This is a bank holiday in Norn Iron and next weekend in the Republic. Lack of holiday down there seems to have encouraged a lot of exodus to up here. Mostly golfers-a whole bus load of them parked right beside Huttonian scattering their possessions to all parts of the car park as a gale blew away pullovers, parkas (the forecast was not really that bad) waterproof trousers, and quite a few Euro notes carelessly left in jacket pockets. The diversion allowed my partner and myself to get to the tee before any possible competition blocked the fairways although I suspect that the visitors were not aiming for the Championship course (PBUI) which is blocked off for members only until well into the morning. And no members apart from ourselves in sight having golfed them selves out over the normal weekend and returned to Belfast leaving Newcastle to the usual horde of day trippers.

We indeed did have the course to ourselves apart from Jack-the-lads. These are the young coming generation of green keepers, trainees, who were on duty as part of the relentless preparations for the British Ladies Open Amateur championship starting on 11 June. The senior keepers are having the day off. I wonder if the JTLS will make old bones. I-Pods jammed into their ears-well the ear connections actually-they are impervious to anything except Finnish Heavy Metal. On the 16th frequent calls of 'Fore' failed to move them from the middle of the fairway where they were sweeping sand back into bunkers whilst jigging away, HM bound. We both decided to risk charges of youthslaughter and drove off. My partner missed the slightly smaller JTL in the left middle bunker by a whisker and I the t'other in the right middle bunker.
We came up to them, still dancing away to distant drums, played our shots and moved on. I indicated my apologies to my near victim before I headed off. He took out an earpiece and looked blank. I repeated my regrets for a narrow miss to an empty ear. He looked more blank and replaced his life line and swayed away.

Did they know how near death or serious injury they had been?

I doubt it. As one said to the other when we were a few yards away: 'What was that about, then?
The other never responded. Latvian Medium Metal made sure of that.

(The image is of the 11th Green looking back. The JTLs have not arrived-or they may have just left)  ¶ 11:39 AM