We were privileged to have four American tourists beside us in the luxury of Stena Plus. As we left Belfast they were stridently moaning about the miserable weather they had had in the West of Ireland. All the way over they talked about the glories of Scotland and the sunny golf they would enjoy at St Andrews (PBUI)THey had apparently been at Newcastle ten days ago and couldn't get on the course because of the God Damn Walker Cup. Why hadn't the God Damn Travel guy warned them for puking out loud? Then they had been overcharged at Portmarnock, duped at the Dooks, soaked at Lahinch, lost their balls in Connemara etc etc.

We docked at Stranraer. They were travelling by bus-God Damn Rentals -too something, too something else, expensive. They had to walk to the terminal to recover their luggage and pick up a bus.

It is quite a long way


It was pouring

Welcome to Scotland.

Labels: Norn Iron, Stena, Walker Cup

  ¶ 5:53 PM (0) comments

 
But the Melody Lingers On

Up way before Seagull burp and to the Royal County Down (PBUI) Game plan was to play 2nd 9 of Championship course seeing that a bus load of Yanks on its-Tuesday-so-it-is Newcastle-Golfing tour of the Emerald Isle were intent on monopolising the first tee.
Foiled after two holes as a green keeper firmly and politely told me that the 2nd 9 was closed until 9-30-this was 8-10 so having finished the 11th (yes a 4 since you ask) I transferred my attentions to the Annesley Course. Easier said than done as the contractors who had so rapidly erected a field of cloth and gold: marquees, His and Hers Portaloos, Hamburger joints, ice cream vans, scoreboards viewing platforms, grand stands were being very slow at dismantling them. Only the BBC had folded its tents and stolen silently away with their 42 plus vans and Hazel Irvine. Thus the first four holes and the last three were unplayable and I had to start at the 6th and toil along behind the B Team Green Keepers as they mowed tees, erected today's tee markers, kicked polystyrene coffee cups out of sight into the gorse bushes and changed the position of the holes on each green. All seemed glum, adrenalin of the Big Event drained away and too plugged into I-Pods to have much inclination to chat.

One of the older green staff leaned long enough on his rake to respond to my words of praise on the condition of the course. 'Yes' he said' looked lovely on the Telly. All lush and green like' ' Didn't you walk round and watch the golf?' I enquired.' Watch the golf? Whatever for? ' I thought you would be interested after all your hard work?' I ventured. ' Would have had to walk-couldn't take that' gesturing towards his ATV Golf Cart. 'And anyhow' He added, spitting into a gorse bush.

'Don't really like the game'

Labels: Newcastle, Norn Iron, Royal County Down, Walker Cup

  ¶ 11:32 AM (0) comments

 


I did not hang around to witness these moving scenes of US triumphalism after their narrow win at the Royal County Down (PBUI) yesterday. Last time they won away from home was in 1991 at Portmarnack, also in Ireland. So perhaps thought should be given to having it elsewhere in the British Isles where GB and I might do a bit better.

Somewhere easier perhaps.

The course today is reserved for VIP guests with hangovers, top brass of the Royal and Ancient and the No 2 course is also unplayable by ordinary mortals as they dismantle the temporary infrastructure-marquees, loos, fast food outlets and get rid of the 42 BBC vans thought essential for mounting an outside broadcast. The R and A massive marquee with its bar, coffee shop and 24 TV monitors was the ideal place for watching the matches-certainly better view than from the course which looked even more magnificent on TV through the bottom of a gin glass. Judging from the state of some of the more decrepit members by 6pm yesterday that was how they had spent the past two days gazing in adoration at the delectable Hazel Irvine and with increasing despondancy at Rory McIlroy and his teammates.

To lose on Home Soil and at the Royal County Down.

That's double jeopardy for you

Labels: Newcastle, Royal County Down, Walker Cup

  ¶ 9:25 AM (0) comments

 

WALKER CUP NEWS BLACKOUT

The Highheidyins of the Royal and Ancient/Royal County Down (Double PBUT) were quite serious about forbidding the use of cameras by the 10,000 or so spectators who infested the links this morning.In consequence Huttonian had no choice but to borrow two images from the BBC website of golfers in action during a practice section including the local hero, 18 year old Rory McIlroy who plays off a handicap of plus 6* In fact photography would have been difficult given the huge turnout and hard to get near to the action around the greens-gates I suspect were closed in mid morning for non ticket holders. And despite being a week end Newcastle itself was very quiet-fin de saison. I did actually see one person with a camera photographing a gorse bush a long way from the action. And there was no sign of Stalker and his ball finding Alsatian-although he will be out after dark on the off chance that a golf ball lost in practice may be findable in some remote gorse bush or clump of heather.

And miraculously the rule about no mobile phones was apparently upheld. Norn Ironers are law abiding folk on such solemn occasions.

* Is this good? Blog-ed

Yes, even better than Huttonian in his prime.

Labels: Newcastle, Royal County Down, Walker Cup

  ¶ 2:35 PM (0) comments

 
I am indebted to our Dinger house guest for this image of Newcastle taken half way up Slieve Donard this morning-he went straight up the hill after breakfast It is wonderful what a bowl of Muesli does for you.

Beyond Newcastle town you can see the links of the Royal County Down. What you can't quite see, even on the largest magnification is the US team at practice. Nor hear a strange distant noise: the wind that shakes the Barley?No.. Its the Americans.

quivering in their boots*

* Golf Shoes, surely? Blog-ed.

Later we had a meal at Mario's-a few yards from the Huttonian Homestead. There was the entire US team. Relaxed and confident. Average age seemingly about 14. Steaks and fruit juice. No WAGS in attendance.

It might be a mistake to underestimate them.

Report tomorrow. Cameras banned so no images.

If I am spared of course.

Labels: Newcastle, Norn Iron, Walker Cup

  ¶ 6:22 PM (0) comments

 


Newcastle is all geared and dolled up for the Walker Cup. The prize winning neo-modern Promenade runs the full length of the town, steel lamp standards and the odd crystal ball gleaming in the September sun. A tubular steel bridge connects both halves of the town where the old castle used to stand. And in the margins of all this fine new development are a series of notices warning you (in effect) to keep out of the sea. Mind you the effect of the new promenade has been to denude the once glorious beach of sand and it is now a mass of slippery shingle. I have no problem about this as the water is bitterly cold but to warn about strong currents in sheltered Dundrum Bay is a bit OTT. Seaweed yes, jellyfish certainly, nary a life guard indeed. But currents? More of those in Maud's delicious scones than in Dundrum Bay.

Labels: Newcastle, Promenade, Walker Cup

  ¶ 2:08 PM (0) comments

 

1776 avenged

So tomorrow it is a drive across Scotland and Stenaing to Norn Iron. Once more to Newcastle-this time to watch the ritual humiliation of the Yanks in the Walker Cup. Read all about at http://www.royalcountydown.org/ Follow the Walker Cup links(No pun intended)
Huttonian hopes to be able to upload stunning images of the world's best amateur golfers on the world's best golf course.

If we are spared, of course (not another pun intended)


The images above should be enough to send the American's back home 'to think again'. The golfer near the top of the bunker* (to us-to them sand trap) is enjoying traditional RCD (PBUI) hospitality in one of our smaller depressions (click on image for full horror) and the other image is of the 9th from halfway through your drive path. Don't ask Tiger Wood how much he took here on his practice round a few years back. For US morale reasons his (eventual-after two recounts) score is

highly clasified.

* No Deidre of Dresden: Hitler's was different

Labels: Royal County Down, Walker Cup

  ¶ 10:16 AM (0) comments