Captain’s Blog No 19, (22.12.20) - Christmas 2020
To all Pryors Hayes members,
Firstly, can I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy, peaceful, and healthy Christmas and hopefully look forward to a better year in 2021. It has been a difficult and worrying year for everyone and the immediate prospects seem gloomy but hopefully with the roll out of the vaccine we can gradually return to more normal times reasonably soon.
Throughout the pandemic the golf course has been something of a haven, providing a few hours when all we have to worry about is a sliced drive or a missed putt. Since the club reopened after the second lock down the course has been very heavily used indicating many members greatly value the opportunity to get out to play and meet up with friends even if conditions are not ideal! Hopefully, weather and Covid permitting, we can all continue to enjoy the freedom of the course in the coming weeks.
Since lock down 2 I have only managed a couple of rounds which despite the mud were therapeutic. I am always amazed by the scoring in winter conditions. I am pleased if I can muster 30pts whereas many people manage 40 plus! Last weekend Kev Fairclough achieved 45, quite extraordinary!! Congratulations to him and other winners in recent weeks.
A significant feature of recent golf has been the introduction of the World Handicap System. It takes a bit of getting your head round. As a bit of a ‘numbers geek’ I have enjoyed working through all the figures and, with the help of a spreadsheet I have constructed to aid my understanding, I think I have got to grips with it. I’m sure by the time we get back to qualifying competitions in the spring it will be second nature to everyone.
On the domestic front, our house sale appears to be progressing at speed so we will probably be moving out towards the end of January. Isabelle and I have been very grateful for the valiant efforts of the ladies’ section to find the ideal house for us. Please keep sending suggestions, I’m sure the right property will come up soon.
So, even in the present climate, I sincerely hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas and I look forward to seeing you on the course in the coming weeks.
Nadolig Llawen
Stay safe
Dave