Golf

How pointless is it to hit a tiny ball with sticks for up to 483 yards to try and get it in a hole?

Yet golf is so cool! It´s a great way to spend quality time with a companion or three surrounded by greenery. I spent a considerable time on golf courses during my four week visit to England.

I´m really a hacker who usually only gets to play a couple of times a year. My last golfing experience was in Pokhara, Nepal back in December - which has to be one of the most scenic courses in the World.

One way to considerably your game is to purchase top quality golf clubs. Pa was happy to lend me his king of all clubs – a Ping 13.5 wood. This is a highly forgiving club – it must be for I´m driving 230 + yards and as straight as Tiger Woods. I love it!

Pa is a member of the exclusive Sandy Lodge golf course. Although there is a respectable mix of races, it´s pretty snobby stuff. Complete golfing etiquette is expected, and full dress code is required including having one´s shirt tucked into trousers. How I managed to get away with black jeans i´m not quite sure, but I did on all five visits.

Success was had with my two UK-based blood brothers with Pa – a regular player since his retirement - giving us a much needed two strokes per hole. With a back nine on 49 I wiped the floor with them all, with the highlight being a birdie on hole 12 – labelled the most difficult par three in Britain by the much respected Peter Alliss – the James Brown equivalent of golf commentators. It´s these outrageous moments that I love golf and know i´m hooked for life.

I shared Callum´s full set of Pings and it clearly proved that you can drop at least 10 shots per round by having a quality set of clubs.

Many thanks to the following golfing partners
Giant Ginger Callum - who taught me what I haven´t been doing for a year on Facebook
Boy – who trounced me in Southwood with a 6.30am tee-off on a Sunday
Graeme - introduction to Bushey Heath golf club
SRN - who tamed Tricky Ricky on two occasions
Pa – who treated me to several hacks on a real class course for some father/son bonding sessions.

Click here to see my five wood drive at the 18th tee Sandy Lodge.