This has been a really great year for me folks. I am happier, more contented, healthier and have accomplished more.
I am 63 years old now and some may say it’s taken me a bit of time to straighten things out, particularly my drives (small joke for gowf readers!) But seriously. I am being serious here.
As you all know I have been on the wagon now for nearly 6 months. This is not exactly true as I did have one wee dram with a very charismatic chap who really wanted me to join him and celebrate a great day. And I did. But I knew I would only have that one and I did. You may think what you like about that.
Anyhow the point I am getting to is that it’s better for me largely not drinking. I am happier and better. I have changed and I know it. And it’s a very good thing indeed. It’s hard not to go on without all the cliches about not drinking, but I just like getting more done, not being sidetracked, and getting to bed at night having had a positive day, feeling naturally tired and sleeping well. And once you get on that track you kind of want to maintain it. And for me it’s certainly less hazardous.
Anyway I have had a rocking tour season and things have gone really well. I am picking up more contacts and contracts and am thoroughly enjoying the whole thing. I even make people laugh sometimes. It’s enormous fun and tremendously rewarding. I don’t see myself giving this gig up and will hopefully be like Samurai Joe in Kyoto, who was still guiding prodigiously into his nineties. I will rebrand as Samurai Jock though.
But what a laugh we have sometimes. I had 35 lovely Americans listening to my rendition of Tam O’Shanter outside the National Portrait Gallery in the rain the other day (and some wanted more!). On this note you can see me perform online on the 21st January (yes 21st) in the St Andrews University online Burns Supper if you want.
I have been doing the Rusacks Hotel, Room 116 Glendronach whisky-tasting storytelling, which has been great. Rusacks Hotel really is awesome by the way. You simply must go to see the view from the 18, bar and restaurant.
My Abercrombie and Kent, Old Course caddie-story tour, has gone down really well and they have asked me to do other stuff now. And my food tours for Kevin Fogarty’s amazing Scottish Golf Experience have been well received. Kevin is an ex-caddie too and has set up a great tour company offering that wee bit more (most golf tour companies are not differentiated and have got very complacent and dull- so well done Kevin). Of course Tours By Locals have been wonderful for me too. I have been very lucky.
But I must shout out to a guy called Alan Chalmers who put faith in me at the start and got me into all this. Alan started Eat Walk food tours in Edinburgh about 15 years ago (the first of its kind in Scotland). Unfortunately Alan has now sadly passed. He was a lovely humble man. An extraordinarily capable Sarah Robertson also put great faith in me and taught me a lot. She is now taking Eat Walk from strength to strength. Alan would be exceedingly proud of her.
But it’s the great people I continue to meet on my tours that really make it for me. So many lovely lovely people. It’s a big privilege to do this gig.
Another great find this year has been my sea swimming and I thank my American pal Mark Vigil, The Wall Street Caddie, for dragging me down to the Castle Sands tidal pool earlier on this summer. I have continued it religiously and was in for a dip 2 days ago. Yes I know in December!
My golf has been great. I registered a 260 yard carry on the St Andrews driving range yesterday which is not too shabby for a chap that will soon be a Super Senior ! There is life in the old dog yet.
Yes I have been able to focus a lot more this year on things like this and can’t wait for next season.
I am going skiing in January to Morzine. My friend Ricey (Ambroggio McLintock nonetheless) has a wee chalet and ski company out there and is going to put me up. We used to teach together back at Hillend 20 years ago and he has dedicated himself to ski teaching. It seems things have worked out swimmingly for him
Let’s hope Rory can win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award this week because I have bet him. Surely his was the most dazzling sporting feat of the year when he pulled off the Masters with such aplomb. I mean let’s face it if Nick Faldo can win this without any personality then this must be a no-brainer.
Sorry sir, Nick. I am not your wildest fan.
Fare forward passengers.