18 June 2010
A great day. The first time back at Royal Worlington Club to since the beginning of May. Tim Stranack, the match manager for our side against The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC is the oldest regiment in Great Britain) very kindly invited me to join them for the day having been, in the past, lucky enough to be invited to play against this team. It is always either be popular fixture at the club, starting as it does with a full English breakfast washed down with a decent champagne. I’m not sure that there was a great deal to the golf but it certainly is a splendid start to the day. I met many old friends many of whom generously spent a little time with me which made the day extremely special. I wore my kilt, for lavatorial reasons! and enlisted the assistance of a member of the opposition team, on two separate occasions, to pull down my drawers from under the kilt and once I had completed my business, pull them up again. All without involving themselves in any delicate or unseemly situations. Of course, from my end all dignity and shame disappeared ages ago but I am always immensely impressed at how helpful and unembarrassed even strangers are to assist in such circumstances.
Kit very kindly drove me there and back with my gutter frame and other necessary bits and pieces. Then, Griggsy, assumed responsibility and we spent most of the morning and part afternoon together driving round the course in his buggy keeping an eye on the golf.
I hope we didn’t put our boys off that they got a bit of a thrashing from the HAC who won 10 and 6. You know how it is always possible to see someone worse off than yourself. Well, there was one HAC member, whose name I shall not disclose having failed to ask his permission, who is permanently plugged into oxygen, due to a severe weakness in his lungs. He unplugs the oxygen bottle, which he carries around with him, Each time it is his turn to hit the ball. He never complains and is extremely brave continuing to play golf with this encumbrance. It is this sort of spirit that I immensely admire.
Having woken at 6 a.m and left home at 715, arriving back almost around 12 hours later, I was a little weary but it Was quite a day and well worthwhile.