Caddied for a couple of really good guys this week. First of all there was Trent who was across from Brisbane on a year’s sabbatical. I thought at first that this was going to be a hard name to remember but then it all fell into place: Australia, cricket, Trent Bridge. Bingo.
He was a bit nervous on the tee as I think it was his first time with a caddie, but we soon got talking about sport and horse racing in particular, and he was in seventh heaven. It was soon all about furlongs, the study of form, necks and noses, sweating up and Black Caviar. The round passed quickly and enjoyably, and I got a tip in the 3.30 at Bong Bong.
And then yesterday, I was walking on to the first tee and a smart bright chap bounded across and declared ‘I am Randy’. My immediate reaction to that is always to think, yes sure you may well be, but perhaps you should keep that one to yourself, or at least address it to your wife. Anyway, I didn’t get Randy’s bag as he was already taken but was matched with Zach. Now, I’ve just watched the film Caddie Shack for the first time and I swear that I’ve got the Bill Murray character here. He is brimming with energy and personality and kind of has the air of a cirrus cloud on the way back from the pub, (if you know what I mean?) .
Zach is immense fun. A zany real estate broker from Utah, he is on a bi-annual tour with what looks to be like a fast talking, fast crack group. However, he is limping badly as he fell over in the shower and has seriously severed his toe. Nevertheless, he is up for a game and a lot of fun by the looks of it. He opens his tobacco tin and stuffs a huge amount into his mouth. Maybe it’s got some anaesthetic quality but I’m afraid he now looks like he’s chewing his golf ball.
The group are huge fun and they have a great game with much jibing and some good golf. These are the Americans I love. Quick witted, quick talking, courteous and enjoying the game for what it is.
Zach and I got on to a shared passion of food. He was bemoaning his culinary experiences in St Andrews and I had to agree and sympathize. We got talking about the rich harvests of lobsters and crabs that never manage to find their way on to the menus of restaurants in town. He said he’d had a good haddock but declared that his split pea soup had been the highlight of the week! The Russel Hotel had served up a pitifully thin rib-eyed steak and woeful pigeon breasts. I had to tell him that it’s supposed to be one of the better establishments around.
So Zach and I are going to open up a seriously good pad serving thick, tender steaks and fresh crab and lobster. Well once that toe has heeled.