Day four over and the Czech us out tour comes to an end. Today we were at Karlstejn, an ex European tour venue, and a lovely course. It is high in the hills about an hour from Prague, and really would not have the infrastructure for a major tournament these days.
Cookie and I played another match play for our Virgin Atlantic league, and I had a rare win against him. Back to back birdies at 11 and 12 got my nose in front and a steady back nine saw me through to victory.
The course is built in the grounds of Karlstejn castle built in the 14th century by Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV and it is one of the best examples in the Czech Republic.
Last night was the gala dinner at which prizes were dished out. We came home empty handed but the experience has still been worthwhile. As far as a festival of golf goes though it was not quite what we expected.
There were tour reps from China and Germany, and a guest of one of the Germans ran a Porsche golf events team. Four Scots had won the trip in a golf magazine competition. One Frenchman owned a hotel with two golf courses in Bordeaux and another typical French raconteur lived in Aix Les Vains. He had a restaurant in Mirrabelle and skied in Japan.
So there were very few paying guests, but we held our own had a good time and would come back. It's a golf tour destination of the future. Now all I need to do is repack my suitcase for EasyJet. Hey ho!!
Thursday, 13 July 2017
Wednesday, 12 July 2017
Pythonesque
The third and final festival day was at the Albatross course. It is about to host the Czech masters so was set up in a testing way for us. It is a naturally tough course so given that and a third day fatigue factor scores were not expected to be too high. We will find out at the gala dinner later tonight.
Last night was at leisure in Prague so Cookie and I found a Czech restaurant near the Spanish Synagogue and I over ate to the point of uncomfortable. I was warned off the starters but insisted on shredded meat on toast. They would have done as a full meal, so when the goulash arrived I knew I had a battle on my hand to eat it all. The walk home was mandatory to allow a bit of digestion to occur before bed.
I will be more circumspect this evening but have already had a seafood risotto for lunch so I don't think there is any hope for me.
Last golf day tomorrow then home,might have a frozen albatross on a stick later!
Last night was at leisure in Prague so Cookie and I found a Czech restaurant near the Spanish Synagogue and I over ate to the point of uncomfortable. I was warned off the starters but insisted on shredded meat on toast. They would have done as a full meal, so when the goulash arrived I knew I had a battle on my hand to eat it all. The walk home was mandatory to allow a bit of digestion to occur before bed.
I will be more circumspect this evening but have already had a seafood risotto for lunch so I don't think there is any hope for me.
Last golf day tomorrow then home,might have a frozen albatross on a stick later!
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
Out on the Konopiste
Day two of the Czech golf festival saw us travel a little further to the Konopiste resort and spa. The facilities have two 18 hole courses, a nine holer and practise ground. The practise ground doubles as a ski slow during the Winter and has a lift to the top. There is a hotel and spa and additional dormey house accommodation for golfers.
Our welcome at the course was not as enthusiastic as that which we got yesterday. It is often a characteristic of golf hotels that they almost find golfers an unavoidable nuisance. Today seemed back that up.
Early on the course seemed a bit tired and tatty but it's conditional improved greatly after about three holes. The only other downside was the back nine which seemed have four holes of a similar design which have a certain tedium to them.
Cookie and I stormed back from 4 down against two dour Scotsmen and after pulling back to all square on the 17th we gained an honourable half on the last. In the Virgin Swingers league though Cookie beat me 2 & 1.
Last night we had our tour of Prague followed by typical Czech cuisine which was very enjoyable. We had a coach to the castle and then walked down to the Charles bridge and old town in the company of an English speaking guide. It showed us some fascinating architecture, buildings many centuries old standing beside those a few hundred years old, and those in between.
Prague has never been under siege or subjected to land or air bombardments which has allowed it to evolve in the way it has. The only sadness lies in the Jewish quarter where many beautiful synagogues stand as a monument to the atrocities of the Second World War. The Germans cleansed the City of the Jewish population and the Jews have never returned.
So to tomorrow which sees us battle for the Czech trophy. Must keep the ball the fairway and out of the water hazards otherwise Cookie will beat me again.
