It looked really promising at the start as we gathered at Tarland for the annual Midsummer Outing - good breaks in the clouds and a pleasant 17 degrees C. It was our biggest outing for a long time - an amazing 18 players showed up - and that's without a few regulars who couldn't make it.
Bacon butties and tea/coffee at the start for the pensioners as we waited for the workers to join us, and then we got ready for action. There was a bit of a stooshie on the first tee as Archie (Archie, the battery boy) had more trolley trouble. Rob and Syd were the quasi-engineers who tried to assist:
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| Note newly arrived Shuggie on the phone peering over the hedge |
I tried to do a team photo of the early starters, but could only amass 8 of us, as the rest farted around doing who knows what:
At the 4th hole, Dick got up on the ladder, ostensibly to spot the group in front, although he seems to be admiring his card here:
The front nine was very pleasant - the course was looking good - and what a lovely peaceful spot Tarland is in. We started the back nine and the first groups got out as far as the 4th/5th/6th - the furthest away points from the clubhouse, naturally - when the heavens opened. It wasn't just rain, but heavy thunder and lightning as well. We tried to shelter to wait for it to pass, but the course was soon an absolute quagmire with the greens looking more like swimming pools. There was no option but to trudge back to the clubhouse and the relative safety there.
There had been local flash floods and the fire engines were out. The whole of Tarland lost power as well. A few of our group headed home to dry off and/or watch the footy on TV, but most of us went round to the Aberdeen Arms, as originally planned.
Surprisingly, there was no air of gloom and doom - everyone seemed to be in fine spirits - perhaps it was the shared experience. No food available due to lack of power, but at least the beer was good. Here's a couple of shots of our group inside the Aberdeen Arms - a lovely little pub:
The power was eventually restored to the village and we were able to watch the rest of the first half of the England match there before heading home.
Tarland Golf Club were very sympathetic and hoped to have us back some time. The deal we agreed was that we would just pay for 9 holes yesterday and we would get a free 9 holes when we came back. Most paid their £12 for this, but I believe there may have been a couple who escaped early and didn't pay? If you haven't paid yet, please let me know - the rest of us made up the deficit yesterday, so any further payments will go in to the kitty.
Additionally, there were 7 who had paid me the £5 deposit - Bhagrath, Black, Cook, Freeman, McRae and Street - I forgot to deduct this yesterday so I owe you all. I also forgot that I had already paid a deposit of £80 to Tarland GC for our group and never deducted this from our green fees - will need to adjust that when we return - possibly in August?
An interesting day out - reminiscent of one of the early Midsummer Outings, which used to be to Gleneagles, in the days when they offered reasonable rates for twilight golf. It was to be Terry's last ever visit there - and he was very aware of that fact. He was really pissed off with the rest of us who walked off the last few holes when the heavens opened - he wanted to play on. Memories.
At the 4th hole, Dick got up on the ladder, ostensibly to spot the group in front, although he seems to be admiring his card here:
There had been local flash floods and the fire engines were out. The whole of Tarland lost power as well. A few of our group headed home to dry off and/or watch the footy on TV, but most of us went round to the Aberdeen Arms, as originally planned.
Surprisingly, there was no air of gloom and doom - everyone seemed to be in fine spirits - perhaps it was the shared experience. No food available due to lack of power, but at least the beer was good. Here's a couple of shots of our group inside the Aberdeen Arms - a lovely little pub:
The power was eventually restored to the village and we were able to watch the rest of the first half of the England match there before heading home.
Tarland Golf Club were very sympathetic and hoped to have us back some time. The deal we agreed was that we would just pay for 9 holes yesterday and we would get a free 9 holes when we came back. Most paid their £12 for this, but I believe there may have been a couple who escaped early and didn't pay? If you haven't paid yet, please let me know - the rest of us made up the deficit yesterday, so any further payments will go in to the kitty.
Additionally, there were 7 who had paid me the £5 deposit - Bhagrath, Black, Cook, Freeman, McRae and Street - I forgot to deduct this yesterday so I owe you all. I also forgot that I had already paid a deposit of £80 to Tarland GC for our group and never deducted this from our green fees - will need to adjust that when we return - possibly in August?
An interesting day out - reminiscent of one of the early Midsummer Outings, which used to be to Gleneagles, in the days when they offered reasonable rates for twilight golf. It was to be Terry's last ever visit there - and he was very aware of that fact. He was really pissed off with the rest of us who walked off the last few holes when the heavens opened - he wanted to play on. Memories.
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