The small white ball game

[Guest]

I should add that it is a round ball too, but that title has been taken.
The oval ball is challenging for attention at this time too, so somebody has to take a stand, as it were, for the royal and ancient little white ball.

I offer you the Solheim Cup.
It has been on television for the last three days. It is a match for women golfers between teams from the USA and from Europe.
It was played in Ireland, though there were no Irish players involved.
It was a brilliant sporting occasion, producing some great golf and revealing some up and coming young players, though the heroine of the series for me was a Scottish veteran, Catriona Matthew. Take a bow scotty, and all who hail from bonnie Scotland.
The match was won by Europe in a really exciting finish today.
Earlier in the week the amateurs played the Junior version, which, though ending in a draw, gave the Cup to the Americans as they were the current holders. This team did have two Irish players, Leona and Lisa Maguire, (remember the names)16 year old twins who are carving a reputation for themselves. They come from the County Cavan, the home county of one of our members. Take a bow stillhomewardbound. There'll be big celebrations in Ballyjamesduff yet!

[scottycelt]

Thank you, Patrick, for your kind offer ... I'm now trying to un-bow myself after a lifetimes's lack of bowing practice ...

I'm delighted that Europe has once again triumphed over the once-mighty USofA. It just shows what can be done when the nations of Europe unite in noble common cause ... so, at the obvious risk of being immediately accused of patronisation, well done to the ladies!

Golf is the last true game left for gentlemen (and ladies). Rugby is simply an excuse for an unseemly mass brawl among the upper and aspiringly-upper classes, and, as for football these days, just look at the near-septuagenerian, Sir Alex Ferguson, constantly foul-mouthing at the poor referee from the dug-out. Not the best example for our kids, who fortunately probably know a lot better. Cricket must surely be the most eccentric game ever devised by man, and it therefore comes as no surprise to some that it was apparently invented south of the border.

In the 'gowfing' world the Irish have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years while we Scots appear to have gone backwards, which is quite an achievement in itself. However we always have tennis and Andy Murray, though we'd hate the idea of him winning a grand-slam which would destroy our world-renowned 'gallant losers' tag for ever more, now wouldn't it.

I doubt we could cope with that particular loss, Patrick ...

[PatrickOD]

scotty, despair not. 'Gallant losers' are revered in games. Unfortunately, sport has become a different ball game.
Take up golf, man! It's you against the course, and yourself.

[PatrickOD]

Wow! Women's golf has proved to be high up in the sporting interests. What about men's golf? I guess minority games are seen to be a bit elitist, perhaps snobby, exclusive, and not accessible. Rubbish, of course, as those who play the amateur game know well.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/golf/2011/10/02/graeme-mcdowell-back-in-the-groove-at-dunhill-links-championship-115875-23460006/

The Dunhill Links Championship is concluding this afternoon at St.Andrews. It should be a close finish. At the time of writing the first five places are held by players from Northern Ireland and Scotland. Must dash. It's on Sky tv if anyone would like to see the finish.

[johncorrigan]

Wow! Women's golf has proved to be high up in the sporting interests. What about men's golf? I guess minority games are seen to be a bit elitist, perhaps snobby, exclusive, and not accessible. Rubbish, of course, as those who play the amateur game know well.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/golf/2011/10/02/graeme-mcdowell-back-in-the-groove-at-dunhill-links-championship-115875-23460006/

The Dunhill Links Championship is concluding this afternoon at St.Andrews. It should be a close finish. At the time of writing the first five places are held by players from Northern Ireland and Scotland. Must dash. It's on Sky tv if anyone would like to see the finish.

I love golf Patrick, even on the telly - I just cannae be bothered with golfers. Give me a quiet course on the west coast where you can sit and have a look at the view and not have a queue growlin' behind you. Maybe I'm just a Betjeman kinda golfer.

http://www.sanjeev.net/poetry/betjeman-john/seaside-golf-182200.html

.......not that there's ever many threes on my card.

