Thursday 24 April 2014

Weekly Golfathon countdown - 7 weeks to go

Ok, so I did admit right at the start that declaring the intention of providing a weekly update had the potential to be a petard from which I could hoist myself - I'm nothing if not prophetic

It turns out that my ten day trip to the US was more time and thought-consuming than first expected, meaning I had little opportunity to remember to update the blog - sorry about that. So, what has gone on in the three weeks since the last update?

Well, I had an absolute blast golfing with Herb, Courtney & Matt at Broad Run GC a couple of weeks ago. I even played some respectable golf too, which was a bonus (I did eight hours travelling that day, so at least it was worthwhile).

I didn't get out to play over the long Easter weekend but I have a round scheduled for Saturday so we'll see if I can repeat some of the better things from Broad Run (the three doubles & triple not being high on that list). Oh yes, I'm also planning to play Pebble Beach on the 11 May, which isn't a bad place to have a hit.

We have made some baby steps on the sponsorship front, with the first snivelling emails and social posts going up in my (new) workplace - I waited a polite couple of months before getting out the begging bowl - and I am extremely grateful to those folks, in the UK and abroad, who have dipped into their pockets to support our absurd adventure. As I've said (many times) before, our fundraising page is www.bmycharity.com/golfathon - if you are in a position to assist us towards our financial goal, anything you can provide would be gratefully accepted.

Our practice day, diarised for 18 May, has the small spanner in the works that Ash can't actually make that date. Not an ideal situation but, as time is ticking on towards kick-off, I think we have little choice but to press on with the 18th. I look forward to taking plenty of pics and posting them here and on Twitter.

So there we are - a bit of progress but, with a catch up call scheduled for next week, I am confident of bringing more definitive developments to the next update.

I am the Part-Time Golfer

Friday 4 April 2014

Weekly Golfathon countdown - 10 weeks to go

Whilst (yet again) my sticks have remained enclosed in the shed, destined not to see the sunshine, we do now seem to have taken a step forward as a group.

Something that has been debated since this ridiculous idea was first mooted, was a practice day - a chance to get together as a whole group, play 36 or 54 holes (actually, the original idea was to have a 72 hole practice day - ha!) and get a feel for how we might be able to get through the full 24hr challenge.

It now looks very much like we have a consensus about a suitable date - 18th May - and we are currently debating whether, feasibly or financially, we play 36 or 54 holes that day. In terms of a venue, it looks like Richings Park, nr Slough is going to come out on top. This is almost exactly halfway between the two golfathon venues, plus Ash is a member so we've got a route in to discuss our 'unique' requirements. Good news.

So, what about preparation on a more personal level? Well, I mentioned last week of the plan to play Broad Run GC, in deepest Pennsylvania, next weekend - I am glad to report, the tee time has been secured, my travel has been meticulously planned out and I am very much looking forward to meeting Herb, Courtney & Matt and having some fun around what looks to be an extremely interesting golf course.

What comes after that? What is next on the agenda? Well, there is a (very) tentative idea to get out at some point over the Easter weekend - I then have the pleasure of another trip to the US to lool forward to and, naturally, the weapons are coming with me.

The mid-May trip is taking me to San Francisco, via LA, so it seemed rude not to take the opportunity to make my way up the Pacific coast via Monterey, with the aim of getting on to Pebble Beach. Granted, the green fee is biblically expensive, and I can only call for a tee time the day before, but the chance is too good not to try.

After that trip, we have the practice day and then I'm going to make the annual pilgrimage to Southport, that bastion of cultural excellence, to play Royal Birkdale - I absolutely love that course, despite the usual lack of reciprocity, and really look forward to the trip.

Once the Birkdale jaunt is done, it's only a fortnight until we're on for the golfathon - time sure does fly when you are having fun

I am the Part-Time Golfer