I shouldn’t have really laughed but it was hard not too as lovely Siann, here for an American Express conference at the Fairmount, was thrown out head first from her golf buggy on the approach to the ninth tee. Of course her colleague Dave driving the buggy was mortified. However the stoic Siann jumped up immediately with her broad Korean smile and said she was fine.

Mexican playing partner, Eduardo, who I accompanied in a buggy had a wicked smile on his face and said ‘do you know what her job title is?’ and I said ‘No’ and he informed that she was head of risk and compliance.

Not the best pitch for Amex.  Mind you she did look quite elegant mid-flight all said.

I caused a few laughs from the gallery at the 18th on the Old course last Sunday mind, as I played in the 175th St Andrews Club invitational. I hit a fine drive just short of the green and the crowds must have thought I had some talent. However this was soon disproved as I dunked my chip short, had an awful putt into the valley of sin, and two further poor putts for a six. Possibly one of the worst finishes in the history of golf played on these links.

Brexit is hotting up and I’ve been most impressed by Dominic Raab who seems to have a great head on his shoulders and boy do we need someone like that at the moment. Ironically now, our Theresa may come well out of all this if she carries on in the Thatcherite mould.

Would that it were over though.

This Kavanaugh bloke seems about as credible as Trump. And in trying to support this man Trump must feel slightly like he is treading on waffer thin ice. Donald says ‘he’s right behind him’ . That’s hardly a swinging endorsement.

I’ll bet you were right behind Stormy at one point and look what happened there. Still, I suppose it’s only two accusations at the moment unlike the Trump dozen.

Boy has American politics gone mad.

I suppose I should say well done Tiger for your 80th PGA win but I still remember how you snubbed these three young autograph hunters at Carnoustie and that was just nasty.

One of the Russian spy suspects now seems to have had a different name. Bit of a major slip up old boy. It’s all looking massively tenuous for you chaps now, especially as you look much more akin to a couple of bruisers than cathedral spire lovers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I played in the annual Royal and Ancient versus the Town match yesterday on the Old Course and what a day we had.

My partner was Gunner from Oslo who is a radiologist and the most lovely chap. We were paired against R&A’s Richard Fraser, a charming lawyer from Auckland and Paul Moriarty, a most witty, Irish born Liverpudlian, who runs the R&A’s retail outfit and is based in Cupar.

This event is massive with about 800 competitors playing over three courses and then to’ing and fro’ing, with varying degrees of sobriety, between the three clubhouses afterwards, drinking, dining and bantering. It is a very great occasion and affords us all the opportunity to have a wee peep into the hallowed halls of the greatest golf institution and club in the world.

The house G and T’s, pints of lager, traditional Kummel and infamous claret were all flowing with remarkable ease, except the kilted caddie was being abstemious. However, the company was tremendous and sobriety is not the worst thing in the world. In fact to say that it is rather good for me is a huge understatement.

Now, what is happening in the world though? For heaven’s sake, the Russian thing beggars belief. These two chaps flying over to see Salisbury cathedral because so many of their friends said they must go and see it! Hmm. Sorry that doesn’t ring true boys. Besides you don’t look like cathedral appreciating types.

Theresa May must be so much wishing she never ventured into politics or at least never took that reflective walk in the country a couple of years back. Mind you she did put Boris into the Foreign Secretary’s job which shows massively poor judgement.

It will be fascinating to see how Brexit plays out though. I think the only real result will be that referendums will be constitutionally banned forthwith. That or they will have a Government health warning.

The Manafort situation could be most unnerving for a ‘no collusion’ Trump. And I am just wondering how much his net worth has increased since he took office?

Yes things may now get very interesting indeed.

 

 

 

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That really was some display by Serena Williams in the final of the US Open. What a great shame for the young Japanese girl, Osaka, who totally outplayed her, but had her huge moment stolen away by the antics of a reprimanded Miss Williams. But watch who you call ‘thief’ Serena for you were to that young, good natured and aspiring lass.

In fact, your coach was caught on camera ‘coaching’ you and he admitted it. But you claimed not to have seen him? Hmm… Certainly by the chaps eye contact at the end of that interlude, it looked pretty clear he was communicating with you. But enough of that or we should get weighed down Lexi Thomson style.

My new Wilson clubs have arrived and I’m delighted with them. The new V6 irons are a dream to play with and my handicap is shooting down. I hit a drive and a wedge onto the par 5 sixteenth of the Eden and even managed to two putt. Shame about my two lost balls and the unplayable one in a gorse bush though! I suppose that my golf follows my rather erratic nature. More Jean Van De Velde than David Duval let’s say.

But I am full of the joys of golf again. I have a very simple swing thought now which is revolutionary. And I don’t believe it is the customary red herring as has played its course over the last forty years. This I believe is it. I’ve cracked it. Ever so simple and something Colin Brooks at Braid Hill pointed out twenty years ago. I suppose it’s had a bit of a long gestation period or I’m probably just pretty slow on the uptake. Let’s just say not the brightest fish in the sea.

It will of course be revealed in my forthcoming book, but I should chart the progress in this blog. Last two net handicap scores are 66 and 68. Handicap now down from 11 to 8 in two rounds. Unfortunately though it is the end of the season, but I shall maintain this in the blog.

On other fronts work on the wee bistrot in Edinburgh is underway at last. It should be finished at the end of November. Mediterrraneo I think it will be called and I shall be front of house. Based in Murrayfield it is a must for all discerning gastro bods and not ill placed for the rugby crowd, Alessandro who successfully runs Colpamia at the moment will be at the helm. We are playing in the 175th St Andrews Golf Club Invitational on the Old next Sunday and Alessandro who is a passionate golfer is not unhappy to have been invited.

Politics is Brexit dull as usual with the exception of blond bonking, bonkers Boris who has about as much literary subtlety in his Telegraph column as me after six pints of Guinness. I suppose at least Boris you are not Brexit dull. That is one thing to say about you. Well except maybe when you are down at The Oval or being overly prattish.

Mind you I’m loving watching Putin trying to scramble himself out of the hole with respect to the two Russian bods who came over for the weekend to Salisbury. If there ever was a face that told someone was lying, it was his. And it will be great watching these guys justifying their flying visit?

‘Oh Boris has a grannie in Salisbury and she is a great hoot and we just thought a wee visit would not be inappropriate. Boris is my mate and I’ve never been to Britain and I’ve heard so much about Salisbury’. Well it must going along such lines I would think?

I have been following the Test match cricket with the absorbing, and delightfully mellifluous commentary of Johnathan Agnew. He is a wonderful chap and combines well with the more brusque and straight forward Yorker (if a yorker can be straightforward?) Geoffrey Boycott.

Shame that golf doesn’t have guys of this class commentating anymore. Ian Carter and Nick Faldo are hardly inspiring. I expect Henry Longhurst was of the vintage and classic mould? You know, with that beautiful voice and poetically toned Shipping Forecast, Cotswold valley village green, late summer, Laurie Lee, beer fresh, hammock meadowed loveliness.

But I am getting carried away.

God, get me to the Woolpack in Slad.