tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69521589589917108122024-02-08T00:51:30.654+00:00The Part-Time GolferThe Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-11655596459046159352015-08-10T18:49:00.000+01:002015-08-10T18:49:00.036+01:00From The Cabbage 2015 - a preview<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here we are. Less than one week to go before the start of what will be, quite possibly, the greatest golfing extravaganza ever seen. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EVER.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, so that might be an exaggeration but it's certainly going to be a lot of fun. We have eight people, eight sets of golf clubs, four buggies and plenty of beer - what could possibly go wrong?</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a little bit of insight into the format, structure and participants on our fourth annual hackfest around golf courses in the UK, adopting the moniker of 'From The Cabbage' for the first time in 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The biggest step forward this year is the number of participants - having started out as a fourball (Never Up Never In, visiting Scotland's west coast for the Tweet Golf Cup in 2012) we've steadily added new faces, although this is the first time we have a 'healthy' even number of players, which opens new possibilities in terms of format</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are the 'regulars' - your author James & his father-in-law Noel, Noel's brother-in-law John and, Imperial Tobacco's largest single customer, Ash; we also have Chris playing his third tour and James' brother-in-law Greg being allowed back for another go; we also have the pleasure of welcoming (tour) virgins Geoff and Mark</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of our plans, we are going to be singularly located in Cornwall for the duration of the tour - our first day's play will be taking place at Trethorne GC near Launceston before we move on to China Fleet Country Club for rounds two and three.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For format, we will be continuing our tried & trusted method of an individual Stableford competition, played over any four of the six loops of nine holes that we'll play on tour - this allows for a certain amount of 'hangover acceptance' golf without damaging victory prospects too heavily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Additionally, now we have a decent even number of people, we can now introduce a Ryder Cup-style team competition alongside the individual - this will be spread across the three days and will put a total of 8 points up for grabs. Fourball better ball matchplay on days one & two; singles matchplay on day three - 4.5 points required for the win. This is a format that myself & Geoff have enjoyed at past <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.com/2014/10/harey-cup-2014-day-3.html" target="_blank">Harey Cups</a> and I believe will work well for our group next week</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what of the teams? We decided to draw a metaphorical battle line down the Irish Sea, in order to form Teams <i>Sassenach</i> (an Irish derogatory term for the English) and <i>Potato</i> (a less-than-pleasant nickname for those from the Emerald Isle) - we steered away from appointing specific captains for these teams, not least because we might struggle with format familarity, so the order of play for each day will be decided by committee...which should be interesting</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Team Sassenach</u> <u>Team Potato</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Wheeler Geoff Sammons</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ash Patel Noel Sandvoss</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark Herring Chris McMahon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I think that pretty much wraps up the preview of From The Cabbage 2015 - further updates will be delivered via <a href="http://www.twitter.com/neverupneverin1" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and a review on this blog upon our return</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am The Part-Time Golfer</span></div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-11656229941328290282015-07-01T20:00:00.000+01:002015-07-02T15:14:06.071+01:00What have you been doing?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the risk of being repetitive, I am extremely conscious of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">paucity of content that I actually take/find the time to create & upload to this site, to the extent that</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I can't really count myself as a blogger. That self-flagellation aside, my 2015 has, thus far, yielded more golf experiences than I had expected and that's certainly been the silver lining to what was a 'testing' start to the year from an employment perspective. There has been a knock-on effect to golfing plans, the details of which are outlined here alongside a glimpse into what has gone before, plus what's to come in the second half of the year.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As alluded to earlier, the end of 2014 was somewhat turbulent. An unexpected end to one job, only a couple of weeks after returning from the Harey Cup trip to Spain (the <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.com/2014/10/harey-cup-2014-day-3.html#more" target="_blank">Miracle of Marbella</a> - still smarting from that one, tbh) was relatively swiftly followed by a contract role which allowed me the flexibility to play a fair chunk of winter golf. I am now a couple of months into a new permanent role, so the midweek golf is limited to summertime evenings, but this role has allowed me one particular experience for which I hadn't planned (or budgeted).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of my induction, I was flown to the US for a couple of weeks, meeting a multitude of people in various roles across different office locations. The trip provided me with a spare weekend in Florida and, as you might expect, I dragged the bats with me with the intention of getting out to play somewhere. Regular readers (does such a person exist?!) will recall that I have previous for taking advantage of business trips to experience some of the finer golf clubs around the world (<a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-bethpage-experience.html" target="_blank">Bethpage Black</a> in 2012; Pebble Beach in 2014), so the realisation that I would be spending the weekend less than an hour's drive from Doral got me thinking...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Naturally, it would have been churlish not to play it off the tips (a tad under 7500yds that day) and the resultant 95 was not too shabby, especially given the Tiger-esque accuracy of my driving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, so I had the full Doral Blue Monster experience - I managed to get the green fee for a little less than initially advertised (3pm was the threshold for twilight rates), which meant it took the cost out of the Pebble Beach/Spyglass Hill bracket. Frankly, I would have been pretty disappointed to have paid the guts of $500 - as nice a track as it is, it is light years away from Pebble as an experience and I think it's bullish to be charging, as much as makes a difference, the same price. That's Mr Trump for you, I guess.</span><br />
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The only other highlight that occurred after the Doral venture was the regular pilgrimage to Royal Birkdale and the participation in the annual Invitation competition. Beautifully sunny weekend; wind was absolutely brutal - blowing at 50mph pretty much constantly. I played like a dick. That is all.</span><br />
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So, what happens next?</span><br />
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As mentioned earlier, the employment uncertainty around the turn of the year meant I couldn't realistically commit to the annual Harey Cup trip this year. This year, it's the turn of PGA Catalunya north of Barcelona to be tarnished by the presence of this auspicious event - I'm gutted to be missing it this year but it's absolutely my intention to be back on it for 2016.</span><br />
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On a more positive note, I am extremely glad that the regular UK tour in August - Dale Hill/Chart Hills in 2014, Woodhall Spa in 2013 - has undergone a bit of a transformation for 2015. We have, for the first time, an even number of participants, so the format will take on a Ryder Cup-style competition alongside the traditional individual Stableford event. I also decided that the time was right, in true PR style, to give the event an element of a brand; a label to which we could refer and that would accurately reflect the quality of golf on offer from the protagonists. To that end, I give you '<i>From The Cabbage 2015</i>' - this event will be taking place in the golfing paradise of the south-west, based at <a href="http://www.china-fleet.co.uk/" target="_blank">China Fleet Country Club</a> in Saltash & prefaced by a post-carvery Sunday afternoon stroll around <a href="http://www.okehamptongolfclub.co.uk/" target="_blank">Okehampton GC</a>. Further updates & details of this phenomenal event will be posted in due course.</span><br />
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And there we are - a little window into what the rest of 2015 has in store for me, undoubtedly interspersed by other, as yet unknown, golfing exploits - I am always trying to add new courses to the <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.com/p/course-ography.html" target="_blank">Course-ography</a>, whilst on the lookout for future '<i>From The Cabbage</i>' venues. Any suggestions are extremely welcome.</span><br />
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I am The Part-Time Golfer</span><br />
<br />The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-84374580013713528652015-03-24T17:10:00.000+00:002015-03-24T17:10:07.825+00:00The Agony of False Hope<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to some statistical analysis, with all appropriate nods to Mark Twain, being capable of regularly shooting in the low/mid 80s (& occasionally threaten the high 70s) puts me in the relative elite of amateur golfers. So why are there so many occasions where this notion seems so fanciful?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will readily admit to struggling with the dichotomy of, if you'll forgive the pun, swinging from near-textbook perfection to abject hackerology, frequently in the space of subsequent (or even during single) holes. This is the root of this blog post - documenting the frustration in the hope, however vain, of progression towards truly taking each shot as it comes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have the issue of limited time to get on the golf course, let alone the practice ground, which means I inevitably find myself using early holes to get 'back into it', refamiliarise myself with setup nuances & remember swing thoughts & fixes from previous rounds. Early bogeys are not uncommon - I'd be lying if I said I was accepting of them but, depending on the circumstances, it's often to be expected. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this in mind, and the fact my scores tend to be anywhere north of 8-over par, an opportunity to get off to a good start will quickly put me into a mindset of 'best score ever' - I opened a very recent round par-birdie-birdie and my thoughts instantly turned to a sub-70 card. Cue a fugly, tree-visiting, triple bogey on #4.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is this false hope that kills me - the fact that I am more than capable of some remarkably good golf (the first of the aforementioned birdies was a two-putt on a par 4) and, often in extremely close proximity, I can throw in abysmal golf that, if repeated over 18 holes, would mean I'd struggle to break 100.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is often the reverse situation too - I'm sure I'm not the only part-time golfer who has spent a good three hours hacking & chopping their way around a course, unable to string two decent shots together until, from nowhere, you play a hole - or even just a single shot - in such a way that, for a fleeting, exhilarating, moment, you forget the fact you are battling to stay in double figures for the round.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've experienced a number of occasions that I have stepped on to the tee with an audience and, despite nervousness, have absolutely nailed one. This could be people waiting to tee off, being let through by a slower group or (just because of the venue) a curious crowd. When this has happened, cue much chest-swellage & a McIlroy-esque swaggering stride down the hole. The perfect antidote to any kind of pretence that I can play this game comes from the almost inevitable outcome of the next shot, especially if I am in position A - a fat approach; a pull into a bunker; a thin through the green.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what can I take from this cathartic documenting of my mental torture? How can I get out of this world of false hope? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bit more concentration? Maybe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bit more - or even some - practice? Not so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel like I need a smile & an acceptance that, despite any recent evidence to the contrary, I'm more likely to fuck the next shot up than I am to nail it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How am I doing in getting to that place? Well, in the words of Tiger Woods - a guy who used to play golf - it's a process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span></div>
