentive to win!

Woke up to frost! I know what this was going to mean.......temporary greens. Mixed blessing. Shorter course, but putting skills negated. Could be a bit of a lottery!

Still, if I could put Gary under pressure I'm sure he might crack!

Dr Pughe and Phil Robinson were making up the 4 ball, so it would be entertaining anyway.

Gary hit a long drive down the first and I hit a decent tee shot, bit longer than normal, but that might have been something to do with the frost!

After 3 shots there was nothing in it, but a chip to within a foot by Gary left me with a 10ft putt for a par and a halved hole. I missed. 1 down.

Second halved in 4 and a miracle 4 from me on 3 to snatch another half!

Then fairway bunkers on 4 and 5 cost me 2 holes. 3 down after 5!!! A par beat my bogie on 6 and I'm 6 down!

The 7th was a bit of a comedy of errors, with Gary in the hazard off tee and me in the staked trees. Free drop for me and penalty for Gary. I hit the fairy , but Gary hits another into the ditch. Another penalty.

Nothing can go wrong now!!!! Hit a 9 iron fat and I follow him in the ditch. Wedge and a putt for a 6 and a much needed win. If I can get it back to 2 at the turn I could still have a chance. What a comeback that would be!

Good par on 8 and it's back to 2!!! Are things starting to turn? Maybe have to give York a miss!!!!

Chance to get it down to 1 down on 10, but missed from 5 foot.

Scrambled a half on 11, but was looking good for a win on 12 with a 1 foot putt for par. Unfortunatley Gary, slammed in from 15 foot for Par. Still contemplating missed chances, I lost the 13th to go 3 down.

So to the 14th. Not the best of holes for me this year. Gary's stands on the tee holding his back. Perhaps he was in trouble. Dr Pughe offers his services and asks if it's ok to administer Ibruprofen. I say yes, hoping it's something strong enough to put Gary to sleep. But Dr P can't come up with the goods. Gary's Drive is probably his best of the day! With a drive tugged down the left I was left with a shot of about 160 yards, into the wind, across two lost of water to a temporary green, the pin 10ft past the ditch with the bunker 10 foot past! Easy!!! Gary was about 75 yards from the pin! Good strike, bit too good and into the bunker. But it must have put a bit of pressure on Gary as he duffed his shot, but ended up short of the water.

I got to the bunker and whilst I only had about 25 foot to the pin I was up against the back of the bunker on a down slope. Not good. Even worse, Garry chipped to about a foot! Hit and hope and I got to about 5 foot, but needed the putt for a half! Got it! But 3 down with 4 to go. Need to win all the holes.

Gary to drive and he topped it. Worst shot he has hit all day, bounced short of the ditch and looks like going in, but bounces over. No messing now! Hit a good drive into the fairway. Gary hits another bad shot and into the water hazard, but lands where the 3 foot high bullrushes have been cut back. He'll be able to play from there!!!! Still, 170 to go, good strike, but bit of a cut to it and a hard bounce and I'm into the ditch. No chance of playing out for me!

Gary hit out of the hazard and after chips we are roughly the same distance away. 15 foot putt and I lip out, Gary's putt races at the hole and drops in!

My face was a picture again!!!

Shake hands and move on. Dr Pughe beat Robbo and will do well to beat Mr Leese next week!

Played out the last holes and headed for the bar for a consoling libation!

Thanks to Rob and Lissa for cheering me up!

Hope the weather in York is nice!!!!

You'll never go in the water again!

2010-03-01T20:00:00.000Z

No, not talking about the Captain's Hazard on the 14th!

We decided to have a family film night on Saturday, so after I'd watched the Footy and the Rugby we finished our meal and sat down to watch something.

What to watch though..........Daughter of 13 going on 17, son of 7 and the good lady wife.....could be a tricky choice.

As they were arguning over what DVD to watch I flicked through the Sky planner and spotted Jaws!!!

Sophie, the daughter, had seen it a few years before and was keen to see it again, whilst Josh was easliy persuaded.

Would it be too scary for him? What about the skinny dipping at the beginning?

I remember in 1975, aged 14 going to the local cinema, a single theatre at the time, to see Jaws every night for a week! Me and a group of mates used to go to this cinema nearly every Sunday almost no matter what was on.

Bit 7 nights in a row. We only ever did that for one other film and that was Star Wars! It was a very old cinema, quite small, independent of the Rank, or Odeon chain;s it was not unheard of to cancel the showing if too few people came to see the film. It was easier to give us our money back!

Not for a blockbuster like Jaws and not when we would be going every night of the week.

Up on the big screen the action was vivid, load and frightening. Everyone jumped when the Shark struck, especially when the head pooped out of the hole in the bottom of the boat, with one eye missing and optic nerves hanging ou of the socket! Even when we knew it was coming we jumped! Even though the famous music warned that the Shark was coming.

For the time, the Shark was realistic.

Now, at home, on the TV, it looked awfull.

The kids loved it, but commented on how unrealistic the Shark looked. They've both been on the Jaws Ride at Universal Studios and to be honest, that was more realistic.

How far have come since then. We all went to see Avatar, in 3D, obviously and whilst the story was ok, the special effects were unbelievable. Probably won't bother to see the film again though.

Sophie made a comment about it not being very real and then I suddenly thought.

"Sophie, this film is 35 years old!" "I was your age when I saw this at the pictures"

It was of it's time! It did scare us, but now it was pretty tame.

Bit it did take me back to that grotty cinema, with the ripped seats, the gas lamps, me and me mates scared to death, or mesmerised by Star Wars, sneaking in under age to see Saturday Night Fever, or Roller Ball or the disaster movies like Earthquake, the Towering Inferno, the original Rocky film, scared shitless at the end of Carrie and the James Bond double bills they used to show!

That's what I remembered when I watched Jaws...........

I Love Matchplay..........

2010-02-28T21:34:00.000Z

.....especially when I win.

When you play match play golf, you can have a brilliantly close and tense game, but play rubbish golf and today was a case in point!

It was the first knockout stage of the winter league with the 16 qualifiers from the league stage.....let battle commence.

I was playing Rob Williams and giving him 3 shots and as anyone will tell you, the key is to not lose the first hole.

It was looking ok, until I got to the green and the I 3 putted to lose. I never 3 putt. Well not normally. This was the first time I'd played on proper greens for what seems like ages. Plenty of chance to hone the skills of putting on temporary greens, but now we're back on propoer greens and it was not a matter of hitting at the hole and hoping for the best!

One down!

Second hole and I hit a decent shot, but 3 putts again for a half!

Third hole and decent drive, Rob's hooked his second shot well left. So did I, but not as badly!

Duffed a chip and then knocked it stiff, but lost...............Two down!

Heading for the 4th tee, shot hole for Rob and it's not looking good, lose this and I'm in trouble! Three down after 4 is not good. But a decent drive, good second, Rob in the bunker and back to one down!

Chuck the 5th away and a bad tee shot on 6, it's not looking good again. Lucky Rob's gone in the water. Only manage a half though! Rob duffs his drive on the 7th and I plonk mine in the fairway. He's got a shot, but not got a spare ball with him on the tee, so he concedes the hole! He only needed to get a ball from his bag that he'd left by the bridge, walk back and hit another shot and who knows. He had a shot after all. Could this be a turning point. So I win the hole and head for my nemesis hole, the 8th. No matter how well I'm hitting my tee shots, I struggle on the 8th. We are off the forward tees, but the winds in our faces.

I tug it low left and it does'nt feel good. I know when I've not quite got it and especially on this hole.

Luckily, I've got across, but a bad lie and I put it in the fairway bunker...........get it out, back of the green and duff a putt....hole conceded! Back to 2 down! Much of a muchness on the 9th, but Rob criss crosses the green a couple of times with dodgy chips and I finally sink a putt to win. 1 down at the turn. Considering I've putted like an idiot and had the touch of an Elephant around the green, I'm in good shape.

The last few rounds I've played, I've pulled my tee shot into the pond on the left. Not a good thought as I set up for my tee shot and true enough I tug it left. Did it get through? No. I manage to play out without a penalty, but then a fat shot short, chip on and 2 putts amazingly I get a half!

11th and a decent tee shot and two putts for a par and a win. All square!!!

The two other players making up the 4 ball were Bob Aston and Gary Leese. Gary was off 16 and Bob, of Scratch was giving him 16 shots. It was tough for Bob to give that many shots, but he is a tough cookie when it comes to matchplay. With Gary 5 foot away for 2 nett 1, Bob has a 15 footer for Birdie. You could tell in his eyes, he was not going to miss!!! He did'nt. Gary missed!!!

Decent tee shot, great second and I've got a decision. Go for the green, or lay up. With Rob in a bit of trouble the only way I can let him back in would be to go in the water! I lay up. For the first time in the match I'm 1 Up!!!

Rob's got a shot, so I ask him if he wants to concede the hole as he's lost his other 2 shot holes.

Good tee shot, good second shot, but end up in the face of the bunker! Rob is struggling, but manages to get on the green.

Bob had hit a long drive, but ended up in the second Fairway bunker on the right. An amazing bunker shot of some 150 yards to 20 feet, he leaves his birdie out on the lip of the hole.

I squirt my bunker shot out chip on and 2 putt, but Rob hits a good chip and it's back to all square.

14th tee. Water left, water across the fairway, lake left, more water in front of the green! No wonder I chose it as the Captains Charity Hazard. Hit any of the water hazards and it's a minimum 50p to the Help for Heroes Charity!

Guess what..........every round I've played since it came into force, I've been in the water. Sometimes twice.

Rob lays up with his drive. I'm aiming up the left to lay up as well, but too far left and I'm in the bushes. I'm in the hazard, but it's maybe playable. 50p!!! I wait for Rob to play and he lays up short of the second lot of water. No choice now, I've got to take a drop and go for it. Still hindered by the bushes I crash a rescue club to the front of edge of the green, two putts, half!

15th, drive in play, second short, duffed wedge, up and down, half. Still all square, as Sir Alex would say, squeaky bum time!

Rob hits a drive straight at the bunker on 16 and bounces through! My drive is long enough, but left with 190 to go. Sky my next shot, but it's in play. Despite Rob's luck off the tee, he duffs his next into the lake and after hispenalty, he is through thye back of the green for 4.

I hit another fat wedge leaving me a 25 foot putt from off the green. Unfortunatley, I run it 20 feet past. I leave the next one 2 foot short, but Rob manages to take 3 from about 5 feet and I win the hole with a 6!!!

17 and just need to keep it dry! Which I do, but well right. Horrible lie and thin the chip over the bunker and to the far side of the green. Rob put;'s his to about 8 feet. I've now got a 40ft put , with a massive borrow. Get it to 18inches and manage to salvage a half!

