(..and cue Johnny Mathis) 'It`s beginning to look at lot like Christmas'……so if you are needing inspiration for Presents I`ve discovered the ultimate 'Gift for a Golfer'..
- Do you lack rhythm and timing?
- Are your performances erratic and inconsistent.?
- Do others laugh while you feel like you`re trying your hardest?
Well fear not, because now there are new Balls that despite all of the above, and no matter how bad it gets, you just can`t get rid of it. Introducing the new revolutionary Ed Balls......and they`re going for a song….well, a dance really.
Yes, former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer - Ed Balls, is proving on Strictly that he is as useless at mastering Fred Astaire as he was of conquering frayed austerity. He`s clearly more used to performing in front of a Miliband than he is a live band, and is as disjointed from his dance partner as the entire Labour Party at the moment. But while he is doing a great Sophie Ellis-Bextor (Murder on the Dancefloor) his Strictly adventure continues, and in one fell swoop sums up to me why World Politics is what it is today. 'The Gong Show'.
Recent history in TV Talent Shows has proven that the viewing and voting public have regularly and consistently voted for the hilariously hopeless. If you`re needing reminded the list is endless. X Factor has had everything from Chico, Jedward, Wagner & Rylan to name a few, while Strictly viewers kept the likes of Ann Widdecombe, Russell Grant, John Sergent and now Ed Balls in for much longer than their dancing deservered. Some of the Salsa they served up was so bad it had a Best Before Date, and their Pasa Doble was more Pass The Dutchie.
Whether it was out of sympathy, to make a mockery of both the act and the show`s themselves, for sadistic self-entertainment or just simply because they liked the individual despite their lack of ability, the fact of the matter is that by keeping these people in they are forcing someone more capable and talented out.
Now I know, 'everyone loves a Clown'……well, perhaps not the ones that have been tapping on your car window wielding machetes lately, but you know what I mean. The problem is that this 'Vote for the idiot' mentality is being mirrored on the political stage as well. The public are keeping people in these TV Competitions but they are clearly not focussing on their credentials or ability to deliver better than someone else, and by the looks of it they are doing the exact same when it comes important political votes….votes that define lives and futures.
In the last year 40 Million people voted on X Factor where Reggie & Bollie made the final. There were only 6 Million more people voted in Brexit... They would`ve been as well calling it BREX Factor because Nigey & Boris clearly got the Majority vote.
Over in the US it`s not any better. In their last Presidential Election in 2012, while 122 Million voted on it, 132 Million voted on that same years' American Idol.
There is no American Idol this year but the 2016 Presidential Race is more than making up for its absence in the entertainment stakes that`s for sure. It wouldn`t surprise me if Simon Cowell was behind the production, and it`s also not beyond the realms of possibility that not only will Donald Trump win, he`ll also be Christmas No. 1 in the Billboard Chart Top 100. Probably a cover version of Freddy Mercury`s 'I`m The Great Pretender.'
Thank goodness for Performance Related Positioning, and give me the 'best score wins' outcome of Professional Golf any day.
But the big news from last weekend`s Tour golf was more about who didn`t play at all rather than who did play well.
The media were all a buzz with news that Tiger was going to make his competitive comeback, but unlike Strictly`s plodding politician, despite Tiger seemingly having recovered his rhythm, he wasn't right in the 'Ed (or perhaps he just didn`t have the Balls for it?)
The man once perceived as infallible proved again that the biggest hurdle he`ll have to overcome if he is going to get back to anywhere near his greatest is himself........more importantly his mind.
"My health is good and I feel strong but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be," - If that were honestly the case I don`t believe he would have entered Tournaments and announced his return at all. This to me sounds much more like stage fright. But it`s nothing to be ashamed of or any less than we should expect. Let`s remember that it`s more than 14 months since Tiger last played competitively, what we (or more importantly, the media) should be expecting less and respecting more. If Lionel Messi had been out for 14 months he wouldn`t be thrown straight back into first team action. He would be allowed to play a few behind closed doors competitive matches, then maybe a couple of substitute appearances.
If Tiger was able to play a few competitive rounds with no spectators or media, then enter Tournaments where he got no exposure unless his play merited it (like 90% of Tour Players get every week) then I`m sure he might be more inclined to peg it up. But this proves once again that this game (especially at Elite level) is influenced much more by the state of your mind than the state of you swing.
Jack Nickalaus - "Golf is 80% mental, 10% ablility, 10% luck" Jack Nicklaus has been quoted as saying his mind was his strongest weapon.
Apparently, at age 13, Tiger Woods began mental training with Dr. Jay Brunza, a family friend and psychologist... Among the techniques Brunza used were subliminal tapes and hypnosis. The first time Jay hypnotized Tiger, he had him stick his arm straight out and told him that it couldn't be moved, Tiger's father, Earl tried but couldn't pull Tiger's arm down. Dr. Brunza hypnotizes Tiger to block out all distractions and focus completely on the golf course. Tiger said then that hypnosis is 'inherent in what I do now' He also felt then that: "I always have an inner peace on the golf course. I've learned to trust the subconscious, and my instincts have never lied to me'' - He needs to get back to that.