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The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-4986928521721993582015-03-03T11:43:00.001+00:002015-03-03T11:43:15.439+00:002014 - my golfing year pt2<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/2014-my-golfing-year.html" target="_blank">previously documented</a> the array of golfing exploits from the first half of 2014 - this is the (long-overdue) second part of my review of a golfing year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having enjoyed the high of playing Pebble Beach the previous month, I wondered if it would be a struggle to better that golfing experience and, with a little help from some like-minded/equally idiotic friends, a little over a month had elapsed and we did just that. I had, earlier in the year, decided (in my infinite wisdom) that I should embark on another golfing charity fundraising event - clearly, the memory of our Macmillan Longest Day challenge in 2011 had faded enough to allow me to think that completing 72 holes in one day was, for some reason, not enough of a task. To that end, I threw down the gauntlet to the group that we could, with the right equipment, determination and a clear sky, play for a continuous 24 hour period and, as that would be a significant physical & mental wall for us to break through, we would be able to raise plenty of money for a worthy cause. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having selected <a href="http://www.oncoursefoundation.com/" target="_blank">On Course Foundation</a> as recipients of our charitable efforts, we set about planning the logistics, requirements & equipment for this mammoth effort. I have <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/they-think-it-all-over.html#more" target="_blank">previously documented</a> the outcome of the day, plus my thanks to all involved, but it's well worth a recap. Between the 9 of us we completed a cumulative 1039 holes in (5 minutes shy of) 24 hours, raising more than £8000 for the charity, which allowed 24 ex-services personnel to complete a 3-day golf tuition and skills workshop, preparing them for a future career in the golf industry. On behalf of the team, I wish the very best of fortune to all of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">July didn't really have much to write home about. I had the pleasure of another work trip to the US although, this time, there was no window for golf at all. Once into August, and the searing heat of summer, the days started to count down towards the third instalment of the mini-tour, this time heading south to Dale Hill & Chart Hills on the Sussex/Kent borders. We managed to secure a fine deal, encompassing accommodation, meals & golf, so trundled down to Dale Hill to kick off the tour on the Old Course. Having established that one of our party was going to be a late arrival (he actually missed the whole of day 1), we prepared for our tee times. A few hours (and many lost balls) later, we finished our round on the least inspiring of the three tracks we'd play that weekend. None of us played it particularly well, meaning there was all to play for going into round 2 at Chart Hills, especially due to our handicap adjustment rules. As some of us experienced</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> at Woodhall Spa in 2013, a poor round can provide a timely boost to your shot allocation for the following day - from a personal perspective, it meant the Nick Faldo designed course would be giving me 16 shots, a handicap I hadn't experienced for a number of years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quite unexpectedly, I played the best round of golf I have produced for quite a number of months, shooting a gross 79 (+7) & scooping up a mammoth 45 stableford points. Looking back at the scorecard, it was all the more remarkable considering the start I made, a pulled tee shot on the first leading to a very unpleasant triple bogey - quite where the run of form on the back 9 came from, I really don't know, but it was a hell of a lot of fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I was unable to continue the good play on Dale Hill's Woosnam course the next day, a colossal mental aberration - succumbing to the hero hazard - on the signature 17th enough to let my father-in-law back into the overall standings so he won on a count-back. A great trip, a great venue & a lot of fun - looking forward to where we end up in 2015.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I managed to play just one round in September and, given the paucity of quality, it hardly merits a mention - an ugly 86 at Wyboston Lakes (I quickly remembered why it had been nearly 10 years since I had played there), so attention turns swiftly to the golfing oasis in the autumn/winter desert, the <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/harey-cup-2014-preview.html" target="_blank">Harey Cup</a>. Having made a long-awaited return to the fold in 2013 at La Cala, the motley collection of hackers found themselves heading for Spain's Costa del Sol (the irony of that name wasn't lost on us) again, this time to the La Quinta resort. This venue has three 9-hole loops on site, giving us the prospect of (theoretically) playing each loop twice across the three rounds. In practice, this didn't happen - this was undoubtedly due to the weather, which was abysmally bad for Spain at that time of year, but also due to the somewhat village golfing operation that La Quinta run. In stark contrast to the slick efficiency displayed at La Cala, the team at La Quinta are not quite in the same league - uncertainty about tee times & courses being played, miscommunication about restarting after a weather delay & waiting for buggies (and their keys) are just three examples of issues you simply don't expect at a 5* resort. Nice courses, nice hotel - slightly shabby operation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the details of what happened at La Quinta - the Miracle of Marbella - <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2014_10_01_archive.html" target="_blank">click here</a> for a read. It's still too painful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there we are - that was 2014's golfing year. Some extraordinary highlights, some of which are destined never to be matched, let alone beaten. I wait with bated breath to discover what 2015 might bring</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span><br />
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The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-83793800338437967232015-01-12T15:19:00.003+00:002015-01-12T15:19:46.656+00:002014 - my golfing year pt1<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in January, I had committed my <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/2014-golfing-year-ahead.html" target="_blank">thoughts to blog</a> about what the golfing year would have in store for me. Now, re-reading that entry, some 11 months later, it's interesting to see what transpired and, as I will outline here, how many great things happened that could not have been predicted. I hope you enjoy reading it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My golfing year actually started earlier than I had anticipated, thanks to the demands of a new job. I inherited a global team and, as a result, paid some of the folks in the US a visit. As the itinerary of the trip fell into place, it became apparent that I would be spending Masters weekend across the pond. Clearly, with the weather looking half-decent (brilliant, as it turned out) and Virgin Atlantic still willing to transport your bats gratis, it was inevitable that I would be getting some golf in that weekend. Only questions would be where and, more importantly, with whom?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having previously declared a desire to improve my Twitter-followers-I-have-met-in-real-life ratio, and having discovered that weekend was when Bethpage Black opened for the season, I threw out a casual invite to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mctwentytwo" target="_blank">Herb McNally</a> to see if he wanted to get together. For some strange reason, the prospect of a 4hr drive, followed by an equivalent queue in a pitch-black car park, to play golf with a near-total stranger didn't appeal, so I briefly toyed with the (hugely antisocial) idea of repeating my solo sojourn of 2012 and play Bethpage again, before suggesting that we find somewhere halfway between our respective bases. Herb was quick to suggest <a href="http://www.broadrungc.com/" target="_blank">Broad Run GC</a>, a bucket list course of his own, located about an hour west of Philadelphia and eminently accessible for both of us (if you are willing to count a three-train, four-hour schlep at 5am as accessible...which I do). The date was set and would become a bit like a blind date, the two of us being joined by Courtney Wolpert (Herb's better half) and Matt Salmon, a local Twitter connection. Herb & Courtney met me off the train for the short drive to the golf club and, blessed with unseasonably warm weather, four pairs of knees came out to play. What followed was one of the most enjoyable days I have experienced on a golf course, our lack of golfing prowess easily forgotten due to the quality of the company. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am also forever grateful for the post-golf/pre-train refreshments which certainly helped pass the journey back to NY...and quite a bit of Sunday too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Grasp every opportunity. No regrets. Say yes. All of these mantras were running through my head when the opportunity - the perfect, couldn't have planned it better, once in a lifetime opportunity - came up to take a small detour, en route to a work conference, to experience a half-decent pay & play course on the Californian coast. You may have heard of this course before - it's called Pebble Beach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having committed to the idea of a day in Monterey, I did experience a momentary wobble when faced with the financial reality, plus I had also received whisperings that Spyglass Hill, for example, is actually a better course to play than its more famous neighbour. Despite the barriers to playing, I felt it was an opportunity I had to take, or risk regretting it forever and a day. So, how did I go about making this a reality?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had read about how difficult it was to secure a tee time, especially if you aren't a resort resident (at $800 a night, I'll pass thanks) - the website explains how tee times can be secured only 24hrs in advance and this, logistically, presented me with a bit of a challenge. I would be arriving in LA, and available to make a phone call, late the previous day, which meant I would be risking being committed to a Monterey flight with no PB golf at the end of it. I could have booked a tee time at Spyglass (open 2 weeks before) but I wouldn't have been able to cancel this on arrival in the US. Hmm - tricky...what to do? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best solution I could muster was to simply ring them up, a week ahead of the trip, turn on the English gentlemanly charm and ask if I can book a tee time...to which they said yes! Ok - now the reality bit home. I previously thought my Loch Lomond trip was pricey, but I'd just chumped $500 on a green fee...which was non refundable and my attendance was in the hands of a Sunday morning flight leaving on time and baggage handlers at LAX doing their thing. Gulp.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully, logistics all went smoothly (though the descent into Monterey airport is best described as 'aggressive'), and I enjoyed a leisurely spin along 17 Mile Drive to the #1 public golf course in the world. I had time to take in the atmosphere, hit some balls on the range and warm up the putter before go time, grouped with a father/son pair and another solo player, we were ready to take it on. