It's always good to mix things up, to try something different, to test your boundaries. You can apply this to many things - work, sport, even life itself.
Today, as I sit here looking at a flashing cursor in a white box and think about what to post about on Sunday, I think about golf and football, my go to sports. I actually played golf with some old friends last week, so I'm going to opt for a golf post.
Long time no see
We were supposed to meet up in late December and play a scramble at a golf course in the middle of Ireland in Athlone, which is the same distance away approximately for each of us. We were really looking forward to a catch up, some golf and a couple of pints afterwards, but the weather went against us, and a hard ground frost meant that the course was unplayable and we would have to rearrange.
We finally got around to replaying last week, but this one was very nearly postponed as well, as once again the weather was acting the bollix, with a another morning frost. Luckily the frost was not nearly as severe this time, and after a one hour delay and a few cups of tea, we were out playing and having the craic.
Worst Possible Start
So, because of the frost delay, there was a queue of people at the first tee and that wouldn't usually bother me, but for some reason I froze a little and blazed not one but two balls high and right. It 50/50 whether either ball stayed in bounds and I could find neither, so a big fat scratch went down on the first and the two lads pencilled in bogey fives.
Onwards towards the second and it was a long par 5. After pushing to big slices right on the first it was time to readjust and get that baby draw that I can hit. I wound up and unleashed and I certainly got the draw, but not a baby draw that waa required, instead it was a monster draw also known as a hook! Out of bounds left! Three swings, 3 Out of Bounds, 3 lost balls! What a feckin disaster!
These weapons were in danger of ending up in one of the many lakes dotted around the course! No, not today I thought and at last from the par 3 3rd hole, I started to hit a few decent golf shots.
The Wooden Spoon
My scratch/scratch start meant that I was destined for last place and the infamous wooden spoon, but I did manage to get some solid pars and hit a bomb of a drive which came up just short of the green on a short 330yard par 4. It was down wind in fairness, but it was one of the best drives that I've ever hit, which was sweet.
The two lads played great golf and both had birdies and beat me by 3 shots and 10 shots respectively, not my best day at the office, but I didn't care as the company was good and I did play some good golf, once I got that shocking start out of the way.
The 17th is a really nice looking hole and is 175 yards, with a 165 yards carry over water and water to the left and behind the green. The photo does not do it justice. I Signed for a nice par, with a low 6 iron into the wind overshooting the green. A chip and a putt gave me a 3 point par which was nice.
We finished up at the 19th with a pint and a bite to eat. It's always good catching up with old friends, but when you throw in a gamebof golf and a nice pint of Guinness you really can't go wrong.
The photos used throughout this post are all my own taken on my Samsung smart phone
