Friday, August 21, 2009

If You Hate Golf, Look Away Now...


This morning I played golf for the first time this year. This was my lie on the 7th for my fourth shot, having already visited a bunker. Would you believe me if I told you I chipped in? Probably the best wedge shot I am ever likely to play.

As you can imagine, I felt the need to share this little triumph with you.

Having not played in more than a year I didn't hold out too much hope of playing very well, and with an 8 on the first hole, I wasn't looking forward to the rest of the round. However, the next eight holes went superbly well - all fours and fives. But the less said about the second nine the better...

PS 96 for 4. Who said we were out of the test match?

25 comments:

Unknown said...

Are you going professional like the PXXX artist formerly known as Prince A? :)

BigC said...

Nice Shot! Always nice to knock it straight in the hole...only done it once myself, but it was from 150 yds!

P.S. never mind 96 for 4, how about 109 for 6!!!!

BigC said...

Scratch that.... 111 for 7!! Blimey, much more of this and it'll look like we can play cricket!!

Lord Snooty said...

Excellent blog topics today, Iain - Ann Widdecombe and golf. Reminds me why I will never vote Tory. Cheers, Dale.

Anonymous said...

That's the thing about being a hacker, Iain, only remember the one good shot in a round. Nice shot from there and certainly worth remembering.

So speaks a 23 handicapper anyway.

talwin said...

You don't say where you are. May it be assumed you are in China playing on a course adjacent to The Great Wall?

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said...

The great thing about golf is that even if you go around in 100, you will still play at least one great shot, which then drags you back the next time.

At least that is what I tell myself every time, anyway.

Anonymous said...

Playing golf is like being dead, with the added disadvantage that you're alive to experience it.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile....2 more British soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

True Belle said...

Wow , well played. You will dream well tonight, hole by hole and all that.

It don't mean a thing if you ain't got the swing, and yours got you out of trouble.

I suppose you will now be more there than here!

Competitions next?

wonderfulforhisage said...

How about an ordered list of your ten most unforgettable golf shots?

Or perhaps you could just list them randomly and we could all vote?

Frank said...

I don't hate golf, but I managed to live and work for three years in St. Andrews in the 1960s without feeling the need to touch a club.

Timothy Belmont said...

Haven't swung the wedge for 25 years. Too impatient for it. Gave up after about two years.

Mind you, the clubs and paraphernalia are all gathering dust in the attic.

Tim

Timothy Belmont said...

Haven't swung a wedge for 25 years; too impatient. Gave up after two years. Mind you, they're all gathering dust in the attic, ready for action.

Tim

Lady Virginia Droit de Seigneur said...

Taking an average of 4s and 5s plus the 8 I reckon you went round in 42 which is pretty good.

Meanwhile everyone else is commenting on Mandy's protate operation - believe me you'll get 200 comments if you do a thread on that

Dick Puddlecote said...

Do you take a picture of your lie before every shot, or was it just lucky you did so before this doozy?

(Or did you chip in and then re-create it?) ;-)

Anonymous said...

which cemetry were you playing at?

Just got back from the Oval. what a day

Anonymous said...

Iain,

Judging by the photo, would I be right in thinking that this was taken with the built-in camera on your Blackberry?

"The man who carried his mobile onto the golf course" would make for a great modern day HM Bateman cartoon

Not that I ever do such a thing.

Honest

Iain Dale said...

Dick, I recreated it. The lie was far worse - could hardly see the ball!

Anonymous said...

Are you going back to take on Royal St Georges from the championship tees now you're in form?

Iain Dale said...

Funny you should mention that. My friend who is a member there has offered dates which I can't do, but we will get there in the end. I need to prove to him I can actually play!

Man in the Street said...

What is the point?

Osama the Nazarene said...

Snooty what pathetic reasons not to vote Tory.

National debt rising to hundreds of BILLIONS, all the reasons I will never vote Labour.

Anonymous said...

160 all out. All 10 Aussie wickets fell for their devil number of 87.

A day earlier a man emailed Test Match Special that his wife (who did not even know a test match was on) had dreamt that Australia would be 7 for 7. Not far out - well there was a 7 in there somewhere.

Anonymous said...

I know there are 10000's of Golf books out there but I can really recommend this one, it's both helpful and very funny - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Hackers-Challenge-Break-Year/dp/0856408417