You can sum up being in the best psychological state for golf (or anything really) in one word - Confidence.
If you believe you can do it, there`s much more likelihood of you achieving that.
Just ask Alex Noren. His confidence must be sky high right now. On Sunday he won the British Masters and in doing so claimed his 3rd Tour Victory in as many months. In that 3 month/9 Tournament spell he has also notched up a 2nd, an 8th and an 11th place finish. What an addition he would`ve been to our Ryder Cup hopes if he had just found this form a little earlier.
Noren`s form has brought much riches too and he now sits 4th in the Race to Dubai standings. But while he is bang in form, it is unbelievable to think that list is still headed by Danny Willet.. The current Masters Champ has had 1 top 10 (2nd @ Italian Open) since the BMW Championship at Wentworth back in May and the run of finishes in between makes pretty poor reading at T37th, T73rd, T80th, T53rd, T79th, T37th & T12th. I`m sure Danny`s confidence isn`t anywhere near as high as his bank balance right now?
Unfortunately for all of us our Bank Balances will only be topped up twice more between now and Christmas. I apologise now for the use of the C-Word, doesn`t bear thinking about does it. But unfortunately my commercial head has to think about these things…. (while my festive head stays in a box Worsel Gummage-style until Dec 23rd)
So I`m planting the seed now for you guys.
In the build up to Christmas we will have a great range of golfing products in store, but there may be some things that you, or those buying for you, will need to order in so it`s important not to leave it too late.
Portlethen Crested Clothing
Whether it is a new Lambswool Sweater or some Shirts to freshen up your wardrobe, we can get the garment you choose with the Club Crest on it. For Christmas these will all come in a nice display box as shown.
Simply click here to flick through the Online Catalogue then let me know:
- The Style Name/Number
- The Colour/s
- The Size
- The Club Logo You Prefer (Full Colour or Outline)
- The Logo Position (Chest or Sleeve)
If you would like to 'Place a Clothing Order' - Click Here
If however you would firstly like to know Prices before you place an order simply email the Style Name to 'Request A Clothing Quote' - Click Here
Electric Powered Trolleys
While we always carry a selection of motorised Trolleys in store, the range and combinations of features & colours mean that the choice is vast. So if a new Trolley is on your list to Santa I am offering the following Christmas Pre-Order incentive.
Order any Lithium Motorised Trolley from the Motocaddy or PowaKaddy Range and you will receive Up To £30 of Accessories FREE. (These will be for delivery the week prior to Christmas and will be checked on delivery but will remain boxed - We will wrap these if desired)...
Choose from:
Travel Cover
Umbrella Holder
Scorecard Holder
GPS Holder
Towel
Rain Cover
Drink Holder
This could be a real game changer....
Another gadget for a gift that is always a popular addition to a golfers arsenal is the GPS Device. These come in many shapes and sizes from Watches, to small Clip Units to Handheld Full Colour Touchscreen Displays.
Again we keep a comprehensive range of these products in store. My preference is to stock GolfBuddy and here are my reasons for that:
All their Units come Pre-Loaded with 30 000 Courses Worldwide
They have NO ADDITIONAL FEES
They are the only 'No Added Fees' Company who have also MAPPED the course from GROUND LEVEL (Many other GPS Units use only Satellite Imagery)
And another good reason to choose my Golfbuddy`s right now is that I am also offering a FREE Accessory with every Unit.
These range from:
Leather Case (Handheld Units Only)
Bag Attachment (Clip Unit Only)
Magnetic Ball Marker (Ladies Watches Only)
Or FREE Gapping Session with ANY Unit (Learn how far you hit each Club so 'Knowing the Yardage' is worthwhile)
However, if your preference is another brand I can supply both:
SkyCaddie - Click here to find out more
Garmin - Click here to find out more
Simply click here to send me the Product Name/Code you would like and your Colour preference.
We also still have the great promotion running on the 'Exclusive ProQuip Pro-Flex Range.
These feature, Jackets, Playing Tops, Lined Merino Sweaters & Performance Fleece Jackets all of which come at fantastic price on top of which I am offering the following amazing deals.
Buy a ProQuip Waterproof Suit - And receive a FREE ProQuip Umbrella (Worth £35)
Buy a ProQuip Lined Sweater - And receive FREE ProQuip Mitts (Worth £20)
Buy a ProQuip Performance Fleece - And receive a FREE ProQuip Beanie (Worth £15)
Click here to find out more about our superb ProQuip ranges.
Or perhaps it`s just something new to wear that`s more suitable to the chillier temperatures? Remember, it`s all about 'Layering Up' correctly and we have everything from Base Layers to Insulating Fleeces.
Don't miss our other superb winter clothing ranges from industry leading brands such as Under Armour.
Drop into the pro shop to check them out for yourself.