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hugely relieved to get a good tee shot away - the smattering of polite applause from the assembled groups & spectators made it all the more special a moment.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, my round was steady, if unspectacular. I redeemed a certain level of pride, stringing together three pars on the final three holes to salvage a gross 90 - considering the jet lag, the travelling that morning and the absurd amount of coffee I had drunk, it wasn't too bad. What of the course itself? Did it live up to its billing? Was it the greatest golfing experience of my life? Well, I am absolutely delighted to have ticked it off the list, playing considerably better than I did at Bethpage and Loch Lomond as a bonus, that's for sure. Would I do it again? Probably not - I believe playing at Pebble is a one-time thing - it'll be Spyglass next time then...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, having blown the GDP of a small island nation on the Pebble Experience, what else could May possibly have in store worthy of documentation here? It's the annual pilgrimage to Southport for the Invitation at Royal Birkdale - keen to banish the memory of administrative errors that prevented an inevitable march to victory in 2013, Mark & I took our preparation incredibly seriously, with a (beautifully constructed) practice round the day before, followed by range & putting sessions prior to the off. We were confident. We were composed. We were...absolutely knackered. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Peaking too soon' is, I think, the right expression for this outcome, our fine play from the day before completely deserting us both, allowing Simon & Nick, our playing partners for the day, to dish out a comprehensive gubbing. Cue much banter & merriment over the post-round beverages, obviously. Despite the abject crapulence of my golf, it was a fantastic couple of days, the course bathed in summer sunshine, with the added experience of a Royal Birkdale club dinner to boot. Thanks chaps - we'll get you back in 2015.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2014 was nearly halfway through and there was still more to come - to break up the heavyweight text, I'll tackle the rest of the year in part 2 of this review of my golfing year. Stay tuned....</span></div>
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The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-80463995880427304532014-10-12T17:28:00.001+01:002015-01-12T15:20:20.548+00:00Harey Cup 2014 - Day 3<div dir="ltr">
A relatively subdued Saturday night out in one of Marbella's finest tapas restaurants (best patatas bravas in Spain, allegedly) was, quite literally, the calm before the storm. I must have written a million times that superlatives are very easily overused, but 'biblical' wouldn't really do justice to the volume of water dumped on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of Sunday morning.</div>
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The gladiators awoke to a sound akin to not only the four apocalyptic horsemen, but their mates & tennis partners too. Surely, the prospect of any golf being played, at least in the timeframes required for homeward travel was, much like Geoff's appetite, pretty thin.</div>
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As it turned out, the gods were clearly golfers, the rain pausing for long enough that we might get underway, behind schedule by a mere 15-20 minutes. This good fortune would dissipate rather rapidly, drops of rain falling steadily from the 3rd hole until the world fell out of the sky whilst we were playing the par-5 5th. The sheer volume of water meant play was impossible and, after waiting around for nigh on an hour, the decision was made to drive in, sparking much debate about the impact on the tournament & the destination of the Harey Cup.</div>
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The enforced break allowed for a refuelling stop - club sandwiches for most and, tellingly in the context of the results that followed, carbonara pasta for a chosen few. None of the bedraggled athletes knew the impact that split-second culinary decision would have.</div>
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Further debate ensued about the wiseness of trying to restart, but the cessation of the rain had allowed the course to make a miraculous recovery, so much so that it was easily playable some 30 minutes before we all eventually returned to our balls and resumed the matches. The decision was taken to shorten the final day to 9 holes, leaving some players in challenging situations but, for pyrrhical prevention for the winning team, it was the right call. This is what happened.</div>
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Match 1: Phil vs Simon<br />
This match actually started behind matches 2 & 3, playing through on the short second once the logistical & plumbing issues had been sorted out by Simon. It's fair to say that the quality of golf on display was 'not high', both players trying their hardest to secure a vital point whilst battling to avoid the ignominy of taking home the wooden spoon (& the honour of organising the 2015 trip). Simon eventually triumphed 3&2.</div>
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Cup score: Team Spy 4 - Team Tom 3</div>
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Match 2: Geoff vs Tom<br />
Tom started off hitting some really nice iron shots but struggled on & around the greens. Despite this, Tom found himself the beneficiary of an unfortunate clerical error by his opponent on the 1st to take an early lead. After a sense of normality on #2, Geoff taking the hole with a regulation par, Tom strung 4 nice shots together on the 3rd for a gross par, 4 stableford points and restoration of the 1-hole lead. The enforced break did not turn out well for Tom where his own clerical error meant he ate a club sandwich instead of carbonara (a pasta dish of seemingly magical powers). Tom never got going again, Geoff's consistent pars and bogeys sufficient to conclude the match on the 8th by a 3&1 margin. Tom's only consolation for not contributing any points to his team was the pleasing symmetry of 6 stableford points and 6 lost balls.</div>
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Cup score: Team Spy 5 - Team Tom 3</div>
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Match 3: James vs Nick<br />
In the eagerly anticipated clash of the equally low handicappers, James was after a hat-trick of points and a first 100% Harey Cup return, whereas Nick was not only trying to win a vital point for Team Tom but (in the much-bantered absence of brother Julian) was also defending his family name at the top of the golfing pile. James got the match underway and drew first blood, a fine up & down from the greenside rough being too strong for a ball that had visited a hedge, rough and sand. A bizarre incident occurred on the par-3 2nd, a moment many a sports psychologist would describe as pivotal. In practicing for a birdie putt, James brushed the ball, meaning his 25-footer was now to save par. Two strokes later and the hole was halved, the missed opportunity to double his lead undoubtedly contributing to his car-crash golf on holes 3, 4 & 5 immediately before the rain-enforced delay. A narrow half on the short 6th meant James was up against it over the remaining three holes and, after a ridiculously long drive on the next hole, Nick's excellent par was enough to take the point 3&2 for Team Tom.</div>
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Cup score: Team Spy 4 - Team Tom 4</div>
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Match 4: Richie vs Charlie<br />
Charlie was looking to rediscover his Friday form, restore some pride after Saturday's battering and maintain his 100% record in Sunday singles; Richie was still feeling the effects of Friday's gangnam-style night out and was far from his best. As it turned out, the threat of lost balls was the decisive influence, Richie battling to secure the Harey Cup with a win on the 5th yet putting 2 deep into the cabbage on the 7th swinging the match back in Charlie's favour. <u>A</u> half on the tough par-5 8th was enough to take the victory for Tom's team of miracle workers 2&1.</div>
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Cup score: Team Spy 4 - Team Tom 5</div>
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Match 5: Andy vs Mark<br />
Mark started strongly in his quest to end six years of singles hurt for the Southport man, taking advantage of any error offered up by Andy, both sides of the storm break, to guarantee a half point on the 6th green. In sight of the chequered flag, like so many things over the weekend, Mark's memories of previous defeats came surging through him, as Andy won the long 7th to keep the match alive. Standing on the 8th tee, with a 100yd carry over water, Mark was shaking like the proverbial shitting dog. The o/b tee shot had a certain inevitability about it, although the outcome of the hole, & indeed the match, was far from certain. Sure enough, Mark found himself relying on Andy to miss a gimme-length putt to take an unexpected, yet ultimately vital, match-winning, point for Team Tom.</div>
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Mark won 2&1</div>
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Cup score: Team Spy 4 - Team Tom 6</div>
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Team Tom win the Harey Cup & complete the Miracle of Marbella</div>
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No trip like this is possible without its participants and, most importantly of all, its organiser. Hats off to Tom for an excellent choice of golfing venue.</div>
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I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-60055824249014063562014-10-12T07:35:00.001+01:002015-01-12T15:20:28.981+00:00Harey Cup 2014 - day 2<div dir="ltr">
The morning after the night before. The previous evening was a distant memory for (most of) the touring party when the sun crept over the mountains to signal the second day of the Harey Cup.<br />
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How would today's golf compare to Friday? Would anyone be suffering after-effects of a hard night of drinking/lack of sleep/both? Thankfully, at least, the weather was perfect for the whole day, allowing us to focus on the game in hand.</div>
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In Match 1, James took on Charlie. Having witnessed some fine golf from him the previous day, James was wary of overconfidence around delivering a point for Team Spy. As it transpired, Charlie managed to lose balls on the opening two holes, handing James a lead which ultimately would not be relinquished. Wayward golf from James around the turn, coupled with a glimmer of Charlie's Friday form, briefly threatened a comeback, until one visit to the foliage too many, followed by some par-3 trouble, meant handshakes on the 14th green on a 5&4 win for James.</div>
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In Match 2, Richie clearly suffered the after-effects of a late night (or was it an early morning?) on Friday &, unfortunately, Phil's new putter was not enough weaponry alone to prevent a defeat to Nick & Mark. Nick did continue his opening tee shot form, carving one wildly away from its intended line to hand an initiative to Team Spy but, once the hangover had fully subsided, the superior golf from Team Tom led to handhakes on the tough par-3 15th for a 4&3 win.</div>
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In Match 3, there was a similar late night/early morning contributing factor to the end result, Andy & Geoff coming from 2 down stood on the 15th tee to beat Simon & Tom 2-up. With the benefit of hindsight, Simon's pre-golf glass of red might not have been the best warm-up method to employ. That said, Geoff found his form on the back nine, shooting level par gross which is tricky to beat, hungover or not.</div>
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So, a day which had a distinct possibility of bringing the two teams level ended up with a vital 4-2 lead for Team Spy and one hand on the coveted Harey Cup. One wonders if the smell of victory will turn into a whiff of overconfidence...?</div>
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I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-53838814977092687502014-10-11T08:51:00.001+01:002015-01-12T15:20:36.944+00:00Harey Cup 2014 - day 1<div dir="ltr">
It's here. After many weeks of anticipation, build-up and excitement, 10 intrepid golfers were ready to take on whatever challenges La Quinta could throw at them. The 2014 Harey Cup was underway.</div>