Half up 18 and I'm home.

Just keep it dry.

Shit.....in the bunker. Rob's about 30 yards past the bunker and in play. I get a good connection out of the bunker, but still got a long way to go! Looks like extra holes, especially when Rob get's it to about 120 yards from the green!

Fairway Wood, get it up there as close as possible. Good connection out of the light rough, but has it ended up in the bunker? Walk up, it;s ok , short of the green. Rob's not sure of what club to take, or shot to play. He leaves it about the same distance as me. B0th played 3, I only need a half.

Me to play, chip and run, don't leave it short!!! It's off, dead online, little speedy, hit's the pin, flirts with the hole, but stays out on the lip. Par 5...........Rob needs to hole his chip. His face is a picture! He knows! Half hearted attempt and the match is mine!

Like I said, I love Matchplay!!!

Bob lost 2&1......5 birdies, but too many shots to give. I play Gary next week......I think he's favourite, but you never know!!!!

Cobblers............Snow Golf!!!

2010-02-21T14:22:00.001Z

Well my plea went unheard obviously..............woke up to be greeted by a thick carpet of snow, so the top 16 qualifiers for the winter league knockout now becomes a last 8!!!

It has been the most disrupted winter golf we have ever had at Wychwood and there are some things you simply can't cater for.

I am disappointed, obviously, but in some ways it may be a good thing as I ended up watching the Winter Olympics until 3am. It's funny how Curling can become so fascinating for a couple of days once every 4 years. Watched the GB Ladies losing to the USA after an "extra end".......defeat snatched from the jaws of victory for the GB team.

This was followed by a bit of 2 man Bob, with a GB pairing involved, thought I'd watch them. The usual countries had the top teams and therefore the top start times, with Britain setting of at number 24, behind Australia, Monaco and Lichtenstein!!!

Monaco made it down, but well off the pace, with Lichtenstein crashing on the penultimate bend and the crew trapped under the bob as they crossed the line. Took a few minutes to clear the track and make sure the crew were ok. One more bob made it down an the GB bob was next.

They made a good start and were in contention to make it into the top half when disaster, the bob clipped the wall coming out of the turn and flipped upside down. The breakman came shooting out of the back of the bob and slid on his back down the track as the driver, trapped in the bob, crossed the line. The time was obviously immaterial as they were disqualified for not crossing the line with both members of the crew safely on board.

The breakman's suit was somewhat torn and he had some nice friction burns on his back.

Perhaps next year we ought to consider some winter sports at Wychwood, I'm sure you could get a bit of speed up going back down the 18th Fairway!!!

Tough Week..............better not snow

2010-02-20T00:37:00.000Z

Had a tough time this week. Not much spare time, but looking forward to the weekend.

Couldn't make the North Staffs Golf League presentation night tonight, but hope those who went had a good laugh!

The team members do commit a lot of time and effort into the matches and as the teams are on the Premier and First divisions respectively it is a serious business.

I'm just hoping that the weather improves this weekend!

As I mentioned before, I have qualified for the knockout stages of the winter league, but if the course is closed this weekend, the next round will automatically go to the top 8 and I was 12th!!!

Even as Captain, I can't pull rank, so let's hope.

Just staying up to watch the Skeleton Bob, could be Gold for GB, but you never know!!!!

Valentines Day.....Seven Year wait over......

2010-02-15T00:06:00.000Z

...well looks like at my 7th attempt, I've managed to qualify for the knockout stage of the Winter League.

Mind you, we've changed the format so many times, it's difficult to tell.

I was hoping to improve on my 134 points from 4 rounds and securing qualification by dropping my worst score of 28 points, but on arrival at the course, seeing temporary greens and a fog bound course, there were a number of players who had dropped out, so I was sure I'd qualify, but wanted to make sure with a 30+ score.

I played in a group with Trevor Brennand, Rob Hendry and Tony "Titleist" Welburn. "Five, Five, Ten" was the wager and as we stood on the first tee the fog had descended and we could'nt see more that 150 yards in front of us.

We had let Lee Bailey and Ben Hallam , the Junior Captain tee of in front of us and as I was the shortest hitter I tee'd off first. (Sinece Ben beat me on the Captains Drive In, he's got a bit gobby, so I said we'd have a challenge to see who could score the most wins in the season!)

I hit the fiarway, just but only managed to score a point.

Trevor got a solid Par. Rob was a bit "giddy", probably due to the 4am finish and copious amounts of red wine!

2nd hole and a blob, due to a couple of dodgy putts on the temps. Trevor got a streaky Par!

3rd hole, which I've been getting par's for fun. Bogie! Trevor got a par!!!

4th, in the bunker off the tee, scrambled out but manage a bogie, Trevor solid par.

5th Bogie, Trevor.......birdie!!!!

6th Bogie, Trevor....Par

Trevor was walking away with the front 9 and maybe the Jewson (the Jewson Lot - an old advert!!!)

He's one under par gross (13 handicap - Wes, have a word!!!)

He slaps one in the hazard on 7, but above ground. Unfortunatley, it's environmental area, so he has to take a drop! Splash, into the stream!

Null Point!!!

He blobs on 8 as well.......I carry on with my 2 pointers from 3 to 7 and manage par on 8 and 9 to rescue the situation to 17 points!

The red wine has definitely worn off for Rob!!!!

After 9, Trevor leads on 21 points with Rob me and Tony 3 and 4 shots behind!

Only 4 to make up!!!

My honour on 10, pulled left into lake.......Blob

Par 11, Blob 12, Par 13, Blob 14!

14 off temps has got to be one of the toughest holes on the course! No chance.

As we were playing 15, a plane flew over towing a valentines message....must have cost a fortune, how the recipient of the message saw it!!!!

Interflora for me.....never fails......Shaz always says don't bother, but I know if I didn't I'd be in big trouble!!!

Bogie 15 and 16, double 17 and 18 and guess what......28 points!!!

Trevor bottled it back nine and Tony won back and overall, so it was a bit costly, but............

Still I qualified!!!!

Rob Williams next week........bring it on!!!!

Last chance for Winter League success

2010-02-12T16:02:00.000Z

Last qualifying round of the Winter League this week and although I'm in 5th place, out of 16 qualifiers, there are still a large number of players who hace not got their 4th score yet, so anything could happen.

I've got 4 in already, but one is a lowly 28 points so I need to improve on that to secure a place.

Unfortunatley, we have lost one of the rounds completely, so it's best 4 scores from 5. Pity about the members who can't get 4 in now, but it is winter golf after all!

We had the first committee meeting on Monday and it went well, particularly as the majority were new to the committee.

I wore my Jacket for the first time, not sure I'll wear for every meeting though!

One of the things we are finalising is the Diary and yes we are still having one this year. It has been a pain to organise this year (as most), but we have decided that in future we will run it from March 1st to February 28th (or 29th) as this gives us plenty of time to get it sorted and also the main season starts in March!

Although saying that, the Gents team are playing in the first round of the Mail on Sunday competition tomorrow, having been drawn away to Brookfield. Hopefully they will come back with a victory. Might just sneak out to B&Q to check on the match! (I use a trip to B&Q as an excuse to pop up the golf club, so I may need some bulbs or something on Saturday!)

Unfortuatley the Ladies Mail on Sunday team fell at the first hurdle, losing to Gorsty Hill!!!!! Shame as they had got quite far in the previous years of this competition.

Don't forget it's Valentines day on Sunday.....another con to keep the likes of Hallmark and Clinton Cards afloat.

Not to mention Texaco Garages and their flower sales.....bet they get more revenue from the last minute Valentines day flowers and gifts than they do on fuel!

An old friend of mine (Frank Truscott), always forgot his wedding anniversary and would have to call in at the Texaco garage on the way home to get something. I don't think Shirley was impressed the year all he could get was a tin of shortbread and a ginsters cheese and onion pasty!!

I'll probably be calling in on the way back from Golf on Sunday!!!

Mind you, every day is Valentines day for my wife!!!!

Super Bowl

2010-02-08T02:53:00.000Z

I was interested in American football from an early age, but the only coverage for years was a 10 minute highlights package covering the Superbowl on ITV World of Sport, once a year, squeezed in between the Horse racing and the Wrestling!

Even so, it always intrigued me.

So when channel 4 started coverage in the early 80's, within a show on a Sunday evening, showing a highlights package of the previous Sunday's games, I, like millions, was an avid viewer.

They showed the Superbowl live and having seen the Washington Redskins most weeks and seen them win the Superbowl I supported them in subsequent years.

Some of my mates from work, who were also into the sport decided, after a few years decided to have a party which for a number of years we took it in turn to host.

One of the main protagonists was Jozzer, who was more interested in the beverage part of the evening, but who chose the New York Giants has his team. If the game was a bit dull, which happens, Jozzer was always entertaining. (He was always the life and soule of any party)

In the early 90's some of us moved from Gloucester "up North", but Jozzer stayed, so it was a rare event for him to join us. After a few more years, the interest wained and it was back to watching alone.

I've not missed a Super Bowl in the 28 years that it's been covered, but it was more out of tradition than a massive interest, especially as the Redskins, despite becoming World Champions on a number of occasions, are now rubbish. How they can call it a World Championship is a bit of a joke, but they are Yanks after all!

I went to Jozzers funeral on Friday. He was 51 a few weeks ago. I saw friends I had not seen for 20 years and we all had stories to share about Joz. There were really good memories, he was that type of person.

He would have loved the chance to watch another Super Bowl, even more so as his favourite Group, the Who were playing the half time show! He would have been singin along at full pelt.

Super Bowl 44 was a good game as well!

Jacket, Photo's and Welshmen!

2010-02-07T22:17:00.001Z

Well finally got to pick up the Captains Jacket yesterday (Saturday), good job as the photo session was booked in the afternoon.

The session with the photographer was quite a short affair and it will be interesting to see the results! He kept telling me to sit in this position with arms in certain position and the badge pointing towards the camera and to relax. Bit difficult with some of the posing he was asking for. After a couple of shots he said well never mind it's all about the badge anyway! Hope he's a dab hand with Photo Shop. Looked like he'd capture a chin or two too many!

Then it was back home in time to watch the Rugby.

I always look forward to the 6 nations Rugby, they're always good contests with loads of history. Especially as everyone hates us (the English that is), mainly because of Supposed "dirty deeds" done centuries ago.

Well it was the turn of the Welsh to pay a visit to Twickers and all of my Welsh "friends" and associates have been telling me how they're were going to stuff us on our own patch on their way to the Grand Slam.

Wrong on both counts I'm afraid!!!

