January 19th 2008
JAMIE & GEORGE MOVE STEALTHILY
If but 1% of the knowledge folk have attempted to impart to me, or if any of the things I do know to be true (but tend to forget or ignore) made it to the part of my brain which programmes such vital and useful information, then possibly I wouldn’t spend so much of the time looking back and thinking, “you really could have done that a whole lot better”
And I don’t just mean the golf notes.
Anyone still living who tried to drum the basics of the English language into my thick skull must surely cringe at the back page , or inside back page of the “gazette”, should they ever decide to check on the goings on at Lady Lever Park. I know I’ve said this before, but very often I submit copy which is error strewn and entirely ungrammatical, and the errors are entirely mine. Only when it’s time to buy the pies at the Spar on a Thursday morning do my pigeons come home to flock. I mean roost, but you see how easy it is.
I also know the mantra from several “improvement courses” about the six P’s. You know the one? Prior preparation preventing pretty (ok I changed the word) poor performance. I have spoken too about how this is, oh-so-valid when it comes to golf; how we amateurs (most of us), turn up on a Saturday, leave the car in the car-park, change, then head straight for the first tee. Total time 5-10 minutes, and that may well include a visit to the bar. If we are early it could even entail another visit to the bar, but the practice nets? Heaven forbid! Never having been one for much training or practicing, having instead made a life-long habit of throwing myself headlong into a game or a match, you would think that by at least turning up reasonably early, I might at least have packed the requisite equipment to participate.
On Saturday I forgot my (golf) shoes.
Luckily (?) for me I had purchased a brand new pair for my son a couple of months ago, and I managed to persuade him to let me borrow them. Unluckily for me he is a size 11, and I am at least two sizes smaller. Striding towards the opening hole on Saturday, with my son’s shoes trying valiantly to keep up, I felt a little like Coco the Clown. Twelve holes later, and with another £1 winging its way to our opposition , all that was missing to complete my misery was a red nose and a small car whose doors fell off. Our wheels fell off this week, not at the third hole, but the second, by which time our double-bogey; double-bogey start had consigned us firmly to the ranks of also-rans. We battled till the last, but the only thing that would have prevented Stewart MacDonald relieving me of his winnings would have been a small earthquake. He never looked like dropping his wallet.
Looking back over last week’s notes , strewn with errors and omissions, and mulling over last week’s golf, I realise several things; I do know that the six P’s can make a difference (have realised it for some time in fact), but I’m seldom organised enough to stop and think. The hurt of handing Stewart back the £1 I took off him back in October should make me stop and think. As partner Peter Dickie opined, every week for them is a particularly “sair fecht”, but this one was all too easy.
I forgot to mention the Quiz winners from the previous week, so I will correct that here: The DRAMs (play on initials here) who regularly participate, and very regularly win, held off some stiff competition to establish early bragging rights in the battle for the spring cup. 15 teams took part, and many thanks to everyone who made the evening a success.
I also called Willie Macaulay Snr, Coinneach (not, I think, for the first time) whilst talking about father/son partnerships in the Winter League. Coinneach was christened Colin, as well I know, so I have no excuses. Coinneach Macaulay is the chap from Back on the radio.
Hot-air and apologies over, winners on Saturday were the stealthy pairing of Jamie Duncan and George Macaskill. Their excellent nett 44 was good enough to win by two shots, and their 15 point haul takes them to within six shots of the leaders, Murdo and Magnus Johnson. Moving to within 5 points of the top are Al”Greens” MacLeod and Ali Nicolson who managed to score for the fourth week in five.
Malcolm”Wahid” MacIver and Duncan MacLean were amongst four teams sharing second spot, worth nine points, and their return to form is timely indeed with the Onetel (now TalkTalk) trophy imminent. As previous winners they will look to take some silverware home this winter and this could be their best bet. Murdo”Griddy”MacLeod and Kevin MacRae shot a one-under par,gross 48, and on their day they can compete with the very best in any format. Alasdair Henderson and Davie Gilmour also gathered nine points and will look to hit form more often, whilst Bryan Geddes and Colin MacRitchie will rue their treble bogey 8 on the Dardanelles on their way to another under-par ( despite this) round.
From my senior correspondent:
Perhaps it’s the weather but senior golf seemed to be in the doldrums this week. After Zebo’s recent demolition job the course put up stronger resistance this week and the best score was Jimmy (Agga) MacKenzie’s 26 points. His nearest rivals were three points behind.
Donald Taylor had the sort of excitement that most of us can do without.
Trying to negotiate some trees on the last hole, his second shot rebounded of a substantial trunk and struck him full square on the forehead. Bob Millett was on hand to render some first aid but was left wondering if the ball had been embedded in Donald’s skull when the resultant bump started to take on the proportions of a Titleist Pro V1.
We are pleased to report that there were no lasting ill-effects. He’s a Rudhach for goodness sake!
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Scores Saturday 19.01.08 Gross H/C Nett Points
J Duncan & G Macaskill 50 6 44 15
M Maciver & D A Maclean 54 8 46 9
M (Griddy) Macleod & K Macrae 48 2 46 9
A Henderson & D Gilmour 50 4 46 9
B Geddes & C Macritchie 47 1 46 9
Ali Nicolson & Al Macleod 48 1 47 4
M Smith & Coi Macaulay 52 5 47 4
J A Macleod & KW Galloway 52 5 47 4
A A Macleod & J Edward 57 10 47 4
C Robertson & R Galloway 48 1 47 4
H Lloyd & M James 53 5 48 1
R Martin & N Mackenzie 53 5 48 1
G Macleod & G Mould 57 9 48 1
M O'Brien & M Fraser 50 2 48 1
D Rattray & KN Macdonald 56 8 48 1
A Morrison & JR Gillies 59 11 48 1
P Dickie & S Macdonald 54 6 48 1
League Leaders Points
Murdo & Magnus Johnston 78
Ali Nicolson & Al"Greens"MacLeod 73
J Duncan & G Macaskill 72
D.Black & Murdo "Hollo" MacLennan 67
J Gillies & G Brown 67
Senior’s -Top Scores
Jimmy MacKenzie 26
Peter O'Brien 23
Norrie MacLean 23
Jamie Duncan
George Macaskill