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Much speculation had surrounded the all-important running order so, once the whole party had arrived late on Thursday night, the matches were announced ahead of Friday's play.</div>
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In Match 1, Richie (2013 losing captain and keeper of spreadsheets), representing Team Spy, took on Mark from Team Tom. Richie started strongly and was 3 up after 4. It then fell apart a bit, Mark playing very solidly to win the next two holes and peg Richie back. </div>
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The last three holes of the front nine were tight but, with some characteristically wayward play from both, the lead remained slender at the turn. With the bit between his teeth, Richie accelerated to reopen a three-hole lead and, despite Mark battling back, the inclement weather didn't help matters and Richie eventually triumphed 3&2 to get the first point for Team Spy.</div>
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Match 2, the first of the fourball games, saw James & Andy renew their golfing acquaintance for Team Spy against Charlie and captain Tom. Tom started very strongly with back-to-back pars, taking advantage of sloppy hungover play from Andy & James to be 3-up after 3 holes. A turning point was the 5th, both Charlie and Tom leaving tee shots short of the red tees, resulting in short droppage. Andy's fine par on that long par-5 sparked the fightback; a near ace from James on the short 6th followed by two straight pars brought the match back to all square. </div>
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Despite good golf from Andy & James after the weather turned for the worse, the lead was never more than 2 holes and fine play from Charlie on the 15th threatened to make the final holes nervous for Team Spy until James drained a birdie on the 17th to guarantee a half point. The long par 5 final hole was too much for the high handicappers, a par from James securing a 2-hole win.</div>
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In the third & final match, debutant Geoff carried captain Phil against Nick (obviously) and Simon (Immodium's marquee signing for the tour). Nick decided his opening tee shot from last year's singles was a benchmark to aim for, an ugly shank leading to an early lead for Team Spy. With Geoff playing solidly, Nick struggling for rhythm and Simon still suffering from the night before, Phil's lack of participation wasn't really a problem, the match ebbing & flowing around a 1-hole lead. Phil found some form on the back nine, coincidentally at the same time that the driver & hybrid were locked away to ensure a tense finish. Simon shook off the bowel issues to nearly drive the green on the 300yd 16th followed by Nick pipping James to the nearest the pin on the 17th. Luckily for him, the failure to convert the birdie chance wasn't costly and the match was all square on the final tee. Geoff's luck ran out on the last hole and, having not let the earlier club breakage affect his play, it was left to Phil to keep the game alive. An aggressively celebrated putt forced Nick or Simon to hole out and, under some considerable pressure, Nick drained his Dennis Wise to secure a point and prevent a whitewash for Team Spy.</div>
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So, as predicted by your author, a 2-1 lead for Team Spy and the contest is very much alive...unlike many of the team this morning after last night's excursion to Puerto Banus. Day 2 awaits and, thankfully, afternoon tee times to allow the requisite recovery.</div>
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I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-30474918151532157252014-10-06T13:31:00.002+01:002014-10-06T13:31:16.698+01:002013 Harey Cup memories<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a bit of a play with a new video app and I put together a little collection of snapshots from the 2013 Harey Cup at La Cala Resort, Spain. Enjoy...</span><br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6ZIMfkz_WRQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/6ZIMfkz_WRQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/6ZIMfkz_WRQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-63297040076983450192014-10-03T14:36:00.000+01:002014-10-03T14:40:45.408+01:00Harey Cup 2014 - preview<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One week. Just seven short days until the Harey Cup starts for the seventh time of asking so I thought I would do a little preview of what's to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the second successive year, the competition returns to Spanish soil - the Costa del Golf and the fabulous </span><a href="http://www.laquintagolf.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Melia La Quinta Resort</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, just a short drive from Puerto Banus. After the luxury enjoyed at La Cala Resort in 2013, the bar was set extremely high and it would seem that Tom Walker, the 2013 wooden spoon winner (& therefore organiser for this year), has made a fine choice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The resort, in addition to a spa & 5* hotel, has a trio of 9-hole courses which, over the three days of white-hot competitive golf, will give us three different combinations of 18 holes - studying the course planners would indicate a premium on accuracy rather than length, with villas, trees & lakes in close proximity. I hope the residents have kept up their insurance payments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/harey-cup-2013-day-3.html" target="_blank">2013</a> saw Matt Hughan lead his team to a comfortable 7-4 victory over Richie Munro & his crew, Julian Hare donning the green jacket for best individual performance. For 2014, a mixture of perennial attendees, returning heroes and new blood promises to deliver a barnstorming battle to take not only the coveted trophy but the sacred sartorial honours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The full 2014 line-up is as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Team Spy</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Captain - Phil Clayton</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU28dWwwj8B5IqWBgZZDgnfuoN6qGsc16mljhTtFriwPYEp5ZfhjQL0XWMz9zl32GeO4njVVNOpKnvA4ywkwMqdDmTNn_bBH0FDwCkg5wWG6Ymv-BFEp1UzFJaB-D_IiVTq9R20k7Yvp7Z/s1600/20131026_153403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU28dWwwj8B5IqWBgZZDgnfuoN6qGsc16mljhTtFriwPYEp5ZfhjQL0XWMz9zl32GeO4njVVNOpKnvA4ywkwMqdDmTNn_bBH0FDwCkg5wWG6Ymv-BFEp1UzFJaB-D_IiVTq9R20k7Yvp7Z/s1600/20131026_153403.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andy Hedges - m</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aking a welcome second HC appearance, Andrew will be keen to avoid a repeat of his underwear-revealing 2013 debut. Will the lesson at The Buckinghamshire have made all the difference? Will he be paired with James? Will he have a fresh wardrobe? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 21</span></div>
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HC record: P3 W1 H0 L2</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Geoff Sammons - o</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ne of two debutants this year, the Belfast resident slots straight in at the top of the handicap charts and brings a fine game honed on the fairways of Berkshire. As a family man, many wonder whether Geoffrey will hack the pace of the apres-golf celebrations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 7</span></div>
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HC record: Debut</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Wheeler - a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> member of the inaugural 2008 event, 2013 saw a welcome return which, after a 5 year absence for the big left-hander, culminated in securing the winning point for Team Matt. Previous HC form points to a problem with Day 2 - critics have identified the volume of alcohol consumed after Day 1 as being a potential contributing factor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P6 W3 H0 L3</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phil Clayton - t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he fearless leader of men. The shining light that others will follow. The golfing superstar whose ability to (eventually) find the fairway defies the physical machinations of his swing. By securing 9th place on his 2013 bow, Philip was bestowed the honour of leading a team at La Quinta.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 32</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P3 W1 H0 L2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie Munro - </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">winner of 2012's wooden spoon, organiser & the losing captain of 2013, Richard makes a return to the ranks, ready to unleash his HC-friendly handicap & defend his outrageous 60% win ratio.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 21</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P15 W9 H0 L6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Team Tom</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Captain - Tom Walker</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWLQNk4DIVRsqM3DnzYdYIBAqSXasnTEuTMtN3gO0N-3m32IggdXU5J4rCkLMzWsrIVitHPCA6fdDPbAQXkps88fszohyXXAI4Wc84MqKbzCTQwK-2YHIawzimsDKz1NSRwwJNa859B4l/s1600/IMG-20131027-WA0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWLQNk4DIVRsqM3DnzYdYIBAqSXasnTEuTMtN3gO0N-3m32IggdXU5J4rCkLMzWsrIVitHPCA6fdDPbAQXkps88fszohyXXAI4Wc84MqKbzCTQwK-2YHIawzimsDKz1NSRwwJNa859B4l/s1600/IMG-20131027-WA0006.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charlie Parker - official kit supplier to the Harey Cup, Charles was able to secure a morale-boosting win last year against his own 2014 captain. How will that simmering resentment affect team morale?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 28</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P3 W1 H0 L2</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark Schofield - one of two perennial attendees, Scho will be hoping his Rickie Fowler-esque shoes, clothes & bag won't result in a continuation of his Rickie Fowler-esque HC form. A 33% win ratio is disappointing for someone with such experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 13</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P18 W6 H3 L9</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCXXf6IIcRZ56fy2lYiLscjdv2Z90R4yoFVvxne6fSEZ9XMR4wyyyOIuRfbWqpTi1V87cd1r-6nnpjIMpEzM-055eABrLZbDew0fQY6umZWanZve2rcpmpnDq1evRmH-RMRjpYux1J8tH/s1600/20131024_184918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCXXf6IIcRZ56fy2lYiLscjdv2Z90R4yoFVvxne6fSEZ9XMR4wyyyOIuRfbWqpTi1V87cd1r-6nnpjIMpEzM-055eABrLZbDew0fQY6umZWanZve2rcpmpnDq1evRmH-RMRjpYux1J8tH/s1600/20131024_184918.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick (L) shows his brotherly love</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nick Hare - c</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hairman, founder & ever-present attendee, Nicholas had the event named after him. Commentators wonder if the absence, for the first time in HC history, of his (more talented) younger brother will provide the opportunity for him to relax. Boasting a Justin Rose-esque win ratio of 61%, he is certainly the scalp for which Team Spy will be gunning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 10 pesos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P18 W11 H3 L4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simon Mogford - t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he second HC virgin, Moggas brings a great game, new weaponry and a wardrobe consisting of only the finest garments available from the Royal Birkdale pro shop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Tom Walker - the reigning wooden spoon holder, Thomas has demonstrated organisational & planning skills far in excess of anything displayed in the golf course. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handicap: 30</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HC record: P12 W4 H0 L8</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there are the runners & riders. An evenly balanced match up where the victors will, the bookies feel, be decided by the narrowest of margins. The form guide makes it tricky to back one team over the other, two top-class debutants helping to cloud the decision-making process.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It promises to be an excellent event - stay tuned for the daily match reports next week.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span>
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The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-86959334568286514822014-09-10T13:59:00.000+01:002014-09-10T13:59:06.224+01:00It's very quiet...too quietI've offered more than one of these half-arsed apologies about lack of blog-tivity in the past, so it's high time for another.<br />
