Double Bonny
Another year’s Scotland safari is history and it was, if possible, even better than last year. I still have a high resistance to heat from my Kansas upbringing, but even I was complaining about the heat on Saturday. I’m starting to wonder if they ever have any bad weather in Scotland. Sun screen is an essential item for the bag when golfing in Fife in September.
The 15 participants were all pleasant and funny. Being in a place like that playing golf with such a good group is about as close to perfect a man can hope to achieve. Almost heaven.
This year, we played 5 18 hole rounds - 2 on Friday (Crail - Crighead & Balcomie), 2 on Saturday (Charleton) and one on Sunday (Drumoig). Rolf had a pedometer which counted 38,000 steps on Friday. He’s a better golfer than I am so I probably had more steps than that from all the zigzagging across the fairways.
The food was excellent. Scottish Pie is the right kind of nourishment after a hard day on the course.
I did something this year that I never thought I’d do. I took a golf cart for the Saturday rounds. I wanted to walk but figure my aching knees needed a break. I’m glad I took that cart. To atone, I carried my bag as I walked on the Sunday 18. There was plenty of exercise anyway.
My own golf is consistent in the sense that it is always disappointing. I don’t let it get to me and try to savor the highlights (closest to the pin prize for Friday morning and some really good drives). Twice I was within 20 yards of the green in 2 on par fives and managed to get a 7 on both. Thankfully, my prize for being on the winning team on Friday (“The Invincibles”) was a chipping net. M really loves that, too.
Dag thought my thin putt-putt putter might be contributing to the rather erratic putting I displayed. Erratic may be the wrong word, however, since I was actually pretty consistent. I missed everything.
A new addition, an Englishman, Lawrence, took away most of the prizes. Derisive “sandbagger” cries punctuated the prize ceremony. The cow in one prize won by Rune last year was not awarded - mainly because the cows weren’t there this year, I think. “Closest to pillow” was much tighter this year, and ended in a tie between two of our most executive competitors (probably not a coincidence).
I’ve put up the pictures from the trip here. There are some odd ones, particularly the ones documenting the Craw’s Nest founder who was a handsome, mischievous looking lad when he married his lovely lass. They went on to introduce 6 new ladies to the world. No doubt he was a ladies man. And a royalist, too, as the pictures of the queen and other royalty all over the walls of the hotel proclaimed. There are also a couple of weird pictures documenting the very British interior of the hotel. I need these things to assist my crippled memory.
There was no award for most positive attitude. Despite the intense competition, I would have given that one to Eric who, no matter how awful the shot, always had something good to say about it. Eric also has the knack for discreetly giving small tips that can make a big difference.
Next year’s trip is set for the 7th anniversary of 9/11. The thought will keep us all happy all year, I’m sure. Aye.
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Double Bonny
