The 2010 Open Golf championship is on these next few days. The weather is very much a topic of conversation, being cold, showery and dreich. So it is quite good to be able to sit in comfort and watch excellent coverage on BBC2 TV.
I’m not a golf fan as such, in fact my relationship with golf is problematic from the start. The first time I walked round a course with my intended (as he was at the time) I was a) a bit bored; b) exhausted – couldn’t stop yawning; and c) couldn’t quite get the excitement or point of the game. In addition, I could never seem to follow the track of the ball when it was whacked down the fairway up in the sky.
On another occasion when I tried a few holes myself I made all the classic beginner’s mistakes of not hitting the ball or topping it, in danger of cutting the darned thing in half. In fact, the only time I managed to hit the ball was when I was around 7 months pregnant with our first child. Talking of being pregnant, sons #1&2 were summer babies, so each time I watched the Open in the last month and allowed myself to drift off into a pleasant snooze.
St Andrews holds a special place in my memories, so I can watch this year whilst looking out for familiar views. It was where I went to University as a mature student in 1989. I gained a BD, friends, a wider view of faith and spirituality and an ongoing excitement in exploring the world of ideas. In other words, a typical university education, only a lot later in life than most.
In my second Charge (Parish) there was a 9-hole golf course almost adjacent to the Manse. I was encouraged out to try and get some exercise on my day off. I even had a few lessons from a visiting professional. I have to admit it felt good to be able to hit a reasonable drive, but…….. and there were far too many buts. Lots of balls landed in the flooded slate quarry or even in the sea. And a few made it into the hole at the pin.
So……… as I idly gaze at the golf coverage today all sorts of things are being brought to mind. Now where are those golf clubs?
It’s funny, Freda, that I have quite similar stories about golf here in the states. I married an avid golfer (and later divorced him) and spent my earlier grown up years around golf courses, going to the Master’s Tournament every spring. It’s interesting how women’s lives all across the world can be so similar.
Absolutely loved watching the Open this year especially since we spent a few days at St. Andrew’s and remember all the scenery! I married an avid golfer and still am happily married to him and loving playing the game myself. I seem to do better when I don’t dwell on it.