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I've been pretty busy - work, family, work, holidays. And some work.<br />
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A bit of golf has been played since the culmination of the golfathon in mid-June, including an extremely enjoyable three days in the garden of England, taking in the two courses at Dale Hill as well as Chart Hills.<br />
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Whilst I certainly didn't threaten any record books at Dale Hill, I did manage to break 80 for the first time in more than a year at Chart Hills - it was a thoroughly enjoyable round and would have been even more impressive had I not kicked off with a fugly triple, not to mention the two doubles for good measure<br />
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What's coming up? Well, as documented in great depth last year, I am just four weeks away from the next instalment of the Harey Cup - Spain is, again, the country of choice; <a href="http://www.laquintagolf.com/" target="_blank">La Quinta</a>, near Puerto Banus (that bastion of taste & elegance) the venue for four days of white-hot Ryder Cup-style golf...plus some beers.<br />
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More to follow on this extravaganza in due course.<br />
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I am the Part-Time GolferThe Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-20383003495045860902014-06-19T08:14:00.001+01:002015-01-12T15:46:19.131+00:00They think it's all over...<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After many months of planning, changes to format, personnel and even location, the great charity golfathon of 2014 is finished. Having had a few days to recover and reflect on what happened, it's now time to share a summary of events.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 4.45am</b> - Ringmer, East Sussex. Daylight pierces through a gap in the curtains, stirring your author from his much-needed slumber. A glance at the clock and the realisation dawns that today is the day - 5hrs sleep isn't the best preparation for what lies ahead. After scrambled eggs, toast & coffee, we're ready to get it on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 6.55am</b> - Mid Sussex GC. We arrive at the golf club to find a car park filling up and other members of Never Up Never In getting prepared for the off. Supplies, spare clothes & tents are moved from cars to buggy for the transfer to the halfway hut, our base camp for the next 24hrs. Golf gear is organised; suncream is liberally applied & drinks are collected - we are almost ready to go golfing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 7.38am</b>. The three groups had taken their places on tees 4, 6 & 8, ready for the blast of the shotgun* to signal the time to get going. The clock ticked over to 7.40am - one swift swish of the driver, a click of metal on polyurethane & the ball traced an all-to-familiar path from tee to cabbage and we were underway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*there was no actual shotgun, disappointingly</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 10.14am</b>. Your author's group found themselves leaving the 3rd green, the first 18 holes having been completed in a brisk 2hrs 34 mins, and made their way, creatively avoiding the building traffic, to the 8th tee in order to maintain some pace and avoid waiting. Could this pace be maintained as the day went on? Er, no.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the promise of being granted courtesy of the course, and members being notified of our presence, it became apparent that our searing pace of play was as unfamiliar as it was unexpected. Whilst the vast majority of groups encountered were supportive & accommodating, allowing us to play through without impediment, it was a shame to come across some who were less than enthusiastic about our endeavours and, indeed, our creativity when it came to keeping moving and avoiding hold-ups.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What lifted the mood somewhat was the arrival of Mark Walters, an OCF member from Folkestone, who had the intention of playing 18 holes with us. He rotated between the three groups and actually stuck it out until well after 7pm, getting through more than 50 holes, which is incredibly impressive for someone with 'one foot in the grave'. It made a real difference to the day to meet someone who has personally benefitted from the help that OCF provide - we all wish Mark all the best in his quest to make the GB team for the forthcoming Simpson Cup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 2.54pm</b>. Fast forward a few hours and, stepping on to the 9th tee, your author's group prepared to play our 49th hole with the prize of a bowl of nourishing pasta & a Guinness awaiting us at the clubhouse. Getting round the course in the way we had, jumping ahead of slower groups and avoiding traffic jams, was a strange feeling to get used to, particularly the repetition of certain holes and, due to the layout, not playing other holes as much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 5.20pm</b>. Having had a slightly longer break than planned, it was nearly 4pm before we got going again and, with the traffic issue failing to dissipate, our group chose to divert to the 13-18 loop after playing the 1st, bringing a sense of deja vu as we returned to the 1st tee just 80 mins later, having completed 56 holes. It would be fair to say that the quality of golf on display was starting to drop, the day rapidly moving towards the process of attrition that the overnight spell would inevitably become. Niggling aches & pains started to be more noticeable; each retrieval of ball from hole slower than the previous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 6.30pm</b>. The sight of the halfway hut behind the 7th green, as we came to the end of our 63rd hole, was even more welcome than it had been in any of the preceding 11 hours, knowing that our tired legs would shortly receive salvation at the hands of Rachel & Bill from <a href="http://www.equilibrium-clinic.com/" target="_blank">Equilibrium</a> in Lewes. When informed of the plan that we would have sports masseurs available, I will admit to being a tad dismissive of the requirement. I now stand corrected, as it was a godsend. Thank you both for your help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 7.10pm</b>. Having hauled ourselves back on our feet after our massages, forced aching feet back into increasingly heavy golf shoes and got ourselves going again, it was tough to find ourselves back on the 2nd tee for what felt like the twentieth time (traffic on the 8th forcing a detour). Soldiering on, we knew we were within touching distance of our previous milestone, the 72 holes completed on the Macmillan Longest Day in 2011 and, putting out on the 10th green, the clock ticking past 8.30pm, we found ourselves in uncharted territory. How would the bodies, minds & swings cope with the fact that we were only just over halfway through our available time? How slow would the golf be overnight? Would anyone drop out? The answers to all these questions, and more, were soon to be revealed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Thursday 12 June - 9.50pm</b>. The sun had set, the last few dregs of daylight helping the final group find their way along the 18th hole and a well-earned break. As the 9 of us sat down outside the clubhouse in the gathering darkness, tucking into our freshly-delivered pizzas and ice-cold beers (an athlete's dinner), we reflected on what had gone before. Your author's group led the line with 80 holes completed; the other two groups were a little behind with 70 & 69 done but we were all safe in the knowledge that, even with an hour's rest, we still had nearly 9 hours of playing time left. Armed with that information, the group practically leapt* out of their chairs to prepare for the night shift - glow sticks had been diligently added to tee boxes, hazards and flagsticks by the last group and so, once everyone had got their balls glowing, we were ready to step into the unknown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*it was a <i>desperately </i>slow process, with <u>lots</u> of groaning</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had decided, in the interests of pace of play & proximity to base camp, to focus our night golf on a loop of five holes - 1, 8, 11, 12 & 13 - which provided a mix of two par-3s and three mid-length par-4s and were also practical to tackle when the longest club being used was a 7-iron. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Friday 13 June - 02.10am</b>. After starting with night balls that glowed after being struck, we soon discovered that price doesn't necessarily equal quality, the balls failing one after another to leave us using Glowballs. Our initial misgivings about a ball which required 'charging up' by shining a torch on it, soon gave way to satisfaction about the performance & feel off the club. A top tip - if anyone out there wants to do something similar, use Glowballs as they're really quite good. As the night progressed, we all felt our bodies starting to protest that much louder until, much to our disappointment, Ash declared himself done after completing 100 holes. This then presented Pete & I with a number of challenges, not least motivational & the reliance on each other for conversation. Nevertheless, we soldiered on, even when discovering that the other 6 players had also decided to rest their legs at base camp for the remainder of the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Friday 13 June - 03.45am</b>. The first chinks of daylight had started to filter across the tree line to the east of the course and, as the sun crept closer to breaching said trees and flood the course, the decision was made to switch from night balls to regular Srixons for the final push. Your author's & his remaining partner had steadfastly refused to yield to growing fatigue, continuing to bunt the ball around the course (finding the same bunkers with alarming regularity) but making steady progress. In all, we completed 35 holes during the roughly 5 hours of darkness we negotiated which, all things considered, is a fairly fresh pace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we came back past base camp, having tackled 114 holes, we discussed strategy with the others and decided we had a practical window of 3.5 hours to make a lunge for the line and get a final, regularly-ordered 18 holes in before our deadline of 07.40am. One last charge-up of drinks, snacks and Nivea (for a sore arse, in case you were wondering) and it was game time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Friday 13 June - 07.35am</b>. At last, the final hole is here. Having accepted that it would be unfeasible to dash back to the 18th tee and get another hole done in time, we walked down our 133rd hole with a huge sense of satisfaction, tinged with a hint of absolute agony & biblical fatigue, that we had achieved what we set out to achieve. We knew the other teams had all done 112 holes each so, even with Ash being forced to stop, we were comfortably beyond our 1000 hole threshold. It's fair to say the final tee shots weren't particularly brilliant but, frankly, we didn't really care. There was great relief when the final ball hit the bottom of the cup and we could shake hands & celebrate the achievement of the group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must say a huge thank you to Lee at <a href="http://www.midsussexgolfclub.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mid-Sussex GC</a> for all his help in getting this challenge off the ground; to Mark Walters for sticking with us and keeping our spirits up; to Gavin for his patience & fortitude throughout; to all the sponsors, friends & family without whom none of this would have been possible; to Pete, Ash, Peako, Aggy, Pughy, Simon, Murray & Graham - thank you for being equally idiotic in agreeing to complete this challenge. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1039 holes completed by 9 golfers in 23 hours and 55 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That'll do, gents. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That'll do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span></div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-81272945300237268802014-06-05T12:44:00.001+01:002014-06-06T11:23:32.448+01:00Golfathon 2014 - The Final Countdown<p dir="ltr">The clock is ticking. The wait is almost over. We are into the final week before the start of what is probably the greatest golfing challenge in the history of the world, EVER.</p>
