Spittal gets the call up!

Last night I got a phone call to see if I would play for the Caledonian Society against Awali Golf Club today. I agreed and was partnered with Emma Boyd a 10 handicap lady. She is really an 8 handicap but because women play from the same tees as men here they get two extra strokes. We were of course drawn to play against Dick Turpin and Juan Chancer, two of the local bandits with handicaps 16 and 19. You know what's coming don't you. You all know I am a poor loser but in golf its somehow different ... except in matchplay like this. The 19 (yes 19) handicapper played that last 10 holes in three over par. If he had played to his handicap he would have been 11 over for those 10 holes. We got beaten on the last. We were 1 down with two to play and I made par on the tricky 17th. Only good enough for a half! The last is a par 5. I played a magic drive, superb three wood onto the brown in two. Meanwhile Juan Chancer pulls his tee shot into the left hand rough. plays a three wood to a few yards short of the brown, plays a pitch shot to 4 feet, misses the putt but a 5 nett 4 is good enough to match my birdie. Are you detecting any sour grapes here? Maybe just the merest hint? Emma reminds me that she warned me at the start. I am hardly consoled. Still a bad day at the golf is still better than a good day at work. Weather was beautiful again.

Back to work tomorrow. We popped up to the local shops when I got back and everything appears to be quite normal. There were three tanks flanked by three police cars rolled up the Budaiya Highway and back down. Each tank has about four masked soldiers at the controls of machine guns watching in all directions. I think its just a show of strength inviting people to protest if they want to!

OK I feel much better for having let off steam about the golf. By the way, the Caledonian Society lost in all matches but one! Ever the gallant runners up. We was robbed!
TTFN
David