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That was a great finish. Danny Willett back from a world of hurt. Ferocious heat and conditions, so much love and positive energy from spectators and organisers.
And a special moment this morning when Rory came over to the 2 of us who were in Paris & did media management here. He shook our hands, thanked us for this week AND Paris.
He remembered us both from there.
Damn. Forget free beer, to have a legend say that.

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As my buddy Yves just.said.
“We’ll never forget 2018. We left our footprints in the golfing world.”

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https://twitter.com/totalgolfmove/status/1070381968251125767?s=19

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By special request, the Golf Thread is back.

Blame @Cobham-Saint for this :slight_smile:

As you may have noticed I had a rather enjoyable weekend doing nothing in particular back in late September in Paris.
The process to register to work as a volunteer at the next Ryder Cup in 2020 (Whistling Straits) is now open. Now the Yanks do it differently to the Europeans. They have very different roles, in fact very few volunteers (even uber God-Like types such as me) will actually get allowed to walk the course. Also they have far more back office tasks, away from the actual course itself.
In fact, well over 50% of volunteers and almost every 1st time volunteer are carted off to work in the many and massive retail outlets. Basically being an unpaid store assistant.
The shift times are different, you are only on duty for 4 hours a day, and only work for 4 days during the week.
Also, unlike Paris, you have to PAY to volunteer - $250 - which pays for your uniform / souvenir. In fairness to t hem, you do get treated much better with F&B etc than we did in Paris, also, in Italy in 2022, we will have to pay to volunteer (It is illegal to charge people to volunteer in France).
In reality in Gleneagles the cost was 250 pounds BUT you got food vouchers worth 90 pounds that you coud spend in the merchandise store and the uniform there, the waterproofs had a list cost of 150 quid even without the Ryder Cup branding.

Anyway, IF you register, the Yanks take all the names and put them into a hat and then pull out all the Americans. Well, they allow a few token foreigners in to man the retail stores.
So yes it is a way to see some golf, but it is a pretty shit event as my boss explained - Can you imagine having to sell chit to drunk “Get in the Hole men” everyday for 4 days. Not even allowed a bathroom break during your shift!

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one for @Polski_Filip

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Well I hope this will be a happy golf story - I have just booked me and my two brothers in to play on the Saints Charity Golf day on April 24. It cost me $1000, but as long as we get to meet a few legends and I play better than my brothers do (one plays about twice a year, and the other one about every two years…) it will be money well spent :slight_smile:

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Be sure to plug Sotonians.com Smiler!

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Farewell to Butch.

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Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Krakow Valley Golf & Country club is a misnomer, it isn’t in Krakow (about 30kms west) and it ain’t in a valley actually its atop rolling and windy Downland.

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Nice drive out through a foret, through a village and to the venue. Not Dubai Millionaire golf by any means and all a bit basic at the reception, but the young lass spoke English, 2 quid for the trolley rental and 4 quid for the course guide book and I was off.
Me, nobody else around. Had the whole place to myself!

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Narrow fairways compared to what I’m used to, bloody bunkers exactly where us mere mortals would land a Driver, and to be fair the greens were fast but had just been treated so were a bit patchy & spiked.

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I loved it, felt like I was really playing a proper course. It DID take me a couple of holes to realilse the yardages were all in METRES not YARDS - plonker! But it felt a lot like the 9 hole out at Upavon on Salisbury Plain, the water isn’t a problem, not too many trees to get blocked behind but LOTS of bunkers - 180m uphill into wind Par 3’s surrounded with bunkers. Land it on the green it’s bounced, bunker.

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It even had some local wildlife

I only lost 4 golf balls (not bad playing on my own tbh) which is not bad considering I’ve only picked up the clubs twice since November last year.

I did of course get bloody sunburnt.

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I know that no tourists are going to be coming here on low cost airways and playing golf (too much cheap beer & vodka to drink, Pork to eat and cute chicks/guys to watch), but a 20 minute run from home, but for me, it’s another box ticked on settling in over here.

Now to get that bloody consultancy deal closed and get earning.

I bloody ache ALL over, Valley? Up and down the tops of hills all morning - the 18th a 501m Par 5 uphill into a stiff 25kph gusting wind almost killed me. A Rosbeuf (Sirloin Steak) and a bottle of Mavrud for dinner and I’ll be fine.

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Golf key west style

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Played at TPC Louisiana. 18th hole, all square. My drive leaked right - there was a lake with a small beach.
My playing partner found my ball, went into ROFL mode saying “play it as it lies”.
It was on the back of a 10 foot+ Gator.
Must dig out the picture sometime.

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Happy golf story.
The new Discovery owned streaming service Golf TV has just announced they will broadcast The Masters in Norway, Poland & Russia.
Not the clearest web site, and they are still in Beta and no idea what language the commentary will be (if any).
They have different packages and trial periods and event passes so I guess it will be sign up at the time for the Par 3 on Wednesday.
We don’t have any cable or satellite connection in our apartment (it’s a home made network!) so cant check out if its (as rumoured) on Eurosport here as well.
But a big improvement to watching dodgy free streams for a change

Golf TV is a game changer, the main middle east entertainment satellite company OSN dropped golf completely on 1st March as revenues tank due to Netflix & streaming. They stepped in with an early launch to save The Masters there as well.
Not sure I want to pay $10 a month all year though considering the value we get from Netflix for the same money

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So apparently

“Muthafucking toss arsed spunk bucket” is not an acceptable way to address your ball in golf

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Never used anything else. Happy Gilmore taught us all that technique & went on to win the Players Championship.

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This didn’t bore me, but it’s a golf marketing/sketch and amusing.
Bad Grandpa Mk 379,462

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The US PGA Tour is at TPC Louisiana this week, just outside New Orleans, a course I was lucky enough to play a corporate tournament at AND our team won!
Anyway, I pushed my drive on the 18th and the immortal line from my playing buddies was “play the ball as it lies” - it was on this bad boy’s tail
Anyway, some happy memories tuning in to watch this weekend

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The foregone conclusion of the US PGA Championship is turning into a windswept nail biter.

Starting to get really gripping if you want something other than reality TV

Koepka’s lead down to 1 shot (he was 7 ahead) but nobody can get a ball onto the short stuff

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DJ realised that it was getting exciting so doing his best to make it dull again.

Strangely Rory could end up 8th even after his not so good first 3 rounds…

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DJ - biggest choker since the SA Cricket team

(Or more obviously, Liverpool FC)

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Talking of the Liverpool football team.

The Mrs asked to do it Liverpool style
I said whats that?
She replied “spend a lot of time on top and come second”

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Nice story in Canada.
Graeme McDowell has been awful the last few years. Came back with a win in a side event on the PGA Tour while a World Championship was going on to at lest keep his card for next year. But, his home course is Royal Portrush and he was nowhere near qualifying by ranking.
He entered the RBC Canadian Open knowing IF he could finish in the top 10 and be one of 3 not already quealified he would get in to his home tournament.
He had a 30 foot putt on the 18th tonight to make it into the event.
He made it.
He’s happy, It’s a good story

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