So back they trudged down the M4, across the bridge we built for them, dragging their inflatable Leeks and Daffodils behind them, Dragon hats askew back to the valleys!!!

And not a peep! Not a song, until this evening when the exuses came flooding in on Facebook and via email.

"If we'd had had 15 on for all the match then we would have won"

or another numpty saying, "When it was 15 against 15, we had scored 20 points to your 13"

And?

Your man got sent off for a petty misdemeanor, but it was fould play, even if a minor infringement.

As a youth, living close to the Welsh border, I played a lot of sport against the Welsh and without fail they hated the English! I don't hate the Welsh, I don't really hate any particualar race, but they hated us!

Please forgive me if any readers are Welsh, but my experience of playing against them in the sporting arena, they are in the main, poor winners and even poorer losers!

Whenever I've lost they can be convivial hosts, plenty of singing and drinking, but with an undercurrent of smug superority. When they lose, don't expect any hospitality at all!! This idea that it's all left on the pitch after a game is utter bollocks!!! Especially in Pontardulais!!!

Mind you I guess we English are no better, except, we can't sing....."Swing Low Sweet Chariot" is not the most macho of songs!!

A poor England beat a poor Wales, get over it!!!

Now getting ready for the Scots and the French!!! Not much history there!!!!

Live from Melbourne!!!

2010-02-07T21:56:00.000Z

Been a while since the last post, but I'm still here! (oops forgot to Publish this last week!!!)

Been busy and had a couple of problems to contend with, but got plenty of material for the next week or so!!!

Well the snow's back again. Not too much, but enough to close the Golf Course, so no play today!

So I got up to watch the Murray v Federer final in the Australian Open. Obviously Murray is British at the moment, but if he loses, he be the plucky Scot again!

As I write it's 5 - 3 to Federer in the first set. The crucial break in the 8th game!

Anyway, this could be one of those momentous occasions if Murray wins, as it's 74 years since a British man won a grand slam event!

I got to thinking of the other momentous sporting events I had been able to see live via the Telly. Obviously one of the biggest has to be the 1987 cup final when the mighty Coventry City beat Spurs!!!

Ooops, Federer wins first set 6-3!

The first big moment I remember seeing was the 1966 World Cup final with England beating West Germany at Wembley. We watched it on the black and white set, I was 5 years old, but I remember every moment! Well actually I don't, because my Dad recently told me a story about the day in question and we were'nt at home. We were on the Sunday School Outing to Barry Island (yes the Gavin and Stacey Barry Island!!!)

We had booked in advance and there was no way my mum was going to let my Dad get out of going, so I did'nt actually see it live! I had obviously seen it since and I truly believed that I had seen it live.

This brings me on to a perrenial argument with my wife, who, when I want to watch a live sporting event, she tells me to tape it, or more correctly nowadays to Sky+ it, but as I tell her it's not the same! Even if you don't know the result, when you watch it, it's happened, it's already over, you can fast forward.

More importantly, you can't influence it!

Yes you can, you can influence it when you watch it live! For instance, Murray has just lost his serve and is about to go 3-1 down in the second set. If I leave the room, to make a coffee, it may spur him on to break back? If I stay, he may be broken again. Now bearing in mind he's thousands of miles away and the signal is considerably delayed, I'm not really watching it Live, but that doesn't matter.

I'd better leave the room for a bit as he's just about to be broken again!!!

See I told you, in the ime I made a coffee, Murray went from 0-30 to win his service game!!!

So what other moments spring to mind?

Lyle, Faldo and Woosnam winning the Masters!

The many Ryder Cup victories, even the defeats. I was in Florida on Holiday when the Americans came from way back to win on the final singles day, with the monstrous putt by Justin Leonard and the "pitch" invasion that followed before Olazabal had his putt for a half!!! Let's just say the commentary that day was not as impartial as the BBC!!!

Some goodbyes as well, seeing Arnold Palmer stop on the bridge at St Andrews in his last Open and wave to the crowd. A scene to be repeated many times.

I was "lucky" enough to have an injury to my ankle that meant I could'nt work for much of Botham's Ashes and was sat at home with my leg up, watching the Headingley Test, wondering what the BBC would put on instead to the cricket when the Aussies wrapped it up. It was one of those surreal moments, when even after making Australia bat again, they were going to win......wrong!!!

Now you're not going to believe this, but I just had to leave the room to let the dog out at Murray 0-40 and he managed to win the game! Looks like I'll be in and out of the room a lot!!!

Ok, it does'nt always work, he lost the second set 6-4!

World Cup France 98, I was doing a business degree at Durham University Business School and we were in residence during the ko stages. We had been allowed to finish early, so we could get fed and watered (lager'd) before the England v Argentina match.

We were stood in the bar area watching the game, a few "academic" types sat watching, us more than the football. Well the game started badly with a penalty to Argentina in the 6th Minute and then Shearer equalising from the spot following a foul on Owen. then the wonder goal by Owen followed by an equaliser for Argentina in added time of the first half.

Then in the 47th minute Beckhams flagrant, but inocuous trip, earned him a red Card from Danish ref Kim Milton Neilson! Up roar! they may only have been 30 of us in the bar, but boy we made some noise. Into extrra time and Sol Campbell scores! We're leaping around knocking tables and chairs over, hugging each other when we realise that it's been disallowed! To make things worse the Argies are on the break and nearly score at the other end.

We suddenly notice that there are seiling tiles over the floor. In our exitement a couple of fistse have gone through the suspended ceiliing!

We inevitably lose the penalty shoot out with misses by Ince and Batty! There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth........and drowning of sorrows.

When we went into the lecture hall the next day, imagine the shock of seeing the two guys who had been "observing us" during the first half of the match!

Still there was always the 5-1 away win against the Germans in Munich to compensate in later years.

Ooops, the Scotsman has just lost in straight sets!!!

Jozzer RIP

2010-01-19T20:14:00.000Z

Been a few day's since I've posted anything on here. Been a bit busy lately, but had got a few fun things to write about.

Then I found out that one of my best mates from years ago has died this morning.

I first met him when I was 17 as I started my working life in London and worked with him from 1978 until I moved up to Cheshire in 1991.

I got him into golf, he was, by his own admission not the best of golfers but he enjoyed playing!

I went down to Ross-on-Wye Golf club with a couple of mutual friends in June and we had a brilliant day there, just like the old days. We were planning an outing to North Devon to play Saunton Sands like we used to!

Then I got the news in September that he had been diagnosed with Cancer. Then today I found out he died.

So quick! But maybe in the circumstances that's a good thing!

You never knew Jozzer, but you'd have had a laugh if you did.

John Stokes..............RIP

Gutted, but what did I expect?

2010-01-14T00:03:00.000Z

Not written anything for a few days now, but there have been valid reasons! Busy! And gutted by the latest disaster to befall my sacred Sky Blues (Coventry City to you non believers!)

We had done well to draw against a poor Premier side in Portsmouth at their gaff, but the replay was the ususal! We dominated the first half, Portsmouth were poor, very poor, but despite looking by far the better side (always a precurser to a Coventry Loss), we "failed to capitalise" as Gary Lineker would say!

anyway, having lead until the 89th minute, we concede an "own goal", with not Portsmouth player withinh 15 yards of the ball, but the Cov skipper, Steven Wright, beating Clinton Morrison (Cov Centre forward, helping in defence) to head the ball past Westwood our valiant keeper.

Extra time....................29:59 seconds of nothing, then a conceded corner. The ref should have blown the whistle! Surely.....but no.......panic in the defenders eyes, all huddled around the Pompey forwards.....the ball comes in and a completeley unmarked Portsmouth player in the middle of the box heads the ball past the despairing dive of Westwood!

Out of the cup to the poorest Premier side ever to play against us!!!! We beat a much better Blackburn side, at Blackburn....3-1 last year!!!

Bit what did I expect? We would have lost on penalties anyway.....it was pre ordained!

The 3rd Round is always around the date of my Birthday.....this year the first game was on the 3rd Jan, 4 days before my Birthday, the replay on the 12th 5 days after! There have not been many happy memories!

I'll do some research, but nothing will beat my 28th Birthday, Saturday January 7th 1989, when only 2 years after winning the trophy ijn 1987, we were beaten, ON MY BIRTHDAY, 2-1 by non-league Sutton United.......and most of the Cup Winning side were still playing!

It still gets referenced on telly every time before FA Cup 3rd Round along with Colchester Leeds and Hereford Newcastle.....but they went on to get League Status......Sutton never did!

So, actually, being knocked out by a (poor) Premier Side, in the 3rd round, near my Birthday is not actually that bad.........I feel a whole lot better now!!!

The King

2010-01-08T20:42:00.003Z

Elvis Aaron Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, would have been 75 years old today.

I always remember this as it was the same date as My Nan and also the infamous Tony Chadwick!

What, you've not heard of Tony Chadwick, Stockports answer to Brian Sewell! (We'll cover this off another time)

There has been a lot of TV and press coverage of the fact that he would have been 75 today, but just think how much there would have been had he still been alive? There would have been wall to wall coverage of a live tribute concert with him dueting with Elton John, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Paul Mcartney and I'm sure Bono would have squeezed in somewhere, Phil Collins would have played Drums and I'm sure Eric Clapton would have got on stage as well, oh and Billy Crystal would have been compere!

Even if Michael Jackson had not died this year, he would probably have been "Persona Non Grata" following his attempt to tap up Lisa Marie!!!

But, on August 16th 1977, at the age of 42, he died, apparently seated on his toiliet, at Gracelands, his home in Memphis. Back in 1977, aged 16, I thought that 42 was quite old. Not a long lived life, but he had moved into another age level that was now out of kilter with the yoof of the day! Interestingly, my Dad was 39!!!

Everybody remembers where they were when certain world events happened, the Kennedy assassinations, Space Shuttle Explosions, Twin Towers 911 etc.

Well the morning that the news about Elvis's death filtered through to the UK, was as surprising as Jacko's death, in as much as there was no indication that there were problems. Princess Di, the Kennedy's etc. were shocking in as much as they were accidental/violent ends, but no one had Elvis on a list of expected celebrity deaths!

What we know now about the abuse of prescription drugs and eating habits were not really known in those days and for a 16 year old in 1977 they would have been of little interest!

So I heard of his death whilst, ironically, vomiting down the toilet, after getting drunk the night before.

I had an evening job, sticking skittles up for the local social club skittles teams. (It was a popular local sport in the west country) I was paid handsomely and the ladies team had reached the final at another pub and i was invited along, only to find out that the lad supposed to "stick up" had not turned up. So I stepped in, was supplied with copious amounts of "Shandy", but, as we won, I also imbibed in the contents that had been poured in the cup. Vodka, Gin, Sherry, you name it!!!