<p dir="ltr">OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but it's certainly fair to say that what we are taking on is no mean feat, especially as we have got closer to the kick off and the reality of what we are attempting becomes apparent.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The major piece of news follows on from the last entry, and concerns the discovery of a clash at one of the venues. After some careful consideration & discussion, we took the decision to abandon the plan of having a Team Bedfordshire and bring that team together with the other two groups at Mid Sussex GC, so we will be all in one location.  This was not an easy decision to make and I will always be grateful for the support, interest and involvement of Julie at Colmworth GC but, in the circumstances, it was absolutely the right call to make. Habing experienced the Macmillan Longest Day challenge in 2011, I certainly wouldn't have enjoyed that if we had been 'sharing the billing' with another group, regardless of their goals and fundraising activities - with that in mind, we thought it best that we secure the collaboration & camerarderie of having all three teams together by clearing the path for the folks at Colmworth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Equipment needs have largely been met, the final shopping list discussed this morning and the logistics of getting us all together are basically there. I will be trying to source some last-minute additions to the stash whilst in New York this week but I think we are pretty much sorted.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We are also pleased to receive confirmation from On Course Foundation that one of their members, Mark Walters, will be joining us from 10am on Thursday. It will be a humbling experience to play golf with this man and hear some first-hand details about the work that the charity do for these folks. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Finally, the regular sponsorship beg - we continue to make solid progress towards our target but there is, as ever, a long way to go and we need every penny we can get. Please, if you can spare anything at all we would be eternally grateful - <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> is the link. Thank you.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If anything else crops up between now and Thursday, I'll be sure to let you know. Wish us luck.<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-63573537111440913442014-05-31T06:59:00.001+01:002014-05-31T06:59:06.846+01:00Weekly golfathon update - <2 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">I did give you fair warning that there was a good chance the regularity of updates would fade as time went on - it's been nearly two weeks since the last entry and, with the event creeping ever closer, it's time for some more info.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Main news has been the astonishing progress made on sponsorship, particularly in the last 48 hours. Having ambled along our 'Road to £10k' since kicking off the requests for cash, there was a genuine concern that we might fall embarrassingly short. Thankfully, those fears are proving to be unfounded, due to the generosity and willingness of so many people to dip into theit pockets and support this fabulous cause. </p>
<p dir="ltr">A flurry of individual donations took us through the £1000 barrier early on Thursday, followed by the first of the matched funding pledges from team member's employers. I must say a massive thank you to the folks at Santander and Legal & General for their extraordinary donations which, along with further individual support has pushed us very close to the £4000 mark. We are all so grateful for everyone who has donated although we still have a long way to go to hit the target! The fundraising page is <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> and anything you can spare goes a long way. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The other news is publicity - I would also like to thank <a href="http://www.emacoustics.co.uk">EM Acoustics</a>, the excellent loudspeaker manufacturer, who very kindly provided us with somewhere in the region of 1000 professional flyers to hand out & post through letterboxes. The folks who run EM have been great supporters of my absurd charity golfing ventures and their generosity on this occasion is fantastic - thanks! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Now on to the topic of practice - since our 27 hole get-together at Farnham Park a couple of weeks ago, little has happened from a personal perspective until right now, where I am midway through a two day, two round trip to Royal Birkdale. With (yet another) trip to the US due next week, this represents the last chance for any semblance of practice before the off. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Ah.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyhoo, the Sussex folks took it upon themselves, having had a second 27 hole day immediately after ours, to get some night golf practice in on Thursday. The feedback was that it was an 'interesting' experience, made all the more challenging with the lack of glow sticks on the flags and, additionally, glowing & flashing balls that didn't - or at least, not for very long. Some equipment challenges to test us to the very last minute then.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The final thought for this entry is a bit of a dilemma (a rhetorical one really - please don't write in) - I discovered late yesterday that, on the same day as the golfathon, there will be another group completing the Macmillan Longest Day challenge (72 holes in the one day) at Colmworth GC. I don't believe there will be a logistical problem in terms of getting in each other's way, but I am concerned about the impact on the attention & awareness that having two golfing marathons running simultaneously will have. I have put this situation to the while team and, interestingly, there is a groundswell of opinion towards bringing all three teams together in the one venue in Sussex.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Clearly there is a logistical hurdle or three to overcome (not least the publicity associated with Colmworth and not wanting this potential change to come across as a dummy-spit) but it's an unexpected topic to mull over and, even after sleeping on it last night, I am no clearer in my mind or nearer to a decision about what to do.<br></p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJ7FRi3kH-M0y_Xz_huBc54uIvKIBEUom6znfxrf88WAGzX96BvMcJ_fVROEkAN6YXAM1XIuDKnjCR_m-jS9vN7IWEoe-K8yGA1WfdctG3qusJbsDKpQkejZN7hxocD9dhOEZbcCgqbtn/s1600/20140529_204220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJ7FRi3kH-M0y_Xz_huBc54uIvKIBEUom6znfxrf88WAGzX96BvMcJ_fVROEkAN6YXAM1XIuDKnjCR_m-jS9vN7IWEoe-K8yGA1WfdctG3qusJbsDKpQkejZN7hxocD9dhOEZbcCgqbtn/s640/20140529_204220.jpg"> </a> </div>The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-76311257643800612092014-05-19T06:58:00.000+01:002014-05-19T16:25:00.041+01:00Weekly golfathon countdown - 3.5 weeks to go<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet again I have failed in my self-flagellatory task of maintaining a weekly update for the blog, so this is a bumper two-and-a-half week edition!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OK, fine, so it'll be pretty much the same as all the others, just more than a fortnight since the last one. Stop whining, for feck's sake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nutshell update: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sponsorship has a bloody long way to go, corporate matched funding notwithstanding - there have been some conflicts for the various members of Team Never Up Never In, with rival charity events vying for the hard-earned funds in people's pockets, but this week is the time to really push on and make some progress, particularly towards the key thresholds at which matches funding from corporates will kick in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36 hole practice day was planned for Sunday at Farnham Park GC, nr Slough; two-thirds of the team (eventually) met up yesterday afternoon for a hit in the blazing Berkshire heat. Sincere thanks are to be extended to On Course Foundation for their kind provision of the banner and the orange golf shirts, which certainly help us to stand out from the crowd. Additionally, our friends at Pernod Ricard have very kindly donated a set of Ballantine's Championship IJP Design shirts & jackets - both these equipment donations are incredibly generous and make a big difference to the success of the event. In the picture below, Dave & I are sporting the orange OCF shirts, whilst Gary, Simon, Pete and Graham are modelling the Ballantine's gear</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Media coverage is starting to pick up - we had articles published on the Golfmagic & Golfing for Charity websites plus we have James Corrigan from The Telegraph & Golfshake also preparing to write about our venture. Our expectation is that this additional coverage will help to drive attention, support & sponsorship so please look out for these articles and help us reach out target.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A number of equipment supplies are still required, with many a begging letter going unanswered. We have a desperate need for night golf gear, with a couple of promising leads not yet coming to fruition. If anyone is involved with, or knows of contacts for, suppliers of energy bars/drinks and night golf equipment, please reach out to us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So all in all, lots still to achieve before we can get cracking with this event and not very much time left in which to achieve it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am The Part-Time Golfer</span></div>
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The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-62012061679387065402014-05-01T07:28:00.001+01:002014-05-02T07:14:35.839+01:00Weekly golfathon countdown - 6 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">One could describe the passing of the T-6 weeks barrier as entering the final lap; the home stretch before completion. In reality, the sense we have as a group is that we're only just getting started. We had a 'committee' call last night where some final details were planned out and agreed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We have our sponsorship emails written and ready to hit inboxes around the world. This means that if your email address is known by anyone in the group, you'll get a beg for some of your money. We shan't apologise for it. The financial target we have set ourselves is punchy, to say the the least, and, whilst we do have some matched funding avenues from various employers, extracting the maximum benefit from these schemes is only possible with the generosity & support of our friends, family & colleagues. Our sponsorship page is <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> and anything you can spare would be gratefully received.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Publicity is the next hot topic - I mentioned previously about our contact at The Telegraph and Dave was able to confirm that their initial coverage will kick off following our practice day on 18 May (venue tbc). We are hopeful that this will accelerate the interest in what we are attempting, plus boost the support in terms of equipment, supplies and even cold, hard cash. There are a couple of other avenues to explore and these will be followed up over the next week.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Practice - you may remember, way back in the depths of winter, we had some grand ideas about an iterative and escalating practice/training schedule, building us up nicely to the main event. The harsh reality of a myriad conflicting events & commitments has led us to a new position of 'Ah, feck it - we'll be ok' - we are going to get together to play some golf on the 18 May, but it won't be 72 holes and, in all probability, it won't be 54 holes either. I am expecting to do 36 holes at a 'fresh' pace - to have a slight element of practice, we should be aiming for 2.5-3 hours per group. Time will tell if that is feasible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Finally, the topic of equipment was raised, particularly what we would need for the two (or more) rounds we'll be playing in the dark. We are still hopeful of having an enthusiastic & generous sponsor to assist with night golf gear but, in the eventuality of that avenue not coming to fruition, we've drawn up a list of items to beg, steal* & borrow to get us through those holes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And so what lies ahead? Well, I am back off to the US next weekend (with at least one round of golf to enjoy - did I mention it will hopefully be at Pebble Beach!) &, on my return, we have the practice day. The big kick-off creeps ever closer....<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time Golfer</p>
