Swing low, sweet chariot, Come quick to carry me home; Swing low, sweet chariot, What do you mean we're already home!?
Uh oh! Better call the CA (they are like the Automobile Association but for Chariots!) because I think this one was definitely swinging low on something!? Was it energy, effort, confidence or just ability!?
Poor old England Egg Chasers have been left with egg on their faces, somewhat scrambled and definitely the yokes on them! Especially as they allowed both Wales and Australia to poach victories on their own patch! With the 6 Nations event every year, England clearly knew what to expect from the Welsh, but they obviously didn't take heed of the Aussies reputation! They came from a land down under, where women glow and men plunder, Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder, You better run, you better take cover. You'd be dead if you started a tussle, they're six foot four and full of muscle! They said, "G'Day! Do you speak-a my language?" Then just smiled and gave out a hiding to make-a the bum itch!!
And speaking of the bottom line, it means that the hosts are out of the Rugby World Cup at the group stages and it's the first time that's happened in the tournaments history! I always thought that to be a record breaker you want to be the best and you want to beat the rest, oooh-ooooh dedications what you need!! (You can do the Roy Castle Trumpet solo if you want to!!)
I'm sure the English won't hold it against the Welsh, after all 'everybody needs good neighbours!' but the Australians once again proved that no matter where they play they are one of the favourites to win the tournament as their top form gets 'closer each day, Home & Away!'
Unfortunately for England there's no way back, but Scotland look good for a place in the Quarter finals.
Back on the golf course and it was more a case of Norway's back in Scotland! The European Tour was back in Scotland at the weekend for the Dunhill Links Championship. It seems that every year now the Pro-Am event played over St Andrews Old Course, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns produces some sort of Comeback Story! Last year it was former Ryder Cup player, Oliver Wilsons, first Tour win EVER which arrived with him on the brink of giving up the game. Many previous years it has provided significant finishes for players to keep their card and not have to endure the tortures of Tour School. This year it was a return to form for one the Tours hottest prospects, Thorbjorn Olesen. The young Norwegian had been out the game and then struggling for form following a wrist injury that required surgery!
Now while Olesen's exploits gave us that Cinderella Story this year it also gave us another wonderful Caddyshack moment! Although not one that I think Ernie Els will want to see again anytime soon. For those of you who haven't seen it check out the video link by clicking here. For those of you who have seen it and are big Caddyshack fans then maybe also have a peak to see how someone has edited the clip! If you want my expert opinion on what happened - I'd say he just wasn't "being the ball!"
The 'Yips' is a horrible thing to watch and an even more unpleasant feeling to endure and it brings me nicely to my whereabouts this week! Every year at this time I look out my passport, immigration papers and 6p 'Bag for Life' to make the trip south for the annual Golf Trade Show. Historically this was the time when all the new product for next year's golf season would be showcased and launched with the view to tempting us Golf Pro's into buying it for our Shops. But the industry is changing with the Top Companies choosing launch dates randomly throughout the year to launch their products now. In many ways like Top Blockbuster movies will choose dates away from other big budget film releases to ensure they get all the limelight the golf club brands in particular are doing the same when they look to introduce their latest and greatest Clubs.
(I have to say I'm more excited about the upcoming James Bond & Star Wars instalments than I was about Callaway's GBB and TaylorMade's M1 but maybe that's because with either of those woods in my hand right now I'd need a License To Kill and even using The Force I'd struggle to find a fairway! In fact I played my first round in a long time last week at Renaissance and it was pretty much a case of The Farce Awakens and I made a Spectre-cle of my-shelf!)
Anyway back to my mission this week. So whilst it will be good to see ALL the products on the market place for next year, the show gives me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge and skills as a Golf Professional thanks to the many Seminars that the PGA run through the Show week. One of which I'm particularly interested in is coincidentally a presentation by a Golf Professional who has done extensive research into the dreaded "Yips!" - My only hope is I don't at the last minute twitch, go through the wrong door and pull it straight back into my face!