So the next morning, feeling very ill, I heard on the radio that the King was Dead!

I can't really comment on the coverage that day, or the next coupple of weeks, as that morning I was flying to Gibraltar on an Air Cadet Camp. But that's another story, for another day.

True, like any other artist, the Death of Elvis did wonders for his record sales and still does. I was'nt a massive fan, but I did like some of his music and everyone new Elvis.

I remember in Primary School a friend call Paul D'amato, did a fantastic impression of elvis at the age of 6!

Over the year there must be millions of Elvis impersonators, but I only recall one Elvis "Illusionists", Marco King.

Sharon and I went on Holiday to Florida in 1993 and shipped up at the Sheraton World Resort on International Drive in Orlando.

The hotel had a Brasserie Lounge and the neon sign outside the hotel advertised nightly Karaoke with Connie Brown. We headed there for our first taste of Florida entertainment! After enjoying the first evening, we noticed that the next night, after the normal Karaoke we could, free of charge, see the world famous Elvis Illusionist, Marco King.

So we made sure we got back in time for his show. It was really fun and he was good. The 70's Las Vegas version, but he sang to his backing tape and did all of the faux karate moves.

He was on again a few nights later so we decided to see him again. (By this time I had got into getting up for the Karaoke myself) and to be fair his show was slightly different, but at the end of his show, he got his girlfriend on stage and romantically, on bended knee, proposed to his Priscilla......Tammy!!! She accepted and there was hardly a dry eye in the house! Apart from the bar staff that is!

We were there for the second week and realised that this proposal happened every week in the second show!

He stayed after the show and the second week, he even got up after taking off his gear and joined in with the punters doing Karaoke. He was disgusted when he was asked to sing "always on my mind", the Pet Shop Boys version and walked off half way through!

We went back to the same hotel for about a week the next year and Connie was still runnning her Karaoke and Maco King "Elvis Illusionist" was still doing his two shows a week.

Unfortunatley, substance abuse of some sort had started to take affect, perhaps in an attempt to be more real to his illusion, but in a post show conversation, he told us that he and Tammy King had split up. He also told us that he had had no inclination to get into being an Elvis impersonator, sorry Illusionist until he actually met him. He had been hitching a lift to Las Vegas when a car pulled up and it was Elvis, who took him into the outskirts and dropped him off.

As Marco said "I touched his hand, he touched my heart"

Yeah Right Marco.

So the King is Dead, unless the rumours are true and he faked his death and he really is a 75 year old in a old folks home somewhere!

Happy Birthday..................

2010-01-07T22:38:00.000Z

Yes, it was my Birthday today and yes I am now 49 years old.

I don't feel any older than I did yesterday, someone even commented I don't look any older than I did yesterday.

I don't feel older than I did 10, 15, 20 years ago, apart from the aches and pains from wear and tear, but I am 49.

For the past 6 months people have been talking about the fact that I will be 50 soon. Well now i'm into my 50th year! Bit it does'nt really bother me. Honestly.

I have recently got in touch, via Facebook, a lot of my old (not as in they are old), friends from Gammar School and even Primary School. When we chat about the old times, it still seems like yesterday. Bit our memories are 30 to 40 years old and a lot of things have happened in the past 30 to 40 years.

Anyway, I've been suffering from a dose of Man Flu, so the partying, if at this age partying for a Birthday is what you really want, was going to be limited.

So after a Hot Curry and a little bottle of Fizz at home, I opened my presents from the kids and tucked into my Birthday cake, just the one candle, no need to go mad. It was a Top Gear "Stig" cake and Josh was appalled when Shaz cut the Stigs head off!!!

Facebook is the future when wishing someone Happy Birthday and I have received Birthday wishes from loads of friends this year. Remember when you used to easily beat your age in the number of cards you received (well I did until I was in my 20's), well this year I have beaten my age in Birthday Wishes on FB.

Even better than that, a large number of my female friends have been telling what colour Bra's they have been wearing. (Some Facebook thing for the ladies in aid of Breast Cancer), but I thought it was just for my Birthday!

So, apparently I need to be sorting out a 50th Bash and I have 364(?) days to plan it so watch this space!

My Nan's birthday was the day after mine and it was the same day as Elvis's.

Elvis would have been 75 tomorrow........can you imagine what the celebrations would have been like......he was only 42 when he died and we all thought he was old!! Little did we know. (More on Elvis tomorrow!!!)

The slightest bit of snow..................

2010-01-05T21:35:00.000Z

........and the whole country grinds to a halt!

Get real, this is nothing compared to most of the Scandinavian countries, Northern Canada, many parts of the USA and most of Russia!!!

This morning was a pain as I could'nt get the 45 miles to work in Telford, in fact I could'nt even get to the M6 motorway 5 miles away and if I had, I wouldn't have got far, but we hardly had 2 to 3 feet of snow.

All of the news channels were showing closed roads, railway lines and airports, but we kind of new it was coming, or did we!

The forecasters seemed to be telling us that there was more to come, but they did'nt see this coming! Or failed to tell anyone. Perhaps they are hedging their bets by suggesting that there is more to come, but they are "on the edge of their current knowledge!"

Our daughters first day back at Secondary School was delayed because they had'nt got the heating up to the desired temperature! This is the start of the January term! What did they expect? My son was so disappointed when he had to troop off to school and his sister went back to bed....and stayed there most of the day!

Thanks to the wonder of modern technology, I was able to work from home, but the impact on others must have been massive.

Then to cap it all, they said on the news that there are probably only 8 days worth of Gas reserves in the "grid" and Gordon Brown says we need to "turn down our thermostats"

It's winter! British Gas, forget selling Electricity and concentrate on getting us enough Gas! And not at a higher cost, that deliveres greater profits!

The severity of the forecast cold spell also changed from the worst in 10 years, to the worst in 30 years by 09:00 to the worst in 100 years at Lunchtime........not heard the phrase, "since records started", but that will probably be tomorrow!

Then at the end of this week, we'll get a bunch of rain and it will all be washed away!

And then it will be flood alert time again!!!

Perhaps if we had loads of snow, every year, like Scandinavia, we would be able to cope better, but then again no!!!

We're Rubbish at Snow!!!

It's about time.................

2010-01-04T21:46:00.001Z

.......someone sorted out the ludrcious situation that we have a 15 times world champion in Phil "the Power" Taylor who has recieved scant recognition outside of his sport!

Look at the facts! If anyone, in virtually ANY sport, would have been knighted with only half as many world titles.

Let's do some comparisons:

Sir Steve Redgrave, Rowing. 5 Olympic Gold Medals, 9 World Championship Golds and for good measure 3 Golds in a single Commonwealth Games. Fair enough, in fact a Knighthood is probably not enough!

Sir Matthew Pinsent, Rowing (again) 4 Olympic Gold Medals and 10 World Championship Golds. Obviously Dedicated.

Dame Kelly Holmes, Athletics. - Double Gold in Athens Olympics. Some achievement, but a knighthood?

Chris Hoy, Cycling - 4 Olympic Golds, 3 in 2008.

So perhaps "the Power" needs to wair for Darts to be an Olympic Sport?

What about other Sports? Sir Nick Faldo. Multi golf major winner, but not exactly liked by his peers and showed up as probably the worst Ryder Cup Captain ever!

Rugby, Sir Ian McGeechan, mediocre player, good coach especially for Lions, but a Knight Hood? Read the same for Sir Clive Woodward, mediocre player, England win world cup under his coaching? So what?

Gareth Edwards only got a CBE!

Football had Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton , Sir Alf Ramsey, Sir Geoff Hirst and Sir Bobby Robson, but that was for a fantastic carreers and, in some cases, helping to win a World Cup! Then there's Sir Alex Ferguson!!!

There are sone knighthoods for specific events, Sir Edmund Hilary climbing everest, Sir Francis Chichester, sailing around the world, Sir Roger Bannister for breaking the 4 minute mile!

Bit obviously Darts is not a populist sport, or perhaps more aptly a Public School Sport!

You could have bet your house on Tin Henman being knighted if he had won Wimbledon!

Ok, so maybe not a knighthood, but surely there should be an OBE or MBE (not sure what the difference is, or which is higher), but there's got to be something.

If the the PDC darts was on BBC, he'd be up there for Sports Personality of the year. He was nominated once, but got nowhere!

If you didn't see the final last night, or the Quarter and Semi for that matter, you woud have seen someone who has dominated every-one he's played this year and most of them are beaten before they step up to the Oche!

Apart from Whitlock, who played well in the final last night, but whenever Taylor needed to raise his game and hit an out shot under pressure, he did it. 170, 167 and 161 finishes ripped the heart out of his opponent!

And why is he so good. Natural talent? Maybe, but more like the dedication that he shows in practicing and his drive and determination, not just to win, but to throw the perfect dart EVERY time he throws! His technical ability has been forged on the practice board and he delivers under pressure!

Top golfers will know what he means, but no one really sees how technical a sport this is!
So come on, someone, sort this out.

If Kenneth Brannagh gets a CBE for sleeping with Emma Thompson, surely Phil "the Power" Taylor should get something.

I'm off to practice my Dominoes!!!!

The Drive in!!!

2010-01-03T22:15:00.000Z

Well, formally driven in, down the 10th!!!

Rock hard fairways, partnered by Pete Keena (Pest Captain!), was keeping check on Drive distances all the way round!

Saw Paul Stubbs before I went out and he told me that Elaine, the Lady Captain had "driven in" the day before and hit a 167yard drive, so I had a target to aim for! Not the record held by Trevor, but to try to beat Elaine's score.

We had set up a sweepstake again, so if nothing else we would raise some cash for Help for Heroes!

So I had 18 holes to get the swing honed and prepare for the Drive in down the 10th. Ben Hallam, the Junior Captain was going to drive in as well and he wennt out with Luke Williams, another Junior, his Father Mark and an old colleague of mine, Rob Barrett!

Just over 200yds down the first, the next shot with a 3wood went 250 plus! (Perhaps I should hit a 3 wood....doubts setting in already!)

3rd hole 215, 4th 220, 5th 210, looking good!

7th, blocked into the water!

8th, we're off the back tees.......nice easy swing and with a kick off the "melling road", safely across...210.

9th was a bit of a cut shot, but still 190!!!

First go at the 10th and a nice fade off the tree for 226 yards. (I'd settle for that!!!)

12th and a solid 235yards, lay up on 13 and then tugged left on 14 into the hazard and 50p in the honest box!!! (Hit into any of the many water hazards on 14 and it's a fine to the Captain's Charity)

Solid drive, if safe up 15, but a pull left on 16 and on 18, not exactly the set up I wanted for my Drive.

