But this year I REALLY wanted to win the ladies' individual knockout competition, the Challenge Bowl. I have been playing good matchplay all year and felt that this was my year to do it.
It is one of the bigger competitions of the year and the best I've done in the past is a solitary semi-final appearance a few years ago.
Well, I beat Morag a couple of weeks ago and then had to wait to find out who my opponent in the final would be. Either Carley, our best player who would have to give me 10 shots or Hilary who plays off 12 so would only be giving me one shot. Both would be tough acts to beat.
It turned out to be Hilary and we quickly set up our game for yesterday afternoon. I thought we had to wait for Finals Day on October but apparently, as we women get to our final pair earlier than the men who have more players and therefore more rounds, we tend to play in the good weather rather than waiting for the hooopla of Finals Day in cold, rainy October.
It is a bit of a shame not to have the fanfare but on balance much better to play on a warm, sunny, quiet afternoon.
Anyway, not to keep you in suspense, I won. Quite comfortably in the end although it never felt easy as she is such a consistent, relentless player. I was never behind and played well enough not to give her any real chances to beat me. Any time I started to wobble I managed to pull out a really good shot or good hole to stop the rot.
It is very satisfying; achieving something I set out to achieve and worked hard for. Hopefully my diet will have a similarly satisfying conclusion.
Today, however, the sporting excellence ran out. We were up early for a drive down to Brentford for the football. A trouble free drive down found us in our chosen pub for 12. We've been to The Globe a couple of times before and it is one of fhe better pubs we've found in London.
Although packed with Brentford supporters away fans are welcome, as they should be.
The ground is proper old school and pokey. I don't know how they are still allowed to have terrace standing after 4 years in the Championship. I thought it had been banned by the Taylor Report post Hillsborough but they do. Very retro
The topless chap below is our famous fan, Tango. He's alright, not terribly bright.
We lost. Miserably. A dispiriting 2- nil defeat from which even I with my generally sunny positivity, cannot find any silver lining. (BTW that was a weak pun as Jeff Beck's Hi Ho Silver Lining is Wednesday's anthem.)
After full time some lad let off a blue flare. Maybe he felt sad. I know I did.
We're nearly home now and I'm stiff from being squished in the back of a car with 2 others for 3 and a half hours. I'm also proud that I had a sensible breakfast, no beer, just 3 gin and slimlines and a reasonably sensible carvery lunch. Not too much damage done (apart from to my soul by Sheffield Wednesday's spineless display).
4 comments:
Congratulations on your win! Do you get a prize? A shiny trophy? Or is it for glory alone?
Re football: not a fan myself and I think that I’ve dodged a bullet there since it seems to be an emotionally draining experience! Hopefully things will pick up for you as the season progresses. Although as we are a Middlesbrough household, obviously I can’t hope that they pick up too much... ;)
Sx
There will be a trophy to adorn our living room for a year; my name goes onto a board of past winners for all eternity; and I think there may be vouchers for the pro shop. Living the dream!!
Congrats on the golf win! Next up, your face made up in petals in a well dressing?! ;)
xx
Congratulations! Oh so well done. I’m really pleased for you.
I read that last para as the sensible breakfast BEING the gin. But now I see you didn’t mean that. Or did you?!
Px
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