Hi Everyone,
Over the weekend I have been enjoying the PNC Event from Florida. This is where Major winners team up with a member of their family and play a mixture of greensomes and scramble over two days. It is a jolly event and at the finish of the year a great reminder of all that's wonderful about golf. In the field is teenager Will, Annika's son and Octogenarian Gary Player, who will be a nonagenarian next year! Admittedly Gary is a bit of an outlier with a daily regime of 1000 sit ups and several hundred press ups keeping him very trim. A friend of mine was at an event this year that Gary was hosting. On being introduced to the great man, he was immediately invited to thump Gary in the stomach to test out his six pack! After an understandably playful tap my friend was admonished with "Hit me harder mah stomach is like a washboard". Fortunately, my friend managed to beat a hasty retreat as Gary lined up the next startled guest.
In between young Will and evergreen Gary there are all levels and ages. I always think how fortunate the game of golf is with the handicap systems, so that different abilities can play together, and with smart use of different tees players end up in similar positions after their drives. The final day was full of birdies and two hole in ones. Firstly Tiger Wood's son Charlie holed a 7 iron from 176 yards (just hitting it that far with a 7 iron is impressive, let alone holing it) and then Padraig Harrington on the 183 yard 8th with a 6 iron. After 36 holes the Langers and the Woods were tied and as I thought in the play off Bernhard would hole a telling putt to win the day.
Of course for all of us we love it when we play under our handicap or win a match / competition. However, on reflecting why we play, I feel the friendship and fellowship of our playing partners on and off the golf course and the fun and sometimes frustration we all share is what makes golf such a tremendous activity.
Clearly our friends in Florida were fortunate to be on summer like greens, however for us in the UK it's a bit of a different story. Before you next play have a look at this article that I wrote for Golf Monthly on How to Putt on Winter Greens Please click this link here I hope this will be useful.
I want to wish you all some great golfing achievements in 2025 and plenty of fun on and off the course.
Wishing you and yours a great festive season and a blessed New Year.
All the best
Barney
Fellow of the PGA
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