After rounding everyone who had stayed to see me, it was off to the 10th tee. Added pressure as Shaz, the kids and Granny Mo were here to watch!

I asked Keith Tipping the Seniors Captain if he wanted a go, he said I could drive for him!

Rob Hendry had managed to make it and as President, he informed me that it had to be off the Blue Tee.

So GPS set ready to measure the drive, I set the ball on the tee and prepared to drive.

Surprisingly calm, I made a nice smooth sawing, but pulled it down the left. Oh well, it was a strong hit, but probably in the pond.

"That was for the Seniors!"

Up stepped Ben and a majestically youthful swin saw the ball launched down the fairway. Solid.

Now for my go (again)

The adrenaline must have kicked in as this time the ball felt solid as it came of the club, launched down the centre of the fairway with a slight fade! Crowd happy, it was off the check the distances!

First ball in hazard, on ice, checked.......221 yards

Second Ball in fairway......242 yards

Ben's ball........................277 yards.

Back to the clubhouse to announce the results!!!!

Thanks to everyone who stayed to support me and to those who got back. At 21, this was the biggest gallery I'd ever played in front of!!!

The Tradition of the Captains Drive In!!!!

2010-01-02T21:31:00.000Z

Well, Christmas and New Year out of the way, or should I say survived!

Tomorrow comes the official Drive in as Captain a somewhat nerve wracking event, mainly because I've taken it upon myself to video the past three Captains performances and put them up on You Tube, so I guess this will have to be done this year! It's a tradition I guess.

Much like we now run a sweepstake to see how far the Captains Drive went! The record is 235 yards by Trevor Brennand last year, but this is hotly disputed by the previous years Captain, Pete Keena, who had the record at 225 yards, but he drove down the 1st fairway, unlike Trevor who changed the "tradition" and hit his drive down the 10th! It got a good bounce from the Frost hardened fairway as well.

Steve Cooke probably had the worst conditions, driving off the 1st Tee into a beastly headwind, he managed to hit the fairway, unfortunatley it was the 9th Fairway.

Rob Hendry could not believe that he only hit it 190 and to be fair it was a shock as it looked further, but we'd even got a proper "wheel yardage counter"

Now it's measured by GPS, so no room for error now!

I'm not too concerned about the record, or of making a complete fool of myself.....but it would be nice to at least hit a decent drive!

I've also tried to be a bit more traditional and get the Seniors Captain, Mr Keith Tipping and the Junior Captain, Ben Hallam, to drive in as well. Not necessarily to "spread the burden", but to give them a bit of the limelight!

Ben has done really well over the past couple of years having dropped over 12 shots in the last year or so. Mind you, he has the advantage of school holidays, where he gets to play hundreds of holes of golf and practice hours, without the distractions of adult life!

So I'll enjoy the round tomorrow and then hopefully hone the swing enough to hit a reasonable drive, down either the 1st or 10th. Not sure which one yet!

I hope I will be able to entertainthe crowd, assuming there will be one. My wife and kids will be there, so I'd better put up a good show!

Watch this space (and probably Face Book and You Tube!)

A new Decade!

2009-12-30T20:11:00.000Z

Time for the Captains Drive in this Sunday and I suddenly realised that this will be not only the first game of the year, but of the new decade!

Where have the noughties gone?

It's also my Birthday next week as well and quite alarmingly, this going to be my 6th Decade! The sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties, Noughties and what ever we will call this decade. I guess it starts as the tennies and then turns to the teenies!

Scary, an no, I am not therefor 60!!!

But the passing of another decade calls for a bit of a reflection of the passing of previous decades.

1969 was quite an eventful time, with Neil Armstrong having been the first man to land on the moon in July of that year, but nearer to home, whilst we were celebrating New Years Eve at friends of my parents, my paternal grandmother had died. So New Years Eve has always had a negative connotation, especially for my father.

So the passing into the 70's was not an easy one for me, even at the age of 8. (or nearly Nine as my Birthday is on the 7th January)

Contrast that with 1979 and I've been working for just over a year, spent the latter part of the 70's working and living in London and just passed my driving test!!! We've seen the advent and then development of Punk Music and things are looking up. Especially for an 18 year old with wheels! Unfortunatley, on Christmas Eve of 1979, I was working a night shift!!! But little did we know what was ahead of us in the EIGHTIES!

Come the end of the 80's and in 1989 we see the demise of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall and on New Years Eve we sit down in the early hours of 1990 to watch the BBC Music of the 80's which went through all of the hits and stars of the eighties, from New Wave, New Romantics, Mod/Two Tone, through to the dance scene, hip hop and garage. The Police, Dire Straits, Madonna.

And who do yhey finally decide was the star of the 80's?

PRINCE!

So we managed to survive the 90's, moving "Up North" at the start of the decade and as we came to the end of the decade, Century and Indeed the Millenium, we had also started a family! Quite a big decade I guess.

As we came to the end of the Millenium, working in IT obviously meant we were involved in the infamous, but damp squib that was the Millenium Bug. We earned a considerable amount of on-call overtime and had a street party to see the Millenium in!

Oh what fun there was watching the Millenium Bug Watch with Jon Snow, Gaby Roslin and Desmond Lynam as they watched the millenium kick off around the differrent time zones and report on planes falling out of the skies and nuclear reactors blowing up.......Nothing!!!

So we head for the new decade, hoping for a more prosperous year next year,a new fresh decade, but as far as I can see, it's no different to the start of a new second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year etc.

Mind you, I reckon that first Drive of the Decade is going to be over 300 yards! (Not the normal 190!!!)

Christmas Gifts for Golfers!!!

2009-12-28T19:50:00.001Z

I thought I'd got away with it this year.

I've told family and friends not to but me any Golf related gifts as, unless bought from a proper golf retailer, they are basically naff.

You know the type of thing, gadgets to stamp your initials on golf balls, golf balls with Christmas/Jokey Logos where the balls are rubbish, electronic score machines, woolen head covers, joke exploding golf balls, ball and club care kits, you get the picture? You normally find them in M and S BHS or Next under the mens gift sections along with the mini remote control cars, coin sorting machines, desktop pool tabler and dart sets.

And I've had the lot!!!

If it's a Jack Daniels (or similar) related golf gift, then as long as it has at least a miniature inside, it is almost acceptable, but I still have 3 Jack Daniels Golf balls (of unknown make) that will never see a driving range, let alone a golf course!

One year, my dear old Mum even knitted me a ghastly set of woolly head covers, complete with pom poms and, get this, a golf glove. Yes knitted!!!

So remember this, REAL golfers, do not want any gifts that, whilst golf related, have no use whatsoever onthe golf course, or that make you a better golfer, or the round more enjoyable. If you played golf you'd understand!

Mind you, she did get me something useful this year, it's a leather wallet, which has contains a "Magic Wheel", which works out all of the shots when playing 3/4, or 7/8, or whatever combinations possible.

Thanks Mum and a Happy New year!!!

Christmas (TV) Nostalgia

2009-12-27T01:03:00.001Z

So Christmas Day is over and we are into Boxing Day.

You know what? I did'nt really feel Christmassy this year! It was great seeing Josh and Sophie opening their presents and Shaz was knocked out with her Iphone, the Christmas Dinner was fantastic and we had a great day.

Bit it didn't feel like Christmas!

We were looking forward to the "Christmas Specials" on the telly, although I wasn't too fussed with the Soaps, but the Christmas Top of the Pops was, to say the least, disappointing. Apart from the fact that "Rage Against the Machine" beating Joe "X-Factor" Whoever, bit where was Jimmy Saville? Where was Dave Lee Travis? Where was Noel Edmunds (Probably doing, "let's make a deal and get as many people as possible to cry at Christmas)

The Christmas Dinner was timed to perfection to coincide with the Queens Speech and it was time for a quick nap. But it still didn't feel like Christmas.

We were looking forward to the Royle Family special, but it wasn't exactly Fools and Horses. Now you new where you were with Del and Rodney at Christmas. Every year it was the highlight of the Christmas Day schedule and never disappointed.

One year, 1992 BK (Before Kids), we were due to go to Gloucester for Christmas, so had nothing in the house food wise. Bit we both went down with flu, well Shaz only had Flu, I had "man flu", which resulted in us having to cancel our trip and stay at home! We slept through most of the day, but managed to rustle up a chicken breast, boiled new potato and tinned peas Christmas Dinner and a Sherry just before the Fools and Horses Christmas Special. Then we went back to sleep!

Thanks to the wonder that is Sky TV and the GOLD channel, I managed to get a retro look at a couple of F&H Christmas Specials and they were still brilliant, even though I have probably watched them dozens of times.

Funny how there was not a mention of Christmas in the episodes on show, even though they were the Christmas Specials!

Later on, much later on when the kids were in bed and the Port and Stilton were out, we tuned into a programme looking back on the phenomena that was Christmas Light entertainment and Lo and Behold there were the gods of Christmas Telly, Morecambe and Wise.

Eric Morecambe was once asked by a famous guest, why there was so little reference to Christmas in their Christmas shows, to which he answered, "repeat fees"

Sure enough the Easter Bank holiday was time for the repeat of the Morecambe and Wise Christmas show!!!

The programme continued to review the greats of British (mainly BBC) TV, with the various Specials by Val Doonican, Cilla Black, Sir Cliff and the fabulous Two Ronnies!!! I remember a Val Doonican show when for a bit of fun he tried to announce his guests name backwards, but the only one that made sense(?) was his own........Lav Nacinood!

They also showed the old America specials by Andy Williams and an attempt by Perry Como to show a traditional Engkish Christmas, circa 1830, with Petula Clark!!!

One dancer explained that the hardest thing about doing the show was that it was hard to get into the Christmas spirit, when you were supposed to be doing a Christmas themed dance routine when it was the hottest day of the year in August!!!
So, this year, where was the James Bond Movie? Where was Billy Smarts Circus and where was the trip around a Childrens Hospital in London with Leslie Crowther/Ed Stewpot/Noel Edmonds? (Delete as applicable)

The trouble is, that with all of the Sky and Digital channels and all of the repeats as well as the advent of DVD's all of the latest blockbusters have already been available and the Classics are on all of the time!

Be honest, you probably tuned into watch Zulu, the Great Escape or the Sound of Music every year!

Mind you, I wouldn't want to be in Albert Square over Christmas, the chances of not being whacked over the head, shot, pushed down the stairs, going mad or being knocked over by a Car are pretty slim
The best bit about Christmas, is the programmes telling us how good Christmas used to be and how Grumpy people spend the festive time and what the top 100 best thingies are, where complete unknowns tell us about what other minor celebrities have been up to, with the vain hope that they will appear as subject matter in 12 months time.

