Preferred Lies; A journey to the heart of Scottish golf, by Andrew Greig: Book Review

Andrew Greig is a poet, novelist, philosopher and climber. (He might even consider himself a golfer.)

After a near death experience he resumes the childhood sport that protected him from his abject misery at Dollar Academy.

Golf.

He’s clearly a decent golfer, but rusty. In this philosophical musing on his life and the merits of golf, whether competitive or solo, he visits 18 golf courses (nearly all in Scotland) from the bizarre and almost never played in the likes of Gigha, North Ronaldsay and Iona, via the better known but still relatively obscure Shiskine on Arran (personally my favourite golf course), to better know and championship courses like North Berwick, Nairn, Forres and Royal Dornach.

It’s not a sporting handbook and it’s not a philosophy on life. I mean it is a bit of both. But, taken in totality, it’s actually an inspiring self help manual on how to value life, love and, yes, sport so that golf can be something to inspire and fulfil your life rather than, like I do, break clubs in frustration.

I may learn from it. I hope so.

It’s an interesting read for anyone who harbours any sort of interest in this noble game.

I think we did the right thing bailing from the golf this morning

80 mile an hour wind gusts with the prevailing windspeed around 30mph.

The group that went out in front of us at Lundin Links on Fife’s southern coast lasted one and a half holes, lost one of their trolleys which blew onto the beach and one of the players had already also lost three balls.

We had a bacon roll, a cup of tea and headed home.

Common sense prevailing over the prevailing winds.

 

Ryder cup weekend

Having missed most of the four ball play I’m now looking forward to a lazy weekend of viewing the biennial orgy of continentalism. The very loud “oggie oggie, oggie” from the Welsh stands certainly got things going this morning.

It is, of course a strange decision to play such a weather dependent event in the short days of October in one of the wettest countries in the world, but looks like they’ve gotten away with it.

Monty’s early rhetoric (winding up Woods and claiming Europe was already one up after the 4 ball draw) showed what an arrogant fanny he can be – Woods won and Europe are one down!

Harrington should not be here. He looks out of sorts and down on himself. I’d certainly have picked Casey or even Sergio. But ho hum, that’s the way it is.

My prediction is a very narrow European victory.

By the way, you might enjoy the comments just posted by an anonymous contributor on my previous post.

The September Golf weekend

Off to St Andrews in the morning to make an arse of myself.

You don’t see many of these when I’m on the golf course.

The lesser spotted Eagle.

I’ve creamed a drive, smacked a sweet 3 wood to 70 yards and stand with a pitching wedge on the 2nd fairway at Dundas.  “Nice shot” my opponent shouts as I nip a sweet little wedge greenwards.  Two bounces and it drop off the pin into the hole.  After 35 years of waiting I finally shoot my first ever eagle.  I was pleased.  Ross my opponent high fives me and I go two up.

Two holes later, despite playing to five under my handicap I’m only one up. and at the turn it’s all square. Then I lose 10, 11, 12 and 13.  Four down with five to play.  But I dig deep and win 14and 15.  Disaster awaits on the 16th tee though and a hooked drive leads to a five.  It’s all over.  All I have to remember this round by is that elusive eagle.  But it’s a sweet one.

When I saw Tom at home  I asked him.  “How’d you play son?’

“Crap, but I eagled the first.”

Whatever.  He’s had about 10.

My best ever medal score

It’s been a long time coming.  But I finally posted a sub par score.  Six under par in fact and when I left the course I was lying second overall by one point, having missed a birdie putt from five feet on the 17th.

The fact is, I had a lesson three weeks ago and it corrected my grip which meant I drove better than ever before in my life.

But all credit to Chris Rough – one of my playing partners.  I was six ahead of him after four holes but he then shot nine (net) birdies in the remaining 14 holes to lead by one on 43 points.

\

My (sorry, our) wonderful, wonderful children

Exam results tomorrow.

All three of our children await them with different levels of importance.  And engagement.

When they come in most will be met sanguinely.

Good or bad they (mostly) tried hard. (Those that didn’t know who they are.)

But it’s not everything. Exam results.

Amy is doing an amazing job at Scotland’s top Seafood restaurant.

Tom is astounding on the golf course; his handicap has now eclipsed most of my adult mates and he will be on the fourth tee of the regional final of The Dunfermline Masters tournament, as his results certificate plops through the letterbox, tomorrow.

And Ria is, from Friday, taking centre stage in a ten day run in the world’s greatest arts festival.

Me?  I try.

Jeana?  She delivers.

Not even a goodbye!

Have you gone?