Last week saw the Competitions disrupted by weather for the first time in a long time, and with the darker evenings creeping in there is a big drop off in numbers for the Wednesday Medals.
That said there were still some good scores to report.
In Division 1 Graham Smith top scored with a 70. Duncan Livingstone went one better in Division 2 winning that with his 69. He was out done by his golfing buddy in Division 3 which saw Konrad Lister post the best score of the day with a 67.
Division 1
1st - Graham Smith - 77(7) - 70, 2nd - Andrew Tremain - 79(8) - 71, 3rd - Ian Cruickshank - 82(9) - 73
Division 2
1st - Duncan Livingstone - 82(13) - 69, 2nd - Allan Towler - 81(11) - 70, 3rd - Gary Chalmers - 87(14) - 73
Division 3
1st - Konrad Lister - 94(27) - 67, 2nd = Ian Hay - 96(25) - 71, 2nd = Scott Garden - 93(22) - 71
The Saturday Competition had to be cancelled as the Course was Closed due to our first heavy flooding since the beginning of the season.
The course recovered well and the Sunday Competition went ahead. The scoring was mixed to say the least. Martin Shand led the way in Division 1 with a 70 courtesy of the countback, a score that was matched by Scott Garden in Division 3. It was Division 2, and specifically Mark McDonald who shone brightest with his best of the day 67.
Division 1
1st = Martin Shand - 74(4) - 70, 1st = Graeme Crozier - 76(6) - 70, 3rd - Scott Kranzke - 82(6) - 76
Division 2
1st - Mark McDonald - 78(11) - 67, 2nd = Kevin Neish - 83(13) - 70, 2nd = Graham Rennie - 82(12) - 70
Division 3
1st - Scott Garden - 92(22) - 70, 2nd - Charlie Hamilton - 92(20) - 72, 3rd - Alistair Bell - 93(19) - 74
The Winter Leagues kick off this Saturday. If you are playing and haven't seen the week 1 match ups, or if you are just curious, click here to view the 1st Round Fixtures.
I hope to keep the Standings up to date here on the Newsletter for you throughout the Winter.
Well I'm officially back, so quickly..
I actually got back 2 weeks last Thursday.
For any of you wondering I was back in Baku, Azerbaijan seeing family. The temperature was mostly in the mid 20's and I didn't do much apart from getting round town to see all the relatives really. I did however check out the new golf course - Dreamland, which only opened last year. I was actually invited to play in the official opening day but couldn't make it. I met the director who gave me a tour of the place and told me some exciting plans. What I was most happy to hear was that there is now a few locals playing with handicaps having only played 2/3 years. I met a junior who was playing off 15 at only 13 years old. So it looks like I have challengers for the number 1 spot..
Golphin Trial Day
As some of you may know we had the Golphin Trial Day this past Saturday. The weather was horrendous and the course was closed due to the constant rain, so I guess it was more the conditions for Dolphins instead of golfing so Golphins was the next best thing. We were pleasantly surprised that 16 kids (and their Parents) turned up. When we saw the weather we thought we'd be lucky to get 3 or 4. With the wind and rain we could only do so much inside the bays, but the main thing was to let everyone try the product and to compare it to their own.
We had a few kids who saw big improvements using the correct size and weight clubs for them with some moving to the advanced set. The time was limited with having to share 4 bays, and it's understandable that new equipment may take time to adjust to, therefore we are planning on buying some individual clubs to cover most age groups for the kids to try out.
Remember, these and any product for the Junior Golfer can be easily obtained if we are given enough time to have them delivered, so don`t leave it until the last minute to get your hands on these items for Christmas.
Thanks again to everyone who came.
With the Trophy Season done the next step is to have a right knees up at the Presentation of Prizes. This year`s prize giving will be held on Saturday, 5 November.
If you haven't been fortunate enough to be one of this year`s prize winners we're sure that you'd want to come along and support your fellow members.
Dinner will be available on the night from 5.30pm - with last orders being at 7pm, all welcome.
Please contact Margaret on 01224 781090 if you wish to reserve a table.
The prize giving will commence at 7.30pm prompt and will be followed by a disco.
I guess we have been spoiled with the overhead, and subsequent under foot, conditions throughout September and early October. However, we have to remember that we are tip toeing towards winter and the REAL Autumn weather would kick in eventually.
Last week it did that with a vengeance. As a result of the heavy, heavy rain, Neil and his Team have had to react. This has meant that this week the greens have undergone a treatment of aeriation and sanding to ensure they withstand more heavy rain, but more importantly to help them breathe and expel as much of that moisture as possible so as to reduce the risk of disease.
Think of it like the steps you would take if you got absolutely soaked on a cold day. You`d want to get dry as quickly as possible so you`d remove your wet clothes (the aeriation),you`d dry yourself down (the sand) and if you felt a virus coming on you`d take some medicine (a spray feed)
And similarly, you might not be at your 100% best for a day or so, the greens will have a recovery period to go through but will be good as new given that recovery time.
