Runner-up Twice a double loser? :)

Wednesday 9/3/11 Giving playing in the season opener a miss on Sunday the 13th, after a week of golf during Southern Ports. A trip to Adelaide to check out the entertainment at the Fringe festival with my girlfriend and get back into the real world. Was a little flat in the heat on arrival and after a 5 am start did catch a very funny show, “The half naked Chef”. It only went for 20 minutes in the Garden of Unearthly Delights, always a pleasure seeing a comic working an audience and laughing at the results. This was a particular treat, having missed out seeing these 15-20 min shows in the mini-tents the last couple of Fringes. There is a professional interest as well from my standpoint that was satisfied as well.

The last Southern Ports duty I had was to man the bar during the presentation dinner on Saturday Night. It was good to have a final chance to meet up with people I had met and played golf with during the week. One of the particular strengths of the Tournament is the social atmosphere among the (440) players during the week. The level of competitiveness is commensurate with the level of ability in the three grades. The 14 and lower handicappers in “A” grade play the game to the highest level on the courses and are the most convivial socialisers at the end of their rounds, staying on well after the daily presentations. “B” and “C” grade golfers stay for the social side of the game after their rounds, largely due to the more relaxed level of competitiveness do not tend to let off as much steam. Which does not preclude the golfers in these two grades from having many late nights enjoying the restaurants and wines of the region. It is also great BBQ and beer times as well which combined does blunt the performance of the hearty partiers on course.



For my part the experience was fun and well worth the effort. Putting in 3-4 months of training paid off in my result, as well as improving my golf to the best level ever. Tieing for the gross and losing the playoff on the second hole was a bonus to the experience. Coming second to the same golfer as well in the Nett section of the ”B” was the biggest surprise. I had not even considered that I would be in the running for the Nett section being on a low handicap. To finish runner-up two times in “B” Grade compared to runner-up once in “C” Grade the year before is an improvement. I see the funny side as well, perhaps I am twice the loser instead.



Refreshed after a couple of days away, I have got back into practising just to maintain my level as best I can for the next three weeks. With the Masters Games on the first weekend of April being the motivation I would like to improve my Driver off the tee and #3 Wood a little more in the accuracy area. Having never played at Naracoorte before I am heading there this Saturday for a tournament to get an idea of what it is like first hand. Thankyou for your time and attention. “Hit ‘em Straight all”Geoff