Our welcome at the course was not as enthusiastic as that which we got yesterday. It is often a characteristic of golf hotels that they almost find golfers an unavoidable nuisance. Today seemed back that up.
Early on the course seemed a bit tired and tatty but it's conditional improved greatly after about three holes. The only other downside was the back nine which seemed have four holes of a similar design which have a certain tedium to them.
Cookie and I stormed back from 4 down against two dour Scotsmen and after pulling back to all square on the 17th we gained an honourable half on the last. In the Virgin Swingers league though Cookie beat me 2 & 1.
Last night we had our tour of Prague followed by typical Czech cuisine which was very enjoyable. We had a coach to the castle and then walked down to the Charles bridge and old town in the company of an English speaking guide. It showed us some fascinating architecture, buildings many centuries old standing beside those a few hundred years old, and those in between.
Prague has never been under siege or subjected to land or air bombardments which has allowed it to evolve in the way it has. The only sadness lies in the Jewish quarter where many beautiful synagogues stand as a monument to the atrocities of the Second World War. The Germans cleansed the City of the Jewish population and the Jews have never returned.
So to tomorrow which sees us battle for the Czech trophy. Must keep the ball the fairway and out of the water hazards otherwise Cookie will beat me again.
Monday, 10 July 2017
Czech us out
Myself and good mate Cookie are in Prague at the moment checking out the city and its surrounding golf courses. We flew in last night and avoided all the hen and stag parties going back the other way.
Today was the first round at the Loreta course about 35 minutes from the centre. It's a new layout from 2013 but was the ideal start for our tour. We played it as a warm-up round and hit some dreadful and hit a few birdies so all in all a good start.
Neither of us have been to Prague before and first impression was how clean a city it was. We have a two hour sightseeing tour this evening so that will give us a chance to see the old town, the Charles bridge and so on.
There are 21 of us on the tour and many are travel agents or tour operators seeing whether Prague golf could fill a place in the European holiday destination portfolio. Initial indications are that it could. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
Today was the first round at the Loreta course about 35 minutes from the centre. It's a new layout from 2013 but was the ideal start for our tour. We played it as a warm-up round and hit some dreadful and hit a few birdies so all in all a good start.
Neither of us have been to Prague before and first impression was how clean a city it was. We have a two hour sightseeing tour this evening so that will give us a chance to see the old town, the Charles bridge and so on.
There are 21 of us on the tour and many are travel agents or tour operators seeing whether Prague golf could fill a place in the European holiday destination portfolio. Initial indications are that it could. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Six Pack
As June comes to an end its time to do some catching up. After a bit if golf with the Virgin Airways golf society at Wallasey, I was able to focus once more on the trip ahead to Striding Edge and Helvellyn.
As a side, however, the Virgin golf team are called the Swingers, an interesting name choice and one which Sir Richard must have the odd chuckle about. If they knew what went on in the sand dunes near the Wallasey course, they would see even more irony in the name.
I digress, so in early June we set off to Camp Dick II, again hosted in Bampton by Seamus and Kate. They was a fair old gathering, although a few less than the assemble at Camp Dick, the original. Yep, this blog has been going over ten years...phew.
Dicks lads all have WaGs in tow now, and people had again travelled from near and far. The main topic of conversation though was the weather!!
We stayed at a B & B in the village, the host of which was the official Winter weather man and climbed Helvellyn every day to do a weather report. It was pretty clear on the Saturday morning then that there was no way that walk was going to happen. It was a huge disappointment as we had been training quite extensively for it. Safety has to come first though, so a brisk few mile hike to Shap Abbey was considered the alternative. It was good fun and built up an appetite for pie and peas, ploughmans lunch and large pots of stew. It was all washed down with three barrels of local craft beer and we all slept well on the back of it!!
As a side, however, the Virgin golf team are called the Swingers, an interesting name choice and one which Sir Richard must have the odd chuckle about. If they knew what went on in the sand dunes near the Wallasey course, they would see even more irony in the name.
I digress, so in early June we set off to Camp Dick II, again hosted in Bampton by Seamus and Kate. They was a fair old gathering, although a few less than the assemble at Camp Dick, the original. Yep, this blog has been going over ten years...phew.