Looking forward to your golf trip then?

Came down the stairs to say cheerio to Mark and this is what greeted me?

You’ll be away then?

Ryder Cup Day 0ne

Well, as predicted the Yanks are kickin’ ass.

Faldo can’t either pick OR manage a team and AZ is the total opposite.  And their dander is up.  I think it could get messy.

I took them to win by anything from 17 – 11 to 19.5 – 9.5. I might have underestimated.

Is it just me or is US TV’s coverage simply the worst ever?

Cutting away before holes are complete. Next to no replays. Nothing to help you know what’s going on.

And as for the ‘strips’ who thought to give both sides virtually the same clothing.  That doesn’t help does it?

For those of you watching in black and white both teams are in grey.

Ryder Cup

My mate Tony says Europe has no chance and for one fundamental reason…the team hates Faldo.  That’s good enough for me.

Oh, and the Yanks love AZ.

That is another scary factor against us.

I’ll be wagering on US for a big win but for Sergio to stand proud (4, or more, not decided yet, points).

You read it here.

What’s more…

It’s in America

They’re better than us.

We’ve had a good run. (And it has to end some time.)

They hate us.

Darren Clarke got snubbed by Faldo.

And so did, love him or hate him, the second best Ryder Cup Player of all time…Colin Montgomery.

For the record Faldo hates him.

top placed medal finish so far.

12th. not bad for a useless idiot.

Well, I’m 46 and I’ve been a member of Dundas Parks for 9 years.

The weather was grim.

The course played tough.

But I ground out, not my best medal score ever today but, my best placed finish.

OK it was a so what 12th.  But if you were as familiar with last place as I am you’d be pretty chuffed about that.

I am.

The Milky bars are on Tom

Whoop de doo

Yup.  They sure are because in the summer singles final at Ratho this afternoon Tom hada hole in one at the eighth.

Unfortunately he lost the match and to make matters worse I caned him and my Brother in Law at The Merchants this evening.  More on that later.

For now though, well done Tom for your hole in one.  I’ve never had one.

Golf greatness

Ahhh.

July.

Perfect golf weather.

Actually it was 9 degrees today and pissing with rain. Tom was engaged at Ratho in the semi-final of the Ratho Juniors handicap matchplay.  He beat his opponent 6 and 4.  Which is something of a massacre.

Me?  I was at Dundas in a medal and after 14 holes was 5 under, knowing that the leader had shot 6 under, in the far better morning weather.  Then I shot an 8 at the par 4 15th and a 5 at the par 3 16th to go back to 1 under.

I parred my way in after that.

I could have been a contender, but believe it or not my net 69 was my best EVER medal score.

I’m massively disappointed at my inability to close out, but on the other hand, to play your best ever round after 35 years of trying is reason for celebration.

Slainte.

On the eve of battle

“Fingers twitch over keyboard.

Mind wanders off to the wilderness of Arran.

As the prospect of conflict weighs heavy.

On the soul.

Bring it on.

The Auchrannie Quaich.

To the victor. The spoils.”

Yes. I’m off in search of the trophy. Shame I’m so bad at golf.

I will, of course, win best dressed man.

So near and yet so far

This was the scene that greeted us on the first at Dundas Parks Golf Course today as we teed up for the Club championship doubles.

Frankly, it was uninviting.

But we didn’t hesitate. Twice we had to come off the course as the lightning pelted the course left right and centre. But the game must go on.

And, sure, it rained a bit.

A lot actually.

Like Gladiators. myself and Dick Whittock, a nice older guy from Kirkliston (known locally as Cheesetown) built up a two hole advantage, ground out over the first ten holes only to play like a couple of fannies on the 11th to go back to one up.

By the 13th it was all square as Trevor Jones sank putt after putt. And his playing partner, Douglas was rock solid throughout.

And level was how it remained until the 17th when they snuck into the lead. The damage was done. A half on the 18th meant dreams of trophy lifting in the Greensomes will have to wait until 2009.

Bummer.

He’s at it again!

Great golf week for Tom.

First off he was playing at number three in the team match at the weekend against a six handicapper (Tom’s off 21) and they play off scratch in these matches. Nevertheless, he halved the match having missed a putt from a foot to win. Doh!

Then yesterday he won the first medal of the season (he won three last year at Ratho and three at Dundas, plus another two prizes). The good thing was this medal was also the qualifier for the Dunfermline Building Society sponsored SGU Scottish Junior Masters.

He might now be cut to 19. I’m 18. Yikes!

no picnic?

Of course it’s a picnic. It’s Gleneagles.