Tags: Golf, Round, Play, Carnoustie, Course, Championship, Scotland, Stableford, Birdie
As I write this edition, my mates & I have just finished booking 3 days play at Carnoustie (Scotland) in May 2008.  This is in the form of a package deal with the Burnside on the 3rd, Buddon Links on the 4th, finishing on the 5th with a round on the Championship course.  Caddies are a must for the whole experience.  (we are also getting older, bag getting heavier).  The cost to each of us is a staggering £145.00 ($299) Cheap as chips! 
I hear tell if you manage to play to your handicap (stroke play) on the Championship course you are presented with a medal in celebration of the achievement.
http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/ind ex.php

A £1 coin & a Pro V1
I played with a friend on Wednesday, he insisted we play Stableford.   He is reluctant to give any shots if he can help it.  It started out as a frosty morning, cold but no breeze.  Wrapped up against the weather, I tee'd up on the first, pulling the shot to the left.  Second shot went straight into the heart of a collection of gorse (ball gone) I was not looking for that one.  From then on it was all good.
My card.
Hole           1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18    Total
Par             4   4   4   4   3   5   3   4   4    5     3     4     4     4     4     4     3     4       70
Score         7   4   4   5   4   5   4   5   3    6     6     5     4     5     5     5     4     3       84
Points        0   4   3   2   2   3   2   2   4    2     0     2     3     2     3     2     2     4       42

To cut a long story short, he won the £1 for overall points (beat me by 1), but I took his Pro v1 with my birdie on the last.

Tags: Card, Score, Result, Round, Play, Birdie, Par, Bogey. Course, Golf
Todays  (Sat) Card
Hole         1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12   13  14  15  16  17  18
Total Par  4  4  4  4  3  5  3  4  4    5    3    4    4    4    4    4    3    4    70
Score       5  4  5  4  3  7  4  5  4    7    4    3    4    5    5    5    4    4    83
I came off feeling I could have done a lot better.  2 x 7's which are card busters, plus 9 other bogies. 
I did have 1 birdie and felt good for a while.  Golf is the cruelest of sports.
My Drives were all on the fairway but my short game & putting really let me down. 
I was either lifting up or rushing through the swing. 
To cap it all off, I had to buy the Bacon Rolls but not the coffee (we play farthest  from the pin with 2nd shot on the 18th pays), that was down to Vic this time. 
The weather was Sunny, a warm 14*, slight SE breeze. 

No game on Sunday as the Ladies Section are holding their annual Open.  But I will go down to give moral support.  Some very talented female golfers in our club & have a fair following.

Mid-week Medal on Wednesday to look forward to.

Tags: Experience, Pain, Plans, Recovery, Golf, Play
Let me set the scene.
I have taken 2 weeks well earned holiday from work as has my golfingpartner (Vic).  We played a round of golf on each of past 4 days(becoming consistent in my game).  On the Wednesday the weather was thebest it had been for a couple of weeks. We entered the Mid-Week comp,arrived and had a coffee in the club house, with usual banter among thelads there. We went out to the car to begin setting up.  As my pal hasa car with a small boot (trunk), we placed our bags on the back seat. I reached in to retrieve my bag, lifting it of his to avoid scratchingeither, when I feel the first pang of pain in the lower back.
We continued over to the 1st tee and went through our ritualisticwarm-up.  My tee shot went approx 70yds into the rough and the secondpang arrived with a bit more venom.  Vic hit his tee shot to around270yds, straight up the middle.  We easily found my ball, sittingnicely & waiting to be launched off down the fairway.  I took mycustomary stance and proceeded to swing out. AAAARGH!!!!, I went downin a heap, crying out in agony with an excruciatingpain rendering me virtually helpless.  Vic came to my assistance andafter the shortest discussion in the history of man, helped my returnto the car.  One or two of the lads behind and in the bar came over tooffer what aid they could (I have to believe that).  With golf ballspicked up & equipment loaded, Vic drove me home. 
My wife called out the doctor who after examining me, said the musclesin my back had 'gone in to spasm'. Personally I wished they had goneinto orbit or something.  Needless to say my ventures on to the coursewould have to be postponed for a while.

Part 2.
All of the above took place 2 weeks ago. To continue with my "Tale of Woe".
I spent the first week imobile, stuffed full if prescribed painkillers,groaning & moaning at everything & everyone, ready to bite theheads of babies if I thought it would help. The second week I began tomove around. Feeling miserable every time I saw Vic drive past goingoff to the course. So I decided to clean my Golf Equipment. I liftedout each of the clubs, laying them lovingly against the table in thelounge. I removed what seemed like half my wardrobe of clothes, I musthave carried enough to cover ALL weather conditions. From the otherpockets, I removed s$%t loads of tees, ball markers, balls, and almostenough small change to pay for a round at the bar. I gave the bag agood rub down with a light petrolium gel, with a soft cloth I polishedit (my wife said she is sure I was actually caressing it).
Each of the clubs were given a thorough cleaning and the groovesstroked with the bristles of a soft wire brush. When it was all putback together (rubbish removed) it seemed a few pounds lighter. Myshoes were given the same tender treatment as always.
It has now been just over 2 weeks since the incident, I am returning tothe scene tomorrow to try my luck at this weeks Stableford. I have hada friend come over to my home who is a Physiotherapist, and she hasbeen working hard with me and has given me a new "Warm-up &Stretch" routine.
So here's to whatever tomorrow brings.

Part 3
Got There.
Well folks, I finally got back on the course today.  After all I had been through with the afore mentioned back pain, I took things very easy.  Okay I don't carry my bag, I use an electric trolley (not as fit as I once was), that was a big help.  I did some of the warm-up stretches explained by my physio friend.  On the 1st tee I decided I would slow everything down, took out my Driver & creamed the ball 250yds straight down the middle (it usually goes over towards the right hand side where there is a down slope & gorse), Vic said he had been telling me to slow down for months.  My 2nd shot was an easy 7 to the front of the green, a pitch & run, 5ft putt & a PAR!  How excited was I, I nearly kissed Vic's bald head.  So I continued to play the rest of the course & actually finished with a 94 (that included 2 lost balls).  I was feeling very stiff & tired, but that was forgotten in the clubhouse when the lads came in.  You would have thought I won the OPEN as I couldn't stop recounting the holes to all who would listen (they started to drift off after a while). 
So, I'm back to playing again with the knowledge that I will be safer to slow down for a bit.