The Comfy Chair

 A whole month goes by and no posting on here again!! I think I am playing far too much golf to find time to post, but I am now able to report on some real highlights.

It was great that the Royal Liverpool Spring Dinner was able to take place and myself and a number of my colleague captains were at last able to wear their red jackets. We were joined by the Captain of the Royal & Ancient golf club of St Andrews and in total about 125 people dined in the wonderful Royal Liverpool club house. Hopefully this is the start of the dinner and ball season as we see COVID restrictions starting to be lifted.

Wallasey was able to host the 2019 captains from the Liverpool golf society shortly afterwards and there were 60 or so people in attendance there. Another first allowed mt to sit in the Captains chair, an item presented to the Club by |Sir Ernest Royden in 1924, the year he was Captain.

Golf has started to stabilise now so my chart looks less like a heart beat and more flat line!! I have played Prenton, Ormskirk, Huyton & Prescott, Royal Liverpool and Hesketh recently and they all provide their own challenges. Next week I am at West Derby and have a few holes with the Wallasey ex-Captains before tucking into a bit of dinner. I am sure drink will be taken!!

Technical Knock-out

This week has been gruelling. I have played five consecutive days, when I promised myself that three would be my maximum. The problem is previous Captains have said .Say yes to everything, so I am!!

It started on Tuesday with another scratch team competition, this time at Caldy. IPC Simon and I won our Captains challenge on the 18th hole and the scratch team won 3-0 to maintain their 100% record. A win against Heswall tomorrow will see them win the East Cheshire scratch league. Whether there will be a play-off against the West Cheshire Champions remains to be seem.

On Wednesday I played my knock-out match in the Senior section and managed to carve out a win 2 & 1. It was a bit disjointed as we were a two ball racing round the course and several 4 ball groups stood aside to allow us through. That then caused us both to rush and make a complete mess of our game startegy. Hey ho, I am into the quarter finals and await news of who my opponent will be.

Thursday saw a Wallasey team take on the Wirral Police in an annual fixture at the Club. I partnered the Wallasey chairman against the Captain of the Police and his colleague. We ran out winners again and were lucky with the golf and the fact that we were able to stay dry on the patio while eating out after match meal. I said a few words which I hope went down well, and left the taxi based players to have a few more tinctures.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to play at Prestbury on Friday with Steve Williams, who is a member there and at Wallasey. we ere joined by the Prestbury captain and the President of the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs. Both organisations are celebrating their Centenary this year, but sadly have had to put everything on hold until 2021. the Sandiway club are in a similar position. We had a most enjoyable round, in which I played some of my most consistent golf for sometime, finally posting a nett 69 off the white tee's with a couple of gimmies, but Mr president parred the final hole to halve the match.

Saturday is best forgotten, as I parred the first and the 18th but what went on in  between was not the best. it is so frustrating how two days can be so different, but fatigue certainly played a part..

I was at the Club yesterday for my first official duty which was to present the cup to the winner of the Club Championship. This is a 36 hole gross tournament played in one day and the conditions were very, very testing. Dylan Thompson won with two rounds of 74 which was excellent golf on the day and after I got to say a few words somebody took a photo!

This week will be a bit quieter, the clubhouse may open and we can take another step down the path to normality.

I have no wish to be PM

So said Boris Johnson many times , although the jovial, blond haired serial shagger is still considered by most of the popular press to be lining himself up for a shot at our Dave, once the next elections are out of the way.

I have very rarely dabbled in politics, and my comparisons with Boris Johnson are fairly limited, my hair is grey for a start. It does seem, however, that this may  be changing as I have recently been informed that I am Chairman elect of the Wallasey golf club seniors  section. At the moment the nomination is unopposed although one is usually assured of the majority of the house when endorsed by the outgoing member, as I am.

If successful in March, I will join a line of illustrious Wallasey members, many of them ex-captains, who have held the one year office.  The benefits are wide and varied. I get automatic selection to all the inter-club matches. These include Sandiway, Southport & Ainsdale, Heswall, Chester and Mere.
I get to tee off first with the opposition chairman, captain or senior golfer, the title varies from club to club, and, I get to address both teams as part of the after dinner 'entertainment'.

This speech usually consists of thanks to the host club, my playing partners and the staff. If playing away I  then announce the result of the match, and finally tell a story. It's this last bit that is thwart with danger. Will it be risqué?  Will the home chairman tell my story just before I stand up?should it be a joke, an anecdote or a parable? I will have eighteen such opportunities so hopefully will get the formula right by the end.

It's a huge privilege to be asked to take on the role,  given I am a soft Southerner and a relatively new member of the club. I look forward to being elected, and serving the Senior section, and wider Club membership during my year in office, with humour, humility and hospitality. Can't say fairer than that, and gentlemen, that reminds me..........