<p dir="ltr">*this is a figure of speech, clearly</p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-42010329252769460702014-04-24T18:58:00.001+01:002014-04-25T07:42:21.231+01:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 7 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">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</p>
<p dir="ltr">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?</p>
<p dir="ltr">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). </p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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. </p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-76870364888129848982014-04-04T06:31:00.001+01:002014-04-04T13:40:12.905+01:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 10 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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. </p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-16492805820864679112014-03-28T06:25:00.001+00:002014-03-28T07:11:05.130+00:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 11 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">Another week zooms by and on what do I have to report about our challenge since the last update? </p>
<p dir="ltr">Well, the big news is that I finally played some golf - I shoehorned 9 holes in last Saturday at Mount Pleasant GC, nr Hitchin with a couple of mates. I'd not played the course before although, having previously followed a chap on Twitter, @novice2scratch, who played his golf there, I was familiar with the place.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Considering I hadn't touched the clubs for the requisite 5-6 weeks, and I was taking the whim-bought driver out for the first time, I was somewhat uncertain about what would transpire. Any lingering doubts were soon banished when my opening 9-iron floated majestically - well, found its way - towards the flag, coming to rest pin-high about ten feet away. Game on.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In a display of ball-striking which will surely generate overconfidence for my next round, with <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mctwentytwo">Herb</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lilwolp">Courtney</a> & <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mattsalmons">Matt</a> at Broad Run GC, Pennsylvania, I managed to get round +3, the sinking of a 20ft fast downhill putt on #6 (admittedly to salvage a double) a particular high.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I also took some new golf shoes out for the day - having been loyal to Nike for as long as I can remember (having had the same two pairs for nigh on 8 years), I felt this golfathon was an ideal reason to invest in some new footwear. Puma are the brand of choice and the black Spark Sports performed very well - extremely comfortable and gave a good, solid foundation for a swing. I also have a white pair of Super Cell Fusions which, I think, will be the ones to use for our challenge. Yes, I know - fascinating.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Next job for the team as a whole is agreeing a date for us to get together and practice our 'speed golf' - we're thinking it would be worth playing 36, or even 54, holes over the day to go someway towards understanding what we've agreed to take on. Hopefully this date & venue will be confirmed before the next update.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sponsorship is also high on the agenda. We've made a (small) start - thank you very much to those people who have donated - but we've a long way to go. If anyone (who is still) reading this is moved to support us financially, please visit <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> to pledge your donation - anything you can spare towards our target is gratefully received!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Onwards & upwards, then - 9 days until I'm off to the US on business, concluding with my day of golf next Saturday. Fingers crossed Virgin Atlantic look after my clubs!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time <u>Golfer</u></p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-36377150508575822742014-03-21T19:47:00.001+00:002014-03-21T19:47:30.966+00:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 12 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">A very short update to deliver this week.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Still <u>no</u> practice completed yet, although I am road-testing the new driver & shoes tomorrow for a few holes. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The team were due to have a catch up call yesterday but, due to work commitments, we had to put it back - hopefully more to report next week.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fitness levels, personally speaking, remain dreadful.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ho hum<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time Golfer</p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-67411112635266071322014-03-14T07:45:00.001+00:002014-03-14T08:26:43.412+00:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 13 weeks to go<div dir="ltr">
Another week slips by & still no practice completed. This is not an ideal situation. What I haven't yet determined is whether ny concern about the lack of practice is based purely on my desire to be physically able to play for a full 24hrs, or my competitive desire to play well.</div>
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Since the last update, a few bits & pieces have progressed, upon which shall now elaborate.</div>
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The welcome addition of the second Sussex team has brought both the prospect of additional corporate sponsorship and the provision of Ballantine's branded goodies (jacket, golf shirt & umbrella - well, it will be June!) - thank you very much to everyone involved at Pernod Ricard for their generosity</div>
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The Guinness World Record process has also been kicked off, with acknowledgement received of our application for a new, uncharted category of stupidity...sorry, world record setting. This application can take a few weeks to process and I hope that a) it gets accepted, b) it's a processed before we complete the challenge and c) there can be someone there to witness & verify our success.</div>
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The next task (aside from agreeing on practice dates) is to ramp up the sponsorship effort - suitably begging letters & emails are being drafted to send to family, friends, work colleagues, casual acquaintances and even complete strangers, as we push towards our fundraising target</div>
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As I've mentioned before (and will keep on mentioning), if you feel moved to support our crazy venture and would like to sponsor us to help raise money for the On Course Foundation, please visit <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> - anything you can spare is gratefully received & makes a big difference! </div>
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I am the Part-Time Golfer</div>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-46231260442516934612014-03-06T21:46:00.001+00:002014-03-07T07:39:29.393+00:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 14 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">Another week gone; no practice completed. Gulp. </p>
<p dir="ltr">To be honest, I'm genuinely concerned about this and, having discussed this very matter with Pete last night, feel that completing this challenge might end up being driven by willpower alone.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So, what's been happening this week (apart from no practice or training of note)?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Well, the biggest development to report is that Never Up Never In will now be a team of 9, playing in three 3-balls. Dave has a group of friends from Sussex who are very keen to get involved & help us raise lots of money for the On Course Foundation. At the time of 'going to press', I don't have even the basic info to report on who these fine people are but they are a welcome addition to the cause.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This now shifts my attention nicely over to the world record aspect of this challenge - we had a nice goal in mind and a framework in which to present it to the folks at Guinness, which is now all to cock thanks to these Johnny-come-latelys...ok, I'm kidding. I've done absolutely sod all about liaising with Guinness, so the addition of extra bodies makes no difference whatsoever. The key decision would appear to be whether to work towards a cumulative total across the three teams (450 holes, maybe?) or look at each player as an individual and add up the total number of times a ball has hit the bottom of the cup (1400 holes? 1500 holes?) - something to be worked out pretty quickly methinks.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Next item to be given some serious attention is the fundraising drive - we are off the mark, thanks to the generosity of my father-in-law (thanks v much, Noel) but we've a long way to go. A significant benefit of bringing an extra group into the team is the corporate matched funding that they can bring to the table - without wanting to declare a new target (and potentially make a rod for our own backs) it would be disappointing not to pass our financial goal by some considerable margin. At the risk of sounding repetitive, if you are (still reading this & feel) moved enough to support us, please visit <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> - anything you can spare towards our total would be incredibly valuable. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I mentioned at the start the alarming lack of practice - clearly the weather in January & February didn't do anyone any favours and, since then, the weekends have been full up with kids birthday parties and recharging the batteries after the working week. My new job is taking me to New York at the start of April & I'll have a free weekend of which to take advantage so, weather permitting, I'm planning to pay a return visit to Bethpage and play a round or two (it <i>might</i> just be the opening weekend for the Black course and it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?!) </p>
<p dir="ltr">So, I absolutely must find some time to play in the next 3-4 weeks before the US trip - I bought myself a new driver last week (yes, it was off eBay; never hit it; don't know if I'll like it - don't judge me) and I am now facing up to the very real prospect that the first swing in anger with the new dog could be at 7am on the first tee Bethpage Black. Shitty knickers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ah well, onwards and upwards - we have our next catch up call in a fortnight and, hopefully, some progress (or even some practice) will be made upon which to report in next week's thrilling instalment. <br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I am The Part-Time Golfer</p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-71235299760726140802014-02-27T08:04:00.001+00:002014-02-28T07:44:23.693+00:00Weekly Golfathon countdown - 15 weeks to go<p dir="ltr">Granted, I might be slinging a considerable millstone around my neck but, as 2014 rushes by, with March nearly upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to post weekly updates on our progress towards completing our mammoth golfing challenge - to play golf for 24hrs & raise money for the <a href="http://www.oncoursefoundation.com">On Course Foundation</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">So, here we are with 15 weeks to go until tee off. On the surface, it sounds like a very long time to get prepared but, in reality, it's not very long at all, considering all the elements that need to come together. That said, I do feel like the basics are all in place. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We have an enthusiastic and committed team of intrepid golfers who are willing to test their physical & mental strength over 24hrs. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We have two fantastically supportive golf clubs, who are willing to let us take over their venues for a full day and run roughshod over their tee sheets as we plough through the holes at great* speed. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We have ourselves a financial target for fundraising - right now, when looking at our page (<a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a>), £10,000 seems like a lofty ambition but I firmly believe we will achieve this.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We are also supporting a young & exciting charity, who have achieved so many great results in their short history but, with the support of everyone who donates to the cause, have so much more to give. We are really looking forward to meeting some of the members who have benefited from the charity's work, as well as playing a few holes with them on the day.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So, with all this great planning in place and plenty of time left until we get going, what's the concern? What else is pending?</p>
