Golf, bloody kids, gloves and match play

This Saturday was the greenkeepers' stableford, a 'draw for partners' betterball. I had the good fortune to be paired with Lee Jakubik, an extremely pleasant bloke, a graphic designer who works at Center Parcs, we played with Martin Shaw, an IT project manager who has just finished work on a big NHS project and Bill (didn't catch his surname), a retired plumber. I only mention their occupations because of a conversation I had this week with a friend who, despite being a professional business owner himself, still sees golf as being a stuffy, elitist pastime. I'm not suggesting that any of the people I played with are anything other than fine, upstanding men, but golf club membership is far from limited to professional types or old school tie. I'm not sure there are enough people who would fit that bill anyway in Nottingham! It does point up a problem that golf still has, that people equate it with a tweedy old fashioned attitude to life. There's probably an element of truth to it, but that also comes from the fact that it is one of the only places where people from 8 to 80 get together for a sport. It isn't a 'young' atmosphere, neither though is it especially old fashioned. I wonder whether it's time for Peter Alliss to retire - maybe a younger set of presenters on television would change the perception of the game. What a horrible thought...

I don't think either Lee or I were on our game, but we consoled ourselves with the greenkeepers' bbq on the 15th tee, we finished 12 shots off the pace.

Sunday, I played with Julie and Peter as usual. I won't say much about the round except that Peter, only just 14, is now outdriving me most of the time. I play a v.expensive Taylor Made driver, he has a block of wood on the end of a stick (OK, a Golden Bear driver, but not a great one) and is 20 yards past me. Lessons required, methinks.

I'm writing this on Monday afternoon, having skived off work today to play the quarter final of the club knockout singles. Which I WON! Through to the semis now. Pointed up again though that when I'm receiving shots, it makes life difficult for the lower handicapper. Jan Kononowicz, a 12, was the opponent today, giving me six shots. Level after 1o, then I birdied 11, parred 12 for two up, Jan got the both back after the next two holes, but then I played a good second on 15 where I wasn't receiving a shot, which left me 1 up, three to play. At Mapperly, 16 is SI 1, 17 is SI 5, so I got a shot on the next two holes which I duly won despite us being all square on both holes gross. Which spoiled the end of the match, unfortunately. With the new EGU rule that says match play is off full difference, it makes life very difficult for the low handicapper. I can quite easily have a decent round and shoot four or five under, that's much harder for a 4 or 5 handicap player to do. I'll let you know soon - next opponent is a 5 handicap...

One last thing - do you know what a golf glove does? Apparently, according to our club pro Jon, its main purpose is to make both of your hands the same size. Who knew that? Put your tanned hand up if you did.