Guidedog’s Blog 2013 New season starts today Mar. 30 2013 Saturday 30 March, and it's Captain vs. Vice-Captain at the Merkie. The weather this morning is bright and sunny, but still cold. Some overnight snow at Letham Grange, but that will melt quickly at this time of year. Numbers for the season opener seem down (again), but perhaps understandable if the weather has kept people off the course for the past few weeks. Fingers crossed for a good day. So how did it go? Mar. 31, 2013 What a glorious day for the first of the season. After moaning all winter about how awful the weather has been, the Big Man upstairs must have taken pity on the golfers of Montrose, because we had an afternoon of bright sunshine and little wind. It was even warm for most of the time. Overall, the Captain's team beat the Vice Captain's, and I was able to play my part, by losing, with George Kemlo, against James Spark and the redoubtable Alex Mowatt. It was never a close game, James played very well and Alex backed him up. George and I were rarely in it, and when we had a chance, inevitably the putts failed to drop. The condition of the greens was the only disappointment of the day. They have been excellent all winter, but yesterday it was like putting on the face of an acne-stricken fifteen year old. The ball just bumped and bounced all over the place. I think that there were 12 matches, not nearly as many as in years gone past, but there was no doubt that those who played had a great day. The Banker was drafted in to replace the injured Club Champion, and he partnered the Captain to victory over the VC and young Stewart McEwing, who lost his first ever C vs VC in six years. No word from JR on how he got on. First LG Seniors match of the season Apr. 3, 2013 Pleased to say that the first seniors match of the new season went well today. Yes, that means that my partner and I won. We played against Downfield at Letham Grange, on the Glens course as the Old Course doesn't open till Friday. The weather was perfect for this time of year - clear blue skies, warm(ish) sunshine and very little wind. Playing with Kym Needle, a retired Australian artist with the most luxuriant beard I've seen, we won comfortably by 7 and 5 over our Dundee opponents. Perhaps they were disadvantaged by the fact that their course is still under 3 inches of snow. Kym and I combined very well and didn't lose a hole. I don't think that he'll hold on to his 21 handicap for too long. To cap it off, Letham Grange won the match 4 - 2. Believe me, this is a rare event. Next seniors match is next Monday 8th, against Broughty GC, but there is the Montrose Medal to play on Saturday before then. Those new specs that I picked up yesterday seem to have done the trick - didn't miss a putt all day! A Mixed Weekend Apr. 8, 2013 Saturday saw the first medal round of the season at Montrose, on a bright sunny day with a bitingly cold south-easterly wind. The course was the colour of pale straw, the ground was hard and bumpy and the greens were still hit or miss, due to lack of growth. Not easy scoring conditions, and most of the schoolie, including me, struggled a bit. However, there was one star on the day - Joe McGill, who shot 77-9=68 against a CSS of 73, to win our sweepie by 7 shots. An eagle at six and four birdies helped! Sunday saw more heartbreak, as the Jags lost in the final of the Ramsden's Challenge Cup to Queen of the South on penalties. It was a poor game, and my recording from the broadcast on BBC Alba was wiped pretty quickly. Ever watched a game of football with a Gaelic commentary? - It's bizarre. Cheered up on Monday, though, playing for LG Seniors against Broughty GC from Monifieth. Playing in match 2 with a steady partner, Gordon Hunter, we won 5&3, bringing the season's total to two wins out of two. Highlight was putting my tee shot at a par three to a foot. LG won the match 3 and half - 2 and half. Fine weather, but still bitterly cold, and it only snowed once, for about five minutes. Guidedog's Guide to the Masters Apr. 10, 2013 The Masters is played at Augusta National, a nice parkland course in Georgia. It is often referred to as the Letham Grange of Georgia. Unlike its big brother in Scotland, Augusta National has no rough, so obviously it must be an easier course. The Masters must be the easiest Major to win, as so many geriatrics and ex-champions are allowed to play because they won about forty years ago, keeping lots of good young players out of the field. It is often said that the Masters doesn't start until the back nine on Sunday. This is clearly silly, as everyone has to turn up on Thursday otherwise they don't get to play. No member of the If Only Tour has won the Masters. I think Scotty was third one year, and Graham will probably win when he retires. 50% of the last ten Masters have been won by left-handers. Before Mike Weir won in 2003, no left-hander had won. During the Second World War, the course was used to raise turkeys and chickens, and was looked after by German POWs. It is over ten years since a European player won the Masters. It is almost certain that this will change this year, when either Rory McIlroy or Padraig Harrington will be awarded the Green Jacket. Or maybe Lee Westwood.... Amateur competitors stay on the course, in the Crow's Nest. Scotty speaks highly of the accommodation, especially the size of the breakfast. Fred Couples missed a 10 foot eagle putt in 1986, and holed the 40 foot return for a birdie. It is said that this is the longest successful second putt in Masters history. Apparently the greens can be quite quick. Robert has pencilled in Augusta National as part of the If Only Tour in 2014, as long as it fits in with Budgie's shifts. Another chilly Saturday! Apr. 13, 2013 Once again, the schoolie had to endure a bitterly cold south-easterly wind playing the Spring Medal. The morning had some promise of sunshine, but this failed to materialise, and once again we played a hard, bumpy course with a snell wind chilling us to the bone. By the 18th, most people were desperate to get into the warmth of the Clubhouse. Seven players appeared, including Mr Magoo and the Scarlet Pimpernel that is Chris Doan, both playing a medal round for the first time this season. In addition, we were joined by Mike Gove, looking for a game after missing his morning slot, and a young Aussie called Matt, who is in Montrose for four months, training with Baker Atlas. Guidedog took the two newbies out and nursed them round in his usual avuncular (look it up) manner. Chris Doan (we need a nickname for him - any suggestions?) won the sweepie with a net 73, one stroke ahead of JR, and a further stroke ahead of the incredibly unlucky Guidedog, who had four three putts going out, a seven at the 11th after driving into the bushes up the left, and three of the worst lies ever seen on a golf course. Mike Gove played quite well, but NR at the 10th did him, and young Matt hit the ball a mile, in any direction you like (but not always in the direction he would like). You had to feel sorry for him on his first full round of golf in Scotland, to be in danger of frostbite by the end. Still, he birdied the 4th and 6th, so he had some warm memories afterwards. No-one had much to talk about afterwards, apart from JR who slotted a tram liner from at least 25 feet at the last for a haste ye back birdie. Mr Magoo was particularly quiet, following a nightmare finish after a promising start. CSS for the day looks like being 73. A Scot(t) Wins The Masters! Apr. 15 2013 Once again, the Masters served up a riveting late night finish, and even provided a Scottish winner. Throughout the last hour or so it looked increasingly likely that it would take a play off, involving Adam Scott, Angel Cabrera and Jason Day. Unfortunately Day faded as the darkness came in (get it?) and we were left with a head to head between the first two. Scott let his controlled persona slip quite a bit when he holed that long putt on the last green, and I must confess I had to agree with him. It was a fantastic birdie to finish the final hole of a Major. Surely it was the winning putt. Poor Cabrera, waiting down the fairway knowing exactly what had just happened up on the green. And what a reply by the big Argy. He put his second shot to about three feet and the place went bananas. There was no way he was going to miss his birdie putt. And the play-off got more and more exciting.