Also at the Show are the great Team of people at Foremost. This is the Group that I am a Member of and gives me access to a wealth of experience, expertise and support as I attempt to run my business efficiently and provide a top class level of service to you guys. They really do provide me with the tools and the platform to produce as Professional a product as I can. And I'm always trying to improve things and find better ways to do that. So it's nice to be able to meet and speak with the people behind the scenes at Foremost.
One guy in particular I was glad I could meet was Archie Crawford. Archie is my Foremost editor and has the unenviable task of having to trudge through my mind burp every week and make this weekly waffle look as presentable as possible by integrating all the pictures I use with the tedious text I type! So for those of you who enjoy reading my Spaghetti Blog-o-news then spare a thought for Archie who has to bring it to the boil for you!
And I always do eventually get to some news! And in many ways this week's Club golf was much like my Newsletter in that it started pretty foggy where no one had any real clue what on earth was going on, then it cleared and was good as it's been all year!
Yes, despite the Indian Summer continuing to bless the majority of the country I think Portlethen got stuck in its smoke signals as Wednesday's medal had to be abandoned and cancelled due to heavy fog rolling in later on that day. This meant the Competition was cancelled and the scores posted were treated as REDUCTION ONLY! Anyone who entered Sweep & Twos that day can collect, or reinvest their money.
Saturday's Competition wasn't affected thankfully and we were treated to another Summers Day in Autumn! The weather and fabulous course conditions were quite clearly matched by the scoring! In particular in DIV 1 where Bruce Harrold had a Caddyshack-esque 'greatest round of my life!' With 1 under par 71 of an 8 handicap! This included 8(EIGHT!) gross birdies!! Ron Fulton topped DIV 2 thanks to a 68 and his newly fitted PING i Irons! While in DIV 3 not even an 8 at the last could stop Ian Hay, a pupil of mine, being delighted with his 64 and first place.
MEDAL Saturday 3rd October `15
Division 1 (10 & BELOW)
1st: Bruce Harrold = 71(8) - 63, 2nd: Graham Smith = 75(9) - 66, 3rd: John Simpson = 75(9) - 66,
3rd Sweep: Arthur Graham = 77(8) - 69
Division 2 (11-15)
1st: Ron Fulton = 80(12) - 68, 2nd: Craig Baxter = 80(11) - 69 ACB, 3rd: John Goate = 82(13) - 69
Division 3 (16 & ABOVE)
1st: Ian Hay = 91(27) - 64, 2nd: David Brooks = 84(16) - 68, 3rd: Charles Rennie = 93(23) - 70
Photos -Bruce Harrold, Graham Smith, Ron Fulton, John Goate, John Simpson, Chales Rennie, Arthur Graham, Ian Hay, David Brooks, Craig Baxter
Sunday also saw some tropical conditions which was 'Bounty' produce more good scores! Robbie Murdoch shot a fantastic 3 under par 69 to top DIV 1. In DIV 2 Jim West made it 2 wins in 2 weeks with a 70, whilst in DIV 3 the best of the day 65 was good enough by 3 for Graeme Robertson to take DIV 3!
WALK ON MEDAL Sunday 4th October `15
Division 1 (10 & BELOW)
1st: Robbie Murdoch = 69(1) - 68 £11.00, 2nd: Keith Horne = 71(0) - 71 £6.00, 3rd: Clark Brechin = 69(+2) - 71, 3rd Sweep: Ian Cruickshank = 81(9) - 72 £3.00
Division 2 (11-15) (£20)
1st: James West = 81(11) - 70, £11.00 2nd: John Legge = 84(13) - 71, £6.00 3rd: Alan Mitchell = 85(13) - 72 £3.00
Division 3 (16 & ABOVE) (£31)
1st: Graeme Robertson = 86(21) - 65 £17.00, 2nd: Mark Wallace = 86(18) - 68 £9.00, 3rd: David McKenzie = 87(17) - 70 £5.00
Photos - Keith Horne, Jake Legge, Ian Cruickshank, Clarke Brechin, Alan Mitchell, Graeme Robertson, Mark Wallace, David McKenzie, Robbie Murdoch
Next week is the much anticipated Cappro Cup Match and it's good to see many of the players in good form for it. I look forward to bringing you all the lowdown from on AND off the course!!