Dicks lads all have WaGs in tow now, and people had again travelled from near and far. The main topic of conversation though was the weather!!
We stayed at a B & B in the village, the host of which was the official Winter weather man and climbed Helvellyn every day to do a weather report. It was pretty clear on the Saturday morning then that there was no way that walk was going to happen. It was a huge disappointment as we had been training quite extensively for it. Safety has to come first though, so a brisk few mile hike to Shap Abbey was considered the alternative. It was good fun and built up an appetite for pie and peas, ploughmans lunch and large pots of stew. It was all washed down with three barrels of local craft beer and we all slept well on the back of it!!
The next exciting weekend was that just past, which started off with An Old England XI v Oxton CC in a T20 game. Mark Ramprakash was the big name but Devon Malcolm, Dominic Cork and Simon Jones were also in the team.
That evening the London branch of the family arrived for Ava's first holy communion the next morning. Lions rugby had to be sacrificed as we were on duty in the church for 09:45. It was then all back to Emma's house for bouncy castle, mega blow up slide, bbq and more beer. I am not sure how London Pride got on the menu but who was I to complain.
It also gave us a rare photo opportunity as we had one with the ankle biters en masse!
July starts off with cousin Mike and his wife Val coming up North for Chester races. It will be my fourth day at the course and I have yet to win any money. Lets hope the weather and the luck changes on Saturday.
Thursday, 25 May 2017
Sicilian defense
What a sad tragic start to the week. SWMBO and I had enjoyed a pleasant weekend with mutual friends and did not learn of the bomb blast until waking up on Tuesday morning. Our kids have been to the concert hall many times, we went ourselves to see Paul Simon and Sting.
The bombers are herristic in the way smart chess computers are. They learn what works and what doesn't and modify their moves accordingly. Security which is tight bars them from the stadia and arena's so wait outside and let your targets come to you.
Cowardly and evil people,however, are limited in their modification ability. After attacking several countries in an effort to strike fear and nervousness, which in turn they hope will provide a basis for their deranged religious beliefs, they are failing to realise that it will do nothing of the sort.
Each evil act simply strengthens the resolve of the opposition and provides greater resilience and fortitude against which they will subsequently need to battle. The end game approaches faster with each failed attempt at provocation.
The bombers are pawns in hands of their bigger players but eventually bishops, knights, kings and queens will triumph. Checkmate.
The bombers are herristic in the way smart chess computers are. They learn what works and what doesn't and modify their moves accordingly. Security which is tight bars them from the stadia and arena's so wait outside and let your targets come to you.
Cowardly and evil people,however, are limited in their modification ability. After attacking several countries in an effort to strike fear and nervousness, which in turn they hope will provide a basis for their deranged religious beliefs, they are failing to realise that it will do nothing of the sort.
Each evil act simply strengthens the resolve of the opposition and provides greater resilience and fortitude against which they will subsequently need to battle. The end game approaches faster with each failed attempt at provocation.
The bombers are pawns in hands of their bigger players but eventually bishops, knights, kings and queens will triumph. Checkmate.
Saturday, 6 May 2017
Danny John-Jules
Beach day today following a very large evening meal at a beachside restaurant called Champers, last night. Three courses was just being too greedy. It felt like being on a cruise ship. The place was lovely though, a bit like The Cliff on the West coast but a bit more relaxed.
Today we have been out snorkelling with the Hawksbill turtles who turn up near the beach to feed off the sardine entrails the local beach fishermen throw back. The turtles don't let you get too close but the are very relaxed creatures nonetheless.
We have a mega Sunday lunch booked tomorrow so it will be frugal fayre tonight or the taxi will need to be re-enforced to get us home!!
Today we have been out snorkelling with the Hawksbill turtles who turn up near the beach to feed off the sardine entrails the local beach fishermen throw back. The turtles don't let you get too close but the are very relaxed creatures nonetheless.
We have a mega Sunday lunch booked tomorrow so it will be frugal fayre tonight or the taxi will need to be re-enforced to get us home!!
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