But remember, Lawrence of Arabia, it's not only for Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas one and all

2009-12-25T16:02:00.000Z

Simple entry today!

Wishing you all a Merry Chrsitmas and prosperous New Year.

Hope you have had as good a day as me!

Just had a fantastic Christmas Dinner with the Shaz and the Kids, nice bottle of Champagne and ready for the family game before settling down for the TV specials. This is what Sky Plus was invented for, I'm sure!

Not felt very Christmassy until this morning and surprise, surprise, we did not have to get up until 8:30. Josh slept through.

Got Shaz an Iphone which was a complete surprise to her and there was a disctinct look of jealousy on our daughters (Sophie) face as she saw what mer mum had got!

I have spent an enjoyable couple of hours setting the Iphone up for her and I must admit, I'm impressed by it and the next time I'm due an upgrade I may well look into a replacement for the old Blackberry!

Anyway, must get back to helop Josh out with his Lego and get ready for the evenings entertainment.

Hope you have all had a good day!

Bring me more Beer!!!

2009-12-21T12:31:00.000Z

Just a quick post today based on something I read in the papers yesterday!

It's not so long ago, that the quality of drinking water was not as it should be and until the late 19th and early 20th Century when filtration methods and the addition of Chlorine into, there were high risks if disease and illness and even death, if you drank too water that was not Potable (that means fit to drink!)

So in a lot of the "civilised" world, water was not the staple source of fluid and so fermented drinks like mead, ale (beer) and wine were the chosen alternatives. Not all of these were as alcoholic as it might seem, but the brewing process would have hopefully killed off the germs and miro organisms that would cause all of the harm.

The crew of Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, would have survived on other means than water and the daily grog ration was a way of trying to purify the drinking water by added very strong Navy Rum. Until recently, furnace workers in Steel Mills, would be allowed to drink pints of Lager throughout the day to enable them to quench their thirst during the shift. (Not really a matter of concern in the UK now due to the distinct lack of a Steel Industry!)

So where is all this leading? Well, according to the papers yesterday, Supermarkets are now selling beer cheaper than the water they sell! Can you believe that?

Supermarkets have been accused of encouraging binge drinking by continuing to sell alcohol more cheaply than bottled water.

Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s are among those selling beer at just over 5p per 100ml. This contrasts with a typical price of about 8p for 100ml of brand-name mineral water.

You can see the full article on line http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6962974.ece

But sounds to me that we could be reverting to medieval times, perhaps Marie Antoinette was right when she suggested "let them eat cake", perhaps Gordon Brown should be informing us to "drink more beer"

On a serious note, take it easy out there and imbibe sensibly! I'm off to look for a job at the nearest Steel Mill!!

Now that's what you call Winter Golf!

2009-12-20T20:43:00.002Z

Just a quick warning from Non-Golfers, you may not understand the following blog!

It is funny though!

Yes, the weather forecast had suggested all week that it may be a little cold today, but still there was hope that the Texas Scramble would go ahead and possibly playing on the normal greens and not the temporary ones!

So arriving at the club at 8:45 it was a pleasant surprise to see a group teeing off the first and the course relatively green! I met up with my playing partners for the day, Wes Jones, Nick Bridgwood and Craig Collins and we preapared for the off. However, things were about to take a number of turns for the worse!

It started to snow a little as we got ready to play, but as I walked to the first tee, hidden under the light snow covering, was sheet Ice........whoosh......ares over tit. Pain from the knee and right hand......next stop A&E?

Luckily nothing more than a cut knee and finger, but it was now snowing heavily! No more blue sky! It was obviously not going to abate so we headed back to the relative safety of the Pro Shop, well I hobbled anyway!

By the time we got back to the pro shop, the "blizzard" had subsided somewhat and we decided to go out, even if it was for a few holes only.

We got back on the tee, yellow balls in hand, ready to start the game. The Texas Scramble format meant that we played as a team and after each of us had played a shot, we selected the best shot and played our next shots from there, so it is a good scoring format as you in effect get four goes at each shot.

Four decent drives away we walked down the first fairway only to see 3 or 4 groups walking up the 9th, having had enough! Easy win for us then! We had to choose between Nick and Wes's who had hit great drives, the distance assisted by the additional bounce from the hardened fairways. we were on temporary greens so all the holes would play 25-30 yards shorter than normal. We chose Nick's Red Ball and the best shot ended about 25 feet away from the pin. Tricky putt across the snow covered ground, but a tap in for a birdie.

A par on the 2nd and Birdie on the 3rd had given us a good start. Nick launched into his drive on the 4th and left us with about 90 yards to the temporary hole. The shots were straight into the sun and Nick;s ended about 10ft past the pin, mine, although I didn't see it, with the help of a forunate bounce ended up abot 2 ft away and Craig lipped the hole for a 2 and ended up inches away.....tap in Birdie....3 under par.

Par on 5 and 6, with a good up and down on 6. On 7 Craig his the best Drive, but as we were walking down the path to the bridge, he hit a patch of ice and fell on his elbow! Ouch!!! Two down Two to go!

It was his shot we took from the light rough and he launched a 3wood straight at the pin. Looks like the bang on the elbow had cured his Hook! Eagle chance. If he'd sunk the putt he would have had an eagle with his three shots!!!...but he didn't!!!

On 8 Wes has spanked a Driver to within about 20 yards of the pin. Nick, was going for it with gusto, but tried so hard, lost his footing and came crashing to the floor. We never did see where his "Pink" ball went! Three Down and One to go!!!

Wes's tee shot was so close to the temporary green we could use our putters and whilst no Eagle, an easy tap in for Birdie and we were 5 under, which was our score for the front nine.

A quick walk up to the clubhouse for our Bacon Roll and Coffee and then off to the 10th, with another monster drive short of the green and a chip and a putt for a birdie!

The short par 3 11th hole was even shorter and was no more than a flick, but with no way to stop the ball a par was a good result as was the par on the 12th, 13th and 14th. The temprary greens were getting difficult to get close to and the snow had turned to slush so the ball was difficult to putt.

The 15th was a killer hole with the pin on a slope between the fairway and green side bunkers, so a chip and putt for par was beyond us and we bogied our first hole of the day. A magnificent 3wood off the tee on 16 by Nick, saw a short pitch to the pin, but the 15ft putt eluded us all and we only managed par.

The sky was getting worrignly dark and snow was imminent, the wind had already picked up and the 17th looked fairly easy. Unfortunatley again the ball was tough to stop the ball, so a long chip and 2 putts meant another Bogie.

So it was a weary trudge to the 18th tee. Wind behind, hard fairway, temporary green....Eagle!!! 3 good drives and then it was Wes!!!

Whack!!!! The ball sailed high and long, wes not happy with the flight, "too high" he moaned. the ball hit the deck and bounced and skidded up the fairway reaching the final up slope. A glorious winter conditioned 350 Yards. A little flick to the pin. Unfortunatley four missed eagle putts from about 20ft and a tap in Birdie for a 5 under Par 67 gross and a nett 62.1....job done.

Into the clubhouse, checking the scores and waiting for the last group to come in. Rumours of a net 60 in, but we've heard that before! Quick recap of the scores and comparing with other teams we had had similar experiences and a lot of fun.

The final group of Chris Milner, Nick Lea, Martin Wainman and Colin House came in and had beaten us by 0.2 of a shot! They Eagled the 18th!!!

Got to say, probably the best fun I've had in a winter competition (although the chucky bogie was close), especially given the bashed up knee (which is now starting to give way when I get out of my chair to refill my wine glass.

I really enjoy winter golf, not sure why, but it could be with the shared experience of taking on the elements and having a bit of fun. Good playing partners help as well!!! It's the time when the real "Club members" show themselves!!!

Big respect to everyone who played today, especially if you finished! Thanks to my playing partners once again for such a fun day and as it was the last competition before Christmas, Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this and all the members of Wychwood Park Golf Club.

What a Travesty!!!

2009-12-18T20:03:00.000Z

I don't suppose you've been watching "The Restaurant", the Apprentice type show that is based on the winners opening a restaurant with Raymond Blanc? Well I have and the Final last night was nothing but a travesty!!!

Eight couples started the journey and two went in the first programme, one being a mother and daughter team who went after trying to crack a coconut with a big kitchen knife and then using the same knife to open a can of condensed milk, so scary that Raymond chucked them out there and then. The same show saw the demise of a mother and son pair, who lost out because of their lack of concept. (Each restaurant has to have a concept!)

The ultimate winners "Mixologist" JJ Goodman and his friend and business partner James Hopkins, directors at the London Cocktail Club, beat the eight other couples to the prize. They said they were 'over the moon' about the win and will now work with Blanc and business partners Sarah Willingham and David Moore to open a restaurant based around their concept of serving sharing dishes with cocktails.

They were rubbish EVERY week! Somehow they survived and perhaps the decision was made weeks ago. JJ could not cook and did not want to cook. He always left the bulk of the work to the other professional chefs in his restaurant and if in doubt, he reverted to his mixology, i.e. mixed a cocktail.

His partner "James", was what used to be called a "hooray henry" and to be fair was reasonably good at front of house, but together, without fail they were a disaster, only surviving because another couple were worse, or one week, when the ex-army pairing gave up and left!

So to the final! The two remaining pairs had to cook a meal for the Earl; and Duchess of Arran at their stately home for eighteen discerning guests. They had to take turns in providing a course guided by the Butler!

The other finalists were probably opposite in compiosition with the Chef, Chris Hackett, being very talented, but the front of house Nathan Gooding, being an obnoxious little shit, who in a previous week had a stand up argument with a female guest who complained about a dirty plate. As he left he "flipped the bird" in her direction.

Anyway, the first course was Smoked Salmon Blinis, which were supposed to allow the guests to enjoy a small but tasty morsel whilst making small talk and sipping champagne. JJ served up an oversized double mouthful that did not go down too well.

There opponents served up a vegetable Consomme (soup) made with fresh ingredients from the Duchess's own organic vegetable garden which was described by all!

Meanwhile JJ is panicking in the kitchen with his next course which was supposed to be a Rissotto. His partner James, was very good at communicating the bad news to the Duchess, but when he finally served up a Rissotto which looked more like tinned Rice Pudding with some chopped leaves in. When the Duchess, who was a bit of an old trout, tasted it, it looked as if someone had farted in her face!

The next course, produced by Chris was a fancy scallop dish which everyone drooled over, meanwhile JJ, was trying to rescue the Beef he had forgotten to start whilst he was fighting with his Rissotto! The Vegetables that had been prepared by Chris were superb and the Beef, luckily was ok!

Finally they both had to serve a souffle.