<p dir="ltr">The world record - we believe that our approach to tackling this challenge (six golfers; two courses; medal play; 24hrs; walking) has not been attempted before or, at least, not in the context of setting a record with the Guinness folks. Now that we have confirmed the format that we're going to play - we toyed with Stableford or Scramble as options before deciding on Medal play - we can now put the case forward to the powers that be to enable us to put a marker in the sand for future groups of equally idiotic golfers to surpass. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Publicity - if you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen your timeline clogged up with my endless requests for retweets from well-known, high profile & influential people around the world of golf & beyond. This generated some satisfying results, such as a couple of the Sky Sports golf team and Sir Nick Faldo himself. To come, we understand that The Telegraph are going to do some coverage in the lead up to the event, as well as various local newspapers. Hopefully this will inspire people to put their hand in their pocket and help support this cause.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fitness - hmm, yes. This challenge will present a completely new set of physical & mental tests for us all, the likes of which we've not really experienced before. Some of the group did a Land's End-John o'Groats bike ride a couple of years ago which at least spread the physical pain out over a longer period of time. I recall the 72-hole Macmillan Longest Day challenge I did in 2011, and the physical wreck I was for a few days afterwards - on that basis, completing more than double that amount of golf could produce some interesting results.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Practice - setting aside the abysmal weather that has recently been bestowed upon this fair isle, there is a concern about having sufficient opportunity to put in a decent stretch of training. Playing 18 holes once a month isn't going to cut the mustard, so we all need to be sure we are preparing properly. We have a 36-hole day pencilled in for mid-April and then a 72-hole practice about a month after that. I really don't know if that will do the job - I guess we'll find out at some point during the night of the 12 June.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So that's the first of these weekly updates complete - not much more to add really except that if you've stuck with it and read all of my rambling, and feel sufficiently moved to support us, please visit <a href="http://www.bmycharity.com/golfathon">www.bmycharity.com/golfathon</a> - anything you can give will be hugely influential.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am the Part-Time Golfer</p>
<p dir="ltr">*this speed may well diminish as the day progresses</p>
The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-26607090525800098022014-01-27T12:32:00.000+00:002014-01-27T14:47:03.696+00:002014 - a golfing year ahead<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here we are into 2014 already. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? Or, in my case, trying to have fun despite the circumstances. It's been a testing time since the middle of December, upheaval on the work front casting a shadow over longer term plans but, thankfully, the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train and I am now able to look forward to what 2014 has in store as a golfing year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2013 certainly became a year to remember on the golf front - as I <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/nearly-christmas-already.html" target="_blank">previously wrote</a> back in October, there were plenty of highlights that will live long in the memory (<a href="http://www.royalbirkdale.com/" target="_blank">Royal Birkdale</a>, <a href="http://www.woodhallspagolf.com/" target="_blank">Woodhall Spa</a> & <a href="http://www.lacala.com/" target="_blank">La Cala</a> to name three) so I felt that the time was right, now my mind is free of work-related concerns, to detail what golf I currently have to look forward to in 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>May</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the basis that I'm not going to get an opportunity to attend (let alone play in) the Masters this year, I am declaring that my proper golfing year will kick off in May - anything that takes place between now & then is just preparation. At the time of writing, the key event in May is the Men's Invitation competition at <a href="http://www.royalbirkdale.com/" target="_blank">Royal Birkdale</a> which, for reasons I will outline shortly, I am extremely pleased to see has been brought forward a couple of weeks. It's been three years since Mark & I actually took part in the competition proper, 2013's administrative cock-up being a particular low point, but I am looking forward to the annual pilgrimage, regardless of how well we play in the comp (or, indeed, if we even get a place sorted!). We are yet to iron out the details but I am sure we will source at least one additional round whilst up north to make a trip of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>June</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the big one. Two weeks after the Birkdale trip, I am going to be taking on the single most ridiculous golfing challenge I have ever attempted, or will ever attempt. Along with five other liked-minded imbeciles, we will be looking to set a Guinness World Record for the most golf holes completed in 24 hours, whilst simultaneously raising funds for the <a href="http://www.oncoursefoundation.com/" target="_blank">On Course Foundation</a>, an amazing charity that helps, through training & work experience placements, wounded ex-services personnel find new careers in the golf industry. We'll be in two teams - myself & two others at <a href="http://colmworthgolfclub.co.uk/" target="_blank">Colmworth & North Beds GC</a> and the other three at <a href="http://www.midsussexgolfclub.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mid Sussex GC</a> - playing all day & through the night to attempt, between us, to complete 360 holes in 24 hours. It's a massive ask, physically & mentally, but I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to making the attempt & raising money along the way. More details about this absurd challenge to follow in due course.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>August</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following on from 2012's Tweet Golf Cup trip, and last year's trundle up to Lincolnshire to take on Woodhall Spa, it would be rude not to continue the 'tradition' and set aside a long weekend to golf in another part of the country. There have been a number of venue conversations over the last few weeks, ranging from the achievable (Kent, Norfolk, Devon) to the ambitious (France, Ireland) to the downright ridiculous (Bulgaria, Turkey). After much debate & discussion, ending with the understanding that I was right all along, it looks very much like we're going to make our way to the Garden of England to play <a href="http://www.dalehill.co.uk/" target="_blank">Dale Hill</a> & <a href="http://www.charthills.co.uk/" target="_blank">Chart Hills</a>, together with (potentially), Royal Cinque Ports or Prince's</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>October</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Harey Cup will be making its seventh annual running and, after sinking the winning putt at <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/harey-cup-2013-day-3.html" target="_blank">La Cala in 2013</a>, it would be a great shame if I wasn't involved this time around. The venue is still tbc, with the current wooden spoon holder Tom Walker in charge of organising, so petitions for suitable locations will be kicking off shortly. Although I was a strong (some might say ardent) supporter of La Cala as the 2013 venue, I am less fussy about where we go in 2014. Given the importance of good weather (as much as that can be guaranteed), I think the UK & Ireland are basically out of the equation already and, due to the time of year, around the Med is generally the best option. I'm not much of a gambling man but I would venture that Portugal is a decent bet although you could never rule out another Spanish sojourn. We shall see what Mr Walker has in store for us over the coming weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there we are. As January creeps to a close, the golfing plans for 2014 are starting to take shape. I am hopeful that this itinerary will change as the year progresses and I will be sure to document it as and when it happens</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952158958991710812.post-72886120950863992892013-11-21T12:15:00.000+00:002013-11-21T12:15:00.015+00:00The Return of the Lyrical Genius <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have previously written some mildly comedic limericks to celebrate various golfing highlights - <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/a-lyrical-genius.html" target="_blank">originally</a> as an ode to Europe's successful Ryder Cup defence last year and, <a href="http://theparttimegolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/a-lyrical-genius-pt-2.html" target="_blank">subsequently</a>, as a preamble to the Masters this year. As 2013 draws to a close (and the 2014 golf season starts), I thought I'd have another go. Enjoy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adam Scott's got a green jacket; his first</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An Australian trend he reversed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He held off The Duck</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With more skill than luck</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"C'mon Aussie!", he yelled, unrehearsed</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now Sergio likes a whinge, all day long</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crowd; weather; opponent - he's never wrong</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the Players started tickin'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A timebomb of fried chicken</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once it went off, it sure left a pong</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young Rory was wayward this year</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His driver was tricky to steer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nike found one a bit bigger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He can now pull the trigger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the right, folks can walk without fear</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tiger Woods is definitely back</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With 5 wins, he's top of the pack</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's certainly no dunce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet broke the rules more than once</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Brandel, he sure copped some flak</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simon Dyson, whilst clad all in Nike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tapped down a mark produced by a spike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deliberate or no</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twas a pretty poor show</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dem's da rules; you're DQ'd, you tyke</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Henrik's bounced back from the brink</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of despair; his game really did stink</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's the king of the moss</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Redemption, by Boss</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smells sweet - Ponzi Man's in the clink</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Henrik, young Poulter had a bet</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"A ton says I'll catch up with you yet"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite birdies galore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stenson had just a few more</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ian'll serve drinks like an obedient pet</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the Part-Time Golfer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>The Part-Time Golferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260965631765199655noreply@blogger.com0