TOUR REVIEW

Where do I start?? What a Tour!! If you are all like me recovering from a great weekend away then this resume will no doubt start a relapse.

 

Friday 5th

Seven of us made our way to Arcot Hall Golf Club for an unofficial tour match. The Tee off time was 11.30 but we made good time (including Brian & Murray from London) allowing us to have coffee and bacon baps. Murray came on tour believing in travelling light - so light he only appeared to have golf clubs. After buying his green fee, golf shoes, sweater, golf balls and other accessories he was £150 lighter before he had hit a ball. The course was reasonably good but a combination of poor greens and tired bodies the scoring was pretty crap but we had enjoyed a good time. After good navigating by Alec we drove to the Dene Hotel to join with T.C., Grant & Stuart.

After checking in and freshening up we took taxis into town and hit a bar called “Martha’s”. It was heaving and you could hardly move. At £2.60 for a bottle of Beck’s it was expensive. None of us had eaten so as time wore on Eddie, Brian& Murray hit the Indian - Scott , Alec & T.C. hit the chippy whilst Ewan, Steven, Stuart & Grant hit another pub. Later Ewan, Steven, & Stuart hit the Indian also. Later we tried to find a nightclub but because of various dress codes we ended up split between 3 clubs. We all retired at different times but the tour had got off to a good start.

 

Saturday 6th

Amazingly there were no great problems in making the 10.00 meeting time although some skipped breakfast. We set off for Slaley Hall via Hexham. This was the wrong way to go!! Ewan got lost in a housing estate and ended up behind the other two cars purely by way off a fluke. In the end the road was like a forest stage in a motor rally. When we found the complex it was magnificent with a large hotel and chalets in the grounds surrounding the golf course. The disappointment was however to find that we were charged £22.50 instead of the £35 previously advised. Most would be pleased at this but the reason was that the course was being prepared for the European PGA Tour event to be held there in June and we played a shortened course with some winter greens. Nevertheless we saw enough to see that it was a very tough course. Scott thought it was good however and scored an eagle on the par 4 8th. The first ever in the CEGS Tour history. Well-done Scott.

At night we bought in Indian meals and had a lucky dip on the lottery. We hit Martha’s again which was mobbed as usual. Brian & Murray did their own thing and went to the boat. Good move guys!! When the rest of us arrived there was a queue a mile long. When at the front Alec was re­fused entry because of wearing jeans. Alec returned to the Hotel, joined by Ewan who was still suffering from a cold.

 

Sunday 7th

Once again most people were up on time. Today we were golfing at South Shields. We took taxis so that we could have a drink afterwards and watch the Celtic vs Rangers Cup Semi. After a wee bit of a direction problem we arrived. Murray was so disgusted with his performance on Saturday that he bought a new set of irons in the golf shop. He also bought some new golf balls but when he teed-off they were not as high performing as he had expected - it exploded !!! Well the golf course was wide open and we were lucky that it was a calm day and the scoring reflected this. Brian had a gross 74. After the golf we had one pint in the clubhouse and retired to the hotel to watch the football. We started a kitty and Alec started like a dog out of a trap and went about two pints ahead of everyone else. He paid the price however as he was the first in bed later (and missed breakfast next morning). We got kerry-oots again but Chinese this time. At the back of eight we had the presentation of prizes. This was less organised than usual because everyone was pissed. The pubs shut at 10.30 on Sunday and none of the clubs were open. We got taxis-guess where?  We were joined by Greg & Beverley from Edinburgh who we had met in the hotel on Saturday. We moved on to a second pub for the last half-hour where drinks were only a £1 and the disco was playing good 70’s & 80’s sing-a-long stuff. We returned to the hotel where the rugby club from Twickenham were also having their last night. As the beer flowed we started singing, which was brought quickly to an end by the arrival of the Manager’s wife. He took the huff and closed the bar - only to reopen it 5 minutes later. Murray & Eddie got involved in a spirit session and Eddie had to be put to bed. When T.C. got upstairs he found Eddie asleep on the bathroom floor.

 

Monday 8th

Only Ewan & Grant made it for breakfast. There were a few sorry heids especially Scott & Eddie.We decided that no one was fit for driving so we went into town to get some fresh air and some­thing to eat. T.C & Grant went for the train and the rest had fish suppers in the shopping mall. From there we all made our weary ways home. Scott even missed the opportunity to watch the Man. Utd. Vs Coventry game - so he must have felt rough.

The end of a successful weekend - next years overseas trip will be organised by Alec & T.C.