And they're off!

Well, the season has 'formally' begun. Our annual Ryder Cup event took place at the Forest of Arden on March 30th and 31st, comprising of 2 teams of 16, battling it out over a sun-baked merciless hell-hole of a course in temperatures which sometimes reached the 60's.

Sunday at 10am, I picked up the demon boy Holland and we set off on the road. 2 hours and 1 burger king stop later, we arrived, about 2 hours early, but not as early as the guys who had set off at 8 :-)

Clothes changed into, beer drunk, putting practiced, teams organised, we moved to the first tee.

Highlight up to this point, Steve Wharton
"Bloody hell! I've lost a ball!"....
"Steve, we're on the practice putting green!"

Yes, the only man to lose a golf ball on the practice putting green.

I was paired with Ishmael and off we went, playing Pete and John. The course was in pretty good condition if you consider all the rain they'd had. Playing the Aylesford course on the Sunday, and we won 5 and 4. Every time Ishmael didn't perform, I did, and vice-versa, the perfect combo.
Of course, once the pressure was off, on the 16th tee, I decided to have a proper lash at a drive and hit a stunner. 250+ dead straight, position 'A'. I then proceeded to putt out for a 7. Good shot, bad shot....

Sunday night was a quiet night. Well, it was after my 7th pint anyway.

Monday morning, fortified by a breakfast of sausage and sausage, I strode manfully to the first tee of the famous Forest of Arden course, and for once, hit a decent drive...
One of the things I'd been thinking about was the fact that David Howells, former top 10 in the world, ranked the 9th hole as his least favourite in the world. Well, he was right to, what a shit-bag of a hole! Over water, so pressure, then a narrowish landing area, with hazards on both sides, then a climbing dog-leg to a green surrounded by bunkers. I won't say it's my least favourite in the world, but it's not in my top 10 either...

Anyway, I got beat, 4 & 2. But the team won, and I got a bottle of vodka, which was nice.

2 days golf in the midlands at the end of march and not a drop of rain! it's not often you get to say that either.

Next, Scotland!