Golf Is Much More Than Just a Game

Charnwood Forest GC was founded in 1890 (charnwoodforestgc.co.uk), and where I spent some of the happiest years of my life.

A group of members form what is known as "The Seniors," and I was indeed honoured to play with five others, which we named "The Super Six." We played golf every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the year (holidays excepted) in all sorts of climatic conditions.

A strict rota system prevailed to ensure a fourball match commenced at 9 a.m.; this covered personal holidays, indispositions, etc., and over a decade countless numbers of rounds were fought, tooth and nail, using the handicaps of the contestants to decide the result. No quarter was asked or given, however. The losers had to pay for the tea & biscuits!

We all had different backgrounds. Reg was a chemist and at one time worked on whaling ships in the Southern Seas; Brian was an accountant and was an absolute genius at figures; Tony saw service as an army officer during World War II; Alan's career was in banking; and the oldest, Stan, was a lecturer in Loughborough University, captained the British Olympic Hockey team in the 1948 games, played football at a senior level, was the oldest of the clique and until recently held the course record of 63 at the club.

We played golf for fun and we enjoyed every minute in each others company. From the first tee to the final green everything under the sun came up for debate and from it we could put the world to right.

Local politics, national politics, world politics, sports, over the years I cannot claim anything escaped our attention, even the latest crisis in far flung Outer Mangolia to the sexual deviations of the Orangotang apes in Indonesia! Not once did we fail to reach a conclusion on retiring to the clubhouse.

Throughout, we never had a serious argument, enough to sever the relationship, save one when Stan challenged my handicap of 18 and called me a "cowboy." Instead of a shootout we smoked a pipe of peace within the hour, after which he still insisted he was right and I called on the services of the Handicap Secretary.

Arthritis forced me to stop playing in 2005. We moved south and so the story ends, but not the fond memories it contains, thanks to golf.