Chris produced a classic chocolate souffle using a recipe from Raymond's very own recipe book, whilst JJ made a complete cock-up by mixing all the ingredients together without realising that the egg white needed to be whisked seperatley and layered into the mix gradually!!! It was a mess!

James informed the Duchess that half of her guests would be without desert, whilst an apoplexic JJ shat himself.

After James had informed the Duchess of the bad news and her guests were sharing their choclate souffles, he returned to the kitchen and JJ suddenly came up with a solution..................he mixed a cocktail!

Meanwhile, Chris and Nathan were in their kitchen celebrating a successful task and perhaps feeling smug, thought, perhaps quite rightly that they had won the task and therefore the series.

So to the judging. They obviously did'nt take notice of the Duchess and her cronies! You could tell by the way the interviews with the finalists and their views of what had gone on and the judges discussions made it obvious that the biggest upset since Wimbledon beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final was about to happen (Although Wimbledon probably deserved it!)

Yes, the "Jedwards" of the restaurant won......by their reaction they could not believe that they had blagged their way through the compeition.

As Raymond was going through his preamble, Chris and Nathan could see the writing on the wall and their faces were a picture. Chris particularly seemed to find it difficult to take. He had delivered, time after time and espscially in the final! After all, this was a cooking compeition was'nt it?

Well, like Strictly is a dance compeition that allows John Sergeant to get close to winning, like X-factor allows Jedward to even get into the final this time, the pair who went out in the semi-final would probably have been the winners if it had been a public vote!

However, a pair of chancers, with a chef who could not cook, but could mix a mean cocktail, won the top prize, to work with Raymond Blanc and his associates, who made their choice!

It will be interesting to see how successful the partnership is!!!!

Siralan.........we will never question your judgement ever again!!!

Don't worry back to golf tomorrow!

Severiano Ballesteros

2009-12-14T22:17:00.000Z

I watched the BBC Personality of the Year 2009 show last night. A annual pilgrimage, an annual tradition. I think I've probably seen everyone since the late 60's. It was a must see in our house, just as much, if not more, than the Queens Christmas Speech, the Fa Cup final, the University Boat Race, Wimbledon and the Grand National. Never ever missed it.

In fact, in the garage I have a box containing video recordings of every year from 1985, when a young chirpy Barry McGuigan won after beating Pedrosa, at QPR's football ground covered by BBC. (Surprise Surprise) until the late 90's when DVD recorder took over. The last I've got is Jonny Wilkinson in 2003 after England won the Rugby World cup. I might have Sky plus'd a few since then, but I don't think I got round to committing them to disc.

It used to be simple, Overseas Personality, Team of the year and then the top 3. I've seen them all, Henry Cooper, Princess Anne, Mary Peters the next year, who comments that the Pricess Royal had kept the trophy clean, I can just see her with her tin of Brasso!!!! Is Brasso still available. (Don't have many trophies to polish these days!)

Now, there less sport to see, as Sky have most of the decent stuff and it's cut down to 2 hours (it used to be 3 plus in the good old days), not exactly too "modern", but not as inspiring as before. We know the nominees, there are awards for best Coach, best "joe public" sports organiser, young personality and prbably a couple of others I missed whilst taking a comfort break or refilling my glass!!!

But they've recently had a new "life time achievement" awards, starting in 1996 with Frank Bruno. Notable winners sincew have been, Pele, Ian Botham, Martina Navratilova, Bobby Robson, Bobby Charlton, Alex Ferguson, Bjorn Borg and last night it was Seve Ballesteros.

Strange that, since he also won a BBC Sports Personality life time achievement award in 1997!

So how come he got one again? I'm not saying he does'nt deserve one, but it seemed a little strange. What has happened since 1997? He has not, like Greg Norman, or Tom Watson, challenged for a major title. In fact his game has gone downhill fast, probably since before 1997.

No, he has had to cope with a major illness, a brain tumour, a cancerous brain tumour that caught him suddenly and without warning. He has battled the illness as you would expect a fighter like Seve to do so, but to put it bluntly, he did not look good last night,. He could not fly to London for the award, he was at home with Jose Maria Olazabal, his great friend, who presented the award and was quite obviously an emotional wreck and close to tears as he spoke of his friend Seve.

Let us hope that this was not the last chance to honour a true gentleman sprotsman, a character, a maverick, probably the most naturally talented golfer ever, a true legend! Tiger Woods, please take note.

When you start to get older yourself, the superstars in whatever field, sport, film and television, music that you grew up with, or made a mark on you, start to get old and eventually shuffle off! It is sad to see the once greats, get old. Is it that long ago that Seve was winning the Open Championship with bravado and a huge smile, or stuffing the Yanks in the Ryder Cup.

Whilst not brought to tears last night, it was close.......I recall sat alone in the early hours to watch the the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games at Atlanta in1996, seeing the torch handed over to the Legend that is Muhammad Ali, seeing him stood shaking with the Parkinsons Disease that had taken over, tears streaming down my face to see him struck down in that way! He was so determined to be part of the Olypmics again! I've just watched it o You Tube and it still moves me now.

Let's hope that last night was not the last time we get to honour Seve, that he is well enough to get to, if not compete in the Open in 2010.

As he said, he is currently playing in the "6th Major" and it's the toughest course he has ever had to play!

Winter Golf................Turkey Trot!!!

2009-12-13T20:35:00.000Z

Well, the first frost of the year at Wychwood and the real Winter Golf.

Crisp chill in the air and TEMPORARY GREENS!!!!

The greens obviously make it a bit of a lottery and it certainly took away the advantage of my strength which is Putting. Obvious after 4 putting the first and second. 1 point from two holes, not a good start.

Got it moving and pars on 5, 6, 7 and 8 pulled the scores back before cutting the second on 9 into the water and no points. (17 points with 2 blobs is still 17 points!)

Bacon Roll and Coffee (with the addition of a drop of Jack Daniels) at the new "half way house" was a positive start to the back nine, before teeing up on the bogie hole that is 14.

This is the Capatain's charity hole and we have selected any of the water hazards on the 14th as a penalty of 50p to the charity! Mainly because I'm always in one of the many hazards. Cost me 50p and 2 shots last week, so I decided to lay up. Hit the shot perfect. Long shot in to the temporary green, but I'd been hitting this distance no problem so far today. Cut is badly and it looked like going into the water short of the green, but cut it so badly that it sliced across the face of the water and was on the slope down to the water. Got away with it. Just chip up over the wooden slats that separate the green from the water and chance of a par!

Thin it into the wooden wall and luckily hit the ice on top of the water and landed back my side, but only a 6 for 1 point!

So fought my way around the rest of the nine and came in with a reasonable 34 points of my 16 handicap. Happy with that as 8 weeks ago off 20 I was struggliung to get 28 points!

Big scores in today, plethora of 38's with a couple of 40 points, but then in came Chris Brayne with 42.

Chris is usually dressed, well shall we say, very brightly to go with his blonde spike hair, think Blone Sid Vicious, but to day, all grey! (not the hair!!!) So the Glenmoranige heading Chris's way!!! (Thought he might have offered it round!)

Good turn out, although a couple knobbed off to Market Drayton! I'd rather play off temporary greens at Wychwood than play Market Drayton. Any up to them I guess, but they did potentially take someone elses spot!

Anyway, Texas Scramble next week and there is a buzz about the place! That's the great thing about Winter Golf, there's something special about getting making it around in wintery conditions and sharing tales in the clubhouse. Smaller fields means most people hang around and theres a lot of chat.

I love winter golf (and not because we play off forward tees and can hit the 8th Fairway!!!

Sky Blue Army.......CITY stands for Conference In Three Years!!!

2009-12-10T22:15:00.000Z

My beloved Coventry City lost again last night! That after losing to lowly Scunthorpe on Saturday. 4 points from a possible 30 in the last 10 games does not look good. 20th position and only 1 point off relegation spot.

Where has it all gone wrong? We were never a real top flight team, although a first division 6th place in 1969/70 saw us play in the European fairs Cup in 1970 with our entry into the European Arena against the giants of Bulgaria, Trakia Plovdiv. 50 Coventry fans made the trip to see a comfortable 4-1 win for City. The home leg was a comfortable 2-0 victory.

The next round saw us drawn against Bayern Munich. Bayern were to become one of the top European sides of the decade, and this team included a chap called Beckenbauer. We lost 6-1, but managed to salvage our pride with a 2-1 victory.

End of our European record until we won the FA Cup in 1987.....but thanks to our friends from Liverpool, we were unable to take our place!

As an aside, I was present at a number of games that season, including two trips to Hillsborough in the quarter final agains Sheffield Wednesday and the Semi-Final against Leeds Utd, then a 2nd division club! Surely I'd get a ticket for the final! No chance!!!

I was in a car driving down to Poole on the last day of the season in 1997. We needed Middlesborough and Sunderland to lose (they were'nt playing each other by the way) and we needed to beat Spurs away! Unbelievabley all results went our way.......I was stuck in a traffic Jam on the A34 on the way into Newbury as the final whistle went......yet another Houdini escape.......if the Titanic had been painted Sky Blue it would not have gone down!

So now we stand 1 point off the botttom 3, with a "relegation 6 pointer" against Peterborough United and ironically there is talk of Darren Ferguson being lined up to replace Chris Coleman!

How the "not so mighty" have fallen......read Leeds Utd, Southampton, Charlton, Norwich etc. etc.

Play up SkyBlues

(We'll get back to the golf.............trust me!)

SMUGHEAD JOBSWORTHS! - Don't they know who I am!!!

2009-12-09T21:57:00.000Z

Now don't get me wrong, I am all for road safety and think myself as a safe driver, not speeding or driving carelessly.

True I did get points on my licence following being zapped at 10pm on a stretch of the M6 in the lake district going through roadworks with the roads empty and then got caught on film leaving Knutsford doing 42mph by a camera poking out of a white van. Apparently it was parked in a purpose built parking bay that the council had built with our money!

Not that I'm bitter, you understand!

As I travelled, and still do, the highways and by ways of the UK, with 6 points I couldn't afford any more, so I purchased a Road Angel detector! Saved me loads I reckon over the years!

As I left the golf club a couple of weeks ago, I was driving through Weston, just about to enter the village near the White Lion, when I saw 3 gentleman in HiVis jackets, one of them with a clipboard and one with what looked like a hairdryer point in my direction. I realised what it probably was, but as it was not the police and that I was not going fast, I wasn't worried!

So imagine my shock and surprise, when my lovely wife (Shaz), interrupted me as I was working from home and handed me an envelope with a very smug expression on her face, calling me a naughty boy!

From the "Road Policing Unit - Eastern Division", I suddenly recalled who I had seen only 4 or 5 days ago. Not more points!!!! I've only just got the old ones off my licence!

