The final event of this year was a trip to Craigielaw on the east coast. The last PGA Winter 4 Ball event was met with a very mixed forecast and most likely we were not going to stay dry.
My teammate and I joined up again last week and we were hoping for a similar result.
It was extremely cold and damp before we were due to play and this was one of the very few times this year we had to wrap up with the waterproofs and headgear.
I suppose it is November but we have been slightly spoiled with how mild it’s been this season.
We met our playing partners just before play and it was nice to meet up with someone who I haven’t seen since I was an assistant.
That’s the 2nd week in a row I’ve met with an old acquaintance and it gave me a good opportunity to discuss our present circumstances.
After a couple of holes, we got to talking about how things have changed for us and he mentioned that although he is still a PGA member, he’s not directly working in the golf industry.
I suppose I’m quite similar with my work as I’m not attached to a golf club or shop, but this gave me a good opportunity to share about my work with LGMS and how I got there.
I asked if he had a faith but he does not classify himself as religious.
He appreciated our views and that we have a presence in Scotland but would not want to go much further with it. I stressed we are there for everyone but would not force the issue if it wasn’t wanted.
Weather closing in
The weather on the front 9 was blustery and threatening to get worse.
We got away with it till the 11th hole and then the worst of the rain came rolling in.
We could have easily been 4 or 5 under by this point, but instead of the ball catching the lips and going in they were tending to lip out.
I wouldn’t say we were playing any better or worse than last week but we didn’t get any good fortune at all, and the weather wasn’t getting any better.
A really tough stretch of holes due to the conditions made birdies very difficult, and as we were out later, most of the guys had finished in the easier conditions.
Not much you can do when that happens.
We tried our best but were too far away from the earlier scores to make any real difference.
Finishing in real winter conditions is not the best and everyone who had played was either away or just leaving.
I was hoping to catch a couple of the guys before leaving but was too late. I did however bump into one of my pro colleagues who I briefly chatted to regarding one of the events I spoke at earlier this year.
He knows some of the guys who play at Falkirk Tryst and I mentioned the friendships that have been cultivated because of the events there.
Hopefully, this can lead to more conversation in the future.
My teammate and I were disappointed by the finish to the season but as I said, we didn’t really get much of a chance to have a real go at it, and we weren’t that bad considering the conditions.
I’ll continue working hard on the coaching he’s given me and this is definitely the direction I want my game to go. We’ll have another session in January and see where we are.
Roll on, 2023 with more opportunities to get out there!
Yours In Christ,
Vincent Brown, PGA Professional, LGMS Ambassador to Tartan Tour