The Heath at 6

After my good round at Athy on Monday – 39 points – I saw my handicap cut from 7 to 6. Finally, my non-stop golfing was reaping rewards. At least until the next morning, when I went round Mountrath in 10 over. And worse was to come.

The Heath – this morning – and it was a beautiful day. Sun splitting the sky and all that stuff. Perfect for golf. It was an open singles stableford competition and I was ready to