Well, Kamran is STILL on holiday!! So I'm looking after his Kids Korner this week. But don't be surprised if I get distracted by some Lego or go running off into the ball pit!!
A sign of winter getting ominously closer (despite the cracking weather) is the fact that with the shorter daylight at nights now the Junior Competitions have moved to Sunday at 1pm rather than their usual Saturday @ 3pm.
It was some familiar names at the top again but the scoring wasn't great with no one breaking the SSS.
Junior Medal
1st: Brandon Simpson = 84(12) - 72
2nd: Richie Smart = 94(22) - 72 3rd: Lewis Sinclair = 86(13) - 73
Photos - Brandon Simpson, Lewis Sinclair
On Sunday many of the Ladies took their life in their hands and agreed to go on a Mixed Golf Outing to Arbroath with some of the Men! Fortunately all these Men were every inch Gentlemen and everyone had a fabulous time at a great venue. The weather, hospitality, company and golf couldn't have been better so big thank you to Jeff Christie who organised the trip. Due to the uneven numbers instead of mixed couples it was mixed Teams. The winning Team consisted of Jeff Christie, Denise Robertson, Julie Brimble & Paul Singer on 89 Points.
Ladies Medal
Silver
1st: Kate Craig = 36 Points, 2nd: Elaine Stoddart = 34 Points, 3rd: Rowena Keith = 34 Points
Bronze
1st: Julie Brimble = 36 Points, 2nd: Barbara Tait = 36 Points, 3rd: Isabel Murray = 35 Points
Unfortunately our Competition was like an episode of Last Of The Summer Wine!...All a bit Foggy! Hopefully more to report next week!
With the Summer like weather comes Summer like playing conditions and, especially in the case of the greens, it sums up the way the course has been this year. Very much a reflection of the weather patterns. And it's all the evidence you really need to realise that Neil and his staff really do all they can to produce the best surfaces they can (whether that be Tees, Fairways, Approaches, or Greens!) but ultimately it's Mother Nature that will have the biggest influence on how good or bad they can get them.
Unfortunately the weather did eventually turn this week and it turned in a big way! The course, having been bathed in sunshine for weeks, was bathed in buckets of water on Mon/Tues to the point that it closed due to flooding! I really hope it won't last through to this weekend!?
Whilst the weather plays a big part in the condition of the grass it's the golfers that dictate the 'state' of the bunkers and there has been too many occasions noted where the bunkers aren't getting raked after use! Try and have a little consideration for those playing behind you! Would you like to have to play out of someone's scuff or foot Mark!?
As I mentioned earlier the Trial & Fitting Clubs for the New TaylorMade M1 have arrived in store and are here ready for you guys to test drive them ahead of their retail launch date. Why not take one for a round or better still book yourself in for a Fitting Session and get one dialled in to your individual requirements. .
To book a Trial or Fitting - Click Here
Meanwhile remember we have some of the biggest and best savings on the current R15 you`ll find anywhere.
TAYLORMADE R15
DRIVERS: Now ONLY - £269
HYBRIDS: Now ONLY - £129
The Autumn/Winter range is arriving thick & fast. On top of the Galvin Green Collection we have also just received the new Under Armour Collection as well as the new Exclusive Pro Quip Range. This includes Ladies & Gents Waterproofs, Lined Sweaters, Wind jackets, Beanie & Mitts! We are in the process of getting them unpacked and merchandised for the weekend but I`m not sure if the builders will have my shop extension completed by then!!
To continue to make the necessary space for all these new and exciting goodies I have some fantastic Offers and Promotions still running.
For a Limited Time Only:
BUY A GALVIN GREEN SUIT** FOR ONLY - £350!
**Selected Jackets
ALL BAGS IN STORE - 20% OFF!
ALL SALE SHOES - Up To HALF PRICE!