The letter informed me that I was caught by the "Community Speedwatch Volunteers" working in partnership with Cheshire Police doing 33mph whilst entering a 30 mph limit!

Yes, I know they are concerned about their community, but apart from running into "Speed Watch Volunteers", or a tractor pulling out from the farm entrance, or some drunk staggering out of the the White Lion, I don't think that the extra 3 mph was going to make much differnce! I also wonder whether the old git holding the the "hairdryer" had a steady enough hand to make the speed reading that accurate. Surely, any slight movement would exagerate the reading.

Bit it was a warning! "No further action will be taken on this occasion"

So what's the point? And more to the point, how come they can get a letter posted out 4 daqys later, when I could'nt get to see a policeman , or get a crime number when Shaz's car was nicked!!!! Get your priorities out. Catch me and fine me, bit don't allow those HiViz smugheads loose with a hairdryer and give me a warning!

And another thing, if this hairdryer was a radar gun, how come my Road Angel didn't go off? Either that was a Hairdryer, or my Road Angel is not working. Or perhaps the fact that I was on my mobile, eating a sausage roll and drinking a can of coke meant I was distracted enough not to hear the beep or see the flashing red warning light!

(only joking about the sausage roll, it was a pastie and I wasn't talking on the mobile, I was texting!........oh and it was a red bull and not coke!!!)

Anyway, I know who the HiVis smugheads were and I will be waiting for you outside you local village pub with a "joe public test yourself breathalyser kit" and perform a citizens arrest after the start driving their car away!

(This is a rant and I do not suggest that anyone should flagrantly break any of the laws laid down by this great country of ours!!!)

Help for Heroes

2009-12-07T22:42:00.000Z

The Captains Charity for 2010, is Help for Heroes.

The was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry after a profoundly moving visit to Selly Oak Hospital in the summer of 2007. Bryn and Emma met some extraordinarily brave young people who had been badly wounded and they just wanted to do something to help.

The charity was launched in October 2007 and, with the backing and support of Celebrities, including Jeremy and Francie Clarkson, The Royal Family, The Media and countless ordinary decent people, it has raised over £1m a month since then.

Help for Heroes is strictly non-political with no affiliation with any political party and they do not endorse the use of their name for the promotion of any political viewpoint. The money that is raised at Help for Heroes is used to support wounded Servicemen and women of every colour and creed and they strongly oppose any individual or political party who believes otherwise, and those who seek to use the charity’s name for their own political gain.

The message is simple: H4H does not seek to criticise or be political, they simply want to help and to do so by asking everyone to do their bit to raise money. Once that money is raised, they go to the experts in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force for guidance as to how best to spend it. It is their intention to spend all they raise on the practical, direct support of those wounded in the service of our country since 9/11.

Elaine Stubbs, the Lady Captain for 2010, suggested that we jointly support Help for Heroes and as I had seen a recent documentary about the work done at Selly Oak and had been involved in an NHS trust setting up a counselling service for returning soldiers, I was more than happy.

Elaine's son has served in the armed services in Afghanistan and she and her husband Paul feel themselves lucky that he returned unscathed. Other families have been less fortunate.

It is far to easy to forget that whilst there is coverage of the unfortunate service men and women who have given their lives, there are far more, who the public don't see, who have been seriously wounded, losing limbs and their mobility.

We have a number of ideas for how we can support the charity and have also engaged with the National Golf Challenge, which has been set up purely to support H4H with hundreds of golf clubs playing a competition in the same weekend in support. This just happens to coincide with our Club Championships. It would be great to get one of our heroes to come and present the trophies!

On a smaller scale we have chosen, as is the norm, a Captains Hazard. Not a bunker, or a pond, but all of the ditches and water on the 14th hole at Wychwood! And guess what! I was the first one in it!!! £1 Kerching!!!

I am also planning, along with a few other members, to enter at least one, Charity Cycling race this year. Not sure which one, but it will be a minimum of 40 miles!

Elaine and I are not looking to pester and cajole members to give all the time, but to give them the opportunity to contribute as and when they see fit. We've seen the Charity focus going overboard in the past and we don't want to bore the pants off everyone, but it is a worthy cause and one we hope we can help.

So remember when you tee up on 14, go for it, and if you find a ditch or water, there is some good coming out of it!

Help for Heroes!

First Round as Captain...............Help for Heroes

2009-12-06T21:27:00.000Z

Well, first day proper as Captain and first competition as Captain! Not only that, but first time playing off 16 handicap for quite a few years! 4 shots off in about 6 weeks, not bad. Didn't want to be off 20 when I became Captain.

So 35 points was pleasing to say the least. Played with Craig Collins, Nick Bridgwood and Lee Cole.

Craig started off like a train, but let it sliop a bit, but Lee and Nick scored 38 points with Nick scoring an impressive 22 off the back nine, but Lee was equally as spectacular with 21 on the front, 1 under par Gross! Enjoyable round, weather was mixed, but on the whole was ok.

But I get to "retire" another golf ball. Since I started playing at Wychwood Park, if a play the same ball around the course in competition, I retire it! More than that I take a photo and post it on Facebook. Sad I know, but today, it was a Srixon AD333 and despite me playing it out of a couple of ditches, I didn't lose it!!! SInce 2002, this is only the 13th ball to be retired!!!

Talking of ditches, I went into the ditch on the 14th, which is the nominated "Captain's Charity" hazard for the year. So I had to, as everyone should, put "at least" fifty pence into the chairty boxed in the Clubhouse!

This years Charity is "Help for Heroes" and I will do a bit more about this in a future Blog. But suffice to say, it is a very worthy cause which Elaine Subbs, the Lady captain and I are really pleased to be supporting!

Still not got used to being called Captain, but I need to move the Captain's Parking space. A drain is situated directly behind the tailgate on my car and it stinks. Nearly threw up this morning and that was without a major hangover!!!

Anyway.......good start, took a few quid of Messrs Keena, Pughe and Brennand.........

CAPTAIN!!!

2009-12-05T20:48:00.000Z

AGM done and dusted!

Sincere thanks to all who supported the AGM, especially Will Clayton the Hon Sec.

Admit it will, you enjoyed the sprt with JF!

Anyway, I thought it went off ok, we got the accounts report and the speeches were light and well accepted.

Thanks to Trevor and Jeanie. Elaine, it's up to us now.............

Can't quite get used to being called Captain though!

Pity some of the winners did'nt turn up to collect their prizes.....never mind eh!

Transcript of the speech..............looking forward to the first round as Captain!!!

Mr President, Past Captains, Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to thank Trevor , Devere and you the members for giving me the opportunity to be YOUR Captain.

You finally got me!

It was good to be able to see this years winners picking up their trophies.

In fact the main reason I decided to accept the Captaincy was that it was the only way I would be able to get my name on a board in the clubhouse..................although recent results may say the contrary.

ANOTHER Fiver tomorrow Trevor?

Please take a few minutes though to remember that there is a lot of effort that goes into the organisation of these events, so a big thank you to the continued efforts of Paul Siviter!

If you will indulge me for a few minutes, I would like to, if I may take you back to October 2001.

David Beckham scored the last minute free kick against Greece to secure Englands Place in the World Cup
Aston Villa were top of the Premier League with Manchester United in sixth.......
Apple Launch the Ipod
The first Harry Potter film was released
The USA invaded Afghanistan
And Tiger Woods Published – Play the Tiger Way – with a chapter called “How to Drive”!

....and I saw an advert in the Sunday Papers for membership at a new course called Wychwood Park.

I sent off a cheque and rang the contact number everyday for 2 weeks to make sure I was in!

I got confirmation and sat back waiting for the course to open!

Wind the clock forward to March 2002 and I get my details through, Member no. 2. Who on earth could have beaten me to number 1?

I had an appointment to meet up with a Mr Frank Kiddie, who was in a show home in Delves Keep, with a chance to whizz round the course on a buggy.

I talked to Frank on the phone, but couldn’t meet up with him as I had my Daughters 6th Birthday Party to go to!

Wind the Clock forward to 8th July 2009 and I’m in Leighton Hospital witnessing the birth of my Son....Joshua 12lbs, mother and baby doing fine.....a very emotional day........... especially as Wychwood Park Golf Club was opening in two days time!

I missed the Inaugrual event, but managed to sneak up the next day to play the Front Nine. Never even walked the course before......Unbelievable!

Saturday Played the Back Nine............Unbelievable!

I was in golfing Heaven..........and from that day forward, it has been an honour to be a member of this golf club and to be able to Play this course.......and now I’m your Captain! With the emphasis on YOUR.............

I joined the Committee in 2004 as Handicap Secretary, a role that I reluctantly leave, and have served on the committee under all but one Captain......so I go into this years Captaincy with my Eyes Wide Open.........I know I have learned from all of the previous Captains and various colleagues on those committees and it will stand me in good stead for the year ahead.

We all know the structure of the Club and the fact that our facilities are provided by Devere and I hope you agree that the course has left very little to complain about.

We all need to understand that the Management here are part of a large organisation and it is not always easy to administer to our every need, but I will endeavour to continue the work that previous Captains and committees have done in supporting the members interests with Devere.

There are a number of things I wish to focus on over the next 12 months, firstly to work with the Committee and with Devere on behalf of all members of the club to enable you enjoy your golf and get value from your membership. GOLF FOR ALL

We have a number of formal sections within the Club, the Ladies , The seniors and the Juniors obviously all of whom I intend to support. We also have the teams, who have been successful and have raised the profile of the Club and long may it continue.

But we also have the social golfers......those who don’t want to play in the arranged events and we need to make sure we cater for them.

We as a committee can only do this by ensuring that we are aware of what you want and what needs to be sorted for you, so the second thing I want to focus on is improving communication between ourselves and providing everyone with the opportunity to have a say in the running of OUR Club. We already have a number of ways of communicating, we need to use them.

We have the members website and the members forum, both of which enable you to interact with the committee and other members, please use them.

I also want to invite a volunteer member to each committee meeting so that the operation of the committee is open to everyone.

I will also run, if the need is there, open clinics where myself and other committee members are available in the clubhouse to answer any questions members may have!

If we do something wrong and you don’t tell us we have both failed.

Finally, we have a joint Captains Charity again this year, the banner may be a giveaway, but the New Lady Captain will formally announce the details, but we have a number of events in mind to solicit your support and I, with the support of a few members, will be cycling in at least one charity event this summer in aid of the Charity. ...................I know it’s hard to believe.

I just ask that you give myself, the Lady Captain and the Committee your full support and I wish you all an enjoyable and successful years golf, a Merry Christmas and a Propsperous New Year!

Thank You