18 More Reasons Why We Should All Love Golf

I recently got all gooey-eyed and, with Valentine’s Day in mind, told you about the 18 things I love about golf.

Eighteen? Have I lost the plot? ONLY 18? 

I have been wracked with guilt for days. Why? Because I have easily managed to come up with another 18 things I love about this incredible game.

Hole in One

I have been very, very lucky. I have managed to record four holes in one. Two of them were particularly memorable. One came at Barnham Brook near Norwich during a society weekend and was at the nearest-the-pin hole - 12 months later I missed repeating the feat with the same society by three inches. The other came at the third hole at Waldringfield Golf Club. It was a glorious six iron. The ball covered the flag all the way, landed, bounced twice and disappeared into the hole. I was delighted. Until I realised that I was taking part in an Ipswich Town Football Club open day. Even now, the thought of the bar bill causes me pain. But who cares? There is nothing to beat a hole in one.

When a Lesson Clicks

You have been struggling with an aspect of your game so you have a lesson or two. What the pro tells you makes sense but everything about the solution feels utterly alien. You head to the practice ground and hit balls and then, suddenly, it just feels right and everything clicks into place.

Leather Furniture

There is something special about walking into a traditional clubhouse that features classy leather chairs and sofas. It is part of what golf is all about.

Honours Boards

Most of us do not pay any attention to honours boards, but we should because they tell us all about the history of the club at which we are playing. And trust me, if you get your name up there you will stop and look every time you pass it. Just make sure they spell your name correctly. A previous club had me on the board as “Derrick Clemence”!

Holing a Clutch Putt

Is there anything to beat holing putt that really matters? Probably not. When you stand over a putt and know that it simply must drop, pick out the line and watch the ball heading towards the cup and you know it is going to drop it is a magical feeling.

Beating a Bogey Opponent

We all have opponents who get into our heads, whom we simply cannot beat. But then comes the day when it all clicks and you not only defeat him but you give him a sound thrashing - and he never beats you again.

Being Outdriven For The First Time by Your Son or Daughter

There is something very special about teaching your son or daughter to play golf and realising that they have also been bitten by the bug. You get a growing sense of pride as you see them improve, and then comes the day when they hit a drive, playing from the same tee as you, and you realise they have struck it 20 yards further than you are capable of achieving!

Repairing Pitch Marks

I hear lots of golfers complaining about the condition of greens, moaning about the unrepaired pitchmarks. Maybe I am a bit of a weirdo but I actually enjoy fixing pitchmarks. I always repair my own and then go on a mission to see if I can find any others on the green. I love it because I feel that by doing this I am “doing my bit”.

Winning a Monthly Medal

I hate Saturday monthly medals. Why? Because they take at least five hours. Life is too short. In fact, in my latest incarnation I am a five-day member specifically because I never again want to spend five hours of my life completing 18 holes. But there is plenty to love about being able to apply the focus and concentration required to combine with decent play and win the monthly medal.

Perfect Greens

Is there anything to beat walking onto a flawless putting surface? No matter how poor a putter you might be, there is something special about turning up at a course that prides itself in the condition of its greens.

Bunkers With Sand in Them!

This is one of my real bugbears. Why is it that so many golf clubs find it so difficult to put proper sand in their bunkers? You know the sort I mean - it is like builders’ sand and when it gets wet it goes rock hard. And when it is dry, you hit what you think is the perfect stroke, only to see the ball clearing the green and ending up in a similar bunker on the other side!

The Open

I LOVE The Open. Truth be told, I love all the majors. But The Open is the best of the lot. Period. Some will argue that The Masters is the best major. Poppycock! How can a tournament with such a limited field and featuring so many golfers who have absolutely no chance of winning come into the conversation? It can’t. But The Open has it all - history, a world-class field, astonishing courses. And the British weather!

Identifying The Next Big Thing

This may seem a little bit sad, but I love trying to identify the next Tiger Woods before the rest of the world’s golf media jump on the bandwagon. I admit that I am a golf bore. I knew who Ludvig Aberg was before he turned professional because I keep an eye on what is happening in American college golf. For the record, the next Tiger Woods hasn’t arrived yet. Aberg is good, but not THAT good!

Your Golf Society Organiser

This is a person who gets nothing but grief. I know - I have been that man. The golf society organiser is the person who finds the course, who books the course, who arranges the tee times, sorts the room pairings, organises the whip-round for the weekend’s drinks - and is taken totally for granted. And gets nothing but abuse when he asks for the deposit to secure the booking, and ends up digging into his own pocket. I love the person who takes this on, and so should we all.

Stableford Scoring

Who doesn’t love Stableford scoring? I know that medal play is the purest form of the game but if you are a low handicap golfer, one bad hole ends your interest and you spend the rest of the round attempting to salvage some pride. Stableford is great because it allows even the best players to have a bad couple of holes yet still have a chance to record a competitive score.

When a Journeyman Comes From Nowhere to Win

I watch a lot of golf and, week after week, see the usual suspects striding down the 72nd hole on their way to topping up an already-bulging bank balance. But every so often, a so-called journeyman will provide a proper feel-good story, or somebody will make an extraordinary comeback - think Lucas Glover and Camillo Villegas. Think Grayson Murray and Richard Bland. I simply love the fact that dreams can come true.

The Champions Tour

The men who compete on the PGA Tour takes themselves far too seriously. I love the Champions Tour because the guys who compete there are still seriously good but have realised how lucky they are and look as though they are enjoying themselves. And isn’t that why we all started playing in the first place?

Laughing at Boorish Behaviour

As you know, I have played this game for a long time, and I have seen some incredibly boorish behaviour, both within the professional game and on the fairways where I play the game. And I just love watching grown men (it is never women) making a complete fool of themselves by throwing a temper tantrum. You have to laugh.

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