Full metal jacket

Well it's red actually, and every member of the Society of Liverpool Golf Captains has one. The tradition stems from the days when golfers played on common land and wore a red jacket to warn non-golfers that small hard spherical objects were flying around in their area. A bit like the armed forces raising red flags when they are having live firing practise in Aldershot or on Salisbury Plain. Some clubs still insist that their members wear a red outer garment when they are playing, in keeping with tradition.

It is said that when Bobby Jones, the eminent amateur golfer, was playing in and around Wallasey in the 1930's the image of the red jackets stayed with him so when he designed Augusta National and was looking for a suitable image for that Club, he thought of those red jackets. Red was associated in the Southern USA with the English during the civil war, so he opted for Green which was more acceptable being linked as it was to the Confederate army.

Anyway, today I went for my fitting at the local tailor in Hamilton Square, Birkenhead. The tailor, Mr Marchini,  was in the middle of making a red jacket for the incoming captain of another local club but was plaeased to pause and measure me up. I opted out of the trousers so was spared the question regarding which way I dress!!

The grandson of the tailor used to go to school with our youngest grandaughter, Ava, and they used to go to his house for home made pizza nights, after school. It really is a very small world.

So in a few weeks I will be back for a fitting and then it will be displayed in public at the Spring dinner in early April. The first person to say 'which circus do you belong to' will almost get a laugh. Ho, ho ho!