[PatrickOD]

Ah yes, John. That little poem captures the wishful thinking we have when playing a hole in our mind. I do it all the time! The miracle is that sometimes - just sometimes - it happens that way. But for Michael Hoey it was a 3-3-4-3 finish, precision golf giving him a clear 2 shot win over Rory McIlroy. It was nice to see Murray and Warren finishing so well for Scotland, and that other young Scot Alasdair McDougall, 14, up among the amateur leaders.
Next time you're in Donegal John, I know a little course where there aren't too many golfers. It's known locally as the Irish St.Andrews. I can't guarantee you a three on your card, but you never know. I'm playing there tomorrow morning, and my wife will be joining me. Oh well! I suppose I'll be trounced..... again!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/15144796.stm

[johncorrigan]

Patrick, It's good to see a few Scots starting to come through again though it was right dreich conditions today over this way. Maybe that suited them.

I remember once playing in Alyth (nice course) and I met a priest - he must have been about 60 odd- we got chatting and I asked if he played much. 'Well,' he says, 'A couple of years back I felt like the golf was getting in the way and so I thought I would just give it up. I hadn't had a game for about six months and I got asked out for a round by someone I couldn't say no to. I wasn't playing too good but when I got to the par 3 sixth tee and I hit the most beautiful seven iron onto the green straight into the hole. My first ever hole-in-one. Well I thought that God was trying to tell me something, so I try to play a couple of times a week now. Never had another hole-in-one mind you!'

[PatrickOD]

Well, John, I had a three this morning. We played the 1st, 2nd and 18th. Gale force winds forced us off the course, and we missed the rain by minutes. The other few players had packed in as we were heading out - chickens!
Talking of first class golf, Tiger Woods will be back in action later this week. Will he make the grade? Has he got his swing sorted? I'm hoping for the greatest come-back since....... the last greatest come-back by..... whoever made previous greatest come-back.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...wsfeed=trueThe competition will be on TV from Thursday. I'll be watching.


I seem to have made a hash of that link, but I think I've got away with it with just a one stroke penalty.

[johncorrigan]

Do you think the beard's a disguise Patrick?
I once played in the howling wind and rain at Gleneagles - my pal had got free tickets from his work - it was a wild day and the course was closed when we arrived in the morning. Around lunchtime we saw a gap in the clouds and managed to get on to the wee course (Princes, I seem to recall). Then the rain came down again - it was coming in on a conveyor belt - drenched through to the skin we were. At a par four with the wind behind my pal, who can hit the ball, knocked a seven iron into the air and the wind took it all the way to the green - funny the rounds you remember. Nothing to do with the quality of the golf.

[PatrickOD]

Hot doggity! I only saw Tiger come in with 3 over in the first round. But the boy done good in the end...... considering.

[johncorrigan]

Andrew Greig who wrote this rather excellent book about golf courses in Scotland -
http://www.finegolf.co.uk/wp-content...ferredlies.jpg
- had a golf related poem 'The Long Shot' in Saturday's Guardian; I really enjoyed it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/14/long-shot-poem-andrew-greig

[PatrickOD]

In your dreams, john.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/173220/great_putt_from_tiger_woods/

[johncorrigan]

In your dreams, john.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/173220...m_tiger_woods/

That was the one Patrick......weather's turning a bit colder over here - need to get a bit of practice in....now where's those crampons?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKgQNtA0DM

[PatrickOD]

Ah it's the short game that matters, john. Six chips to get down is going to make a hames of that hole! Of course, he could have cheated - as some amateurs are known to do.

There's the story of the golfer who, unlike the fellow in your poem, didn't get on too well with his wife. In anger, he attacked her with a 5 iron and beat her so severely that she ended up in hospital. Knowing he was in bad trouble he got in touch with his playing partner who was a policeman, hoping to find some way out of it. After some wriggling and unconvincing prevarication the policeman asked him, 'How many times did you hit her?'
'Five...........'
'Five!!! You won't have a leg to stand on!'
'........ but you can put me down for a three.'

[PatrickOD]

Good to see Sergio Garcia showing signs of a comeback at last. 11 shots clear of the field with a most impressive 27 under par for the four rounds of the Castello Masters. He won the club championship on this course when he was 12.

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/7135888/sergio-garcia-shines-11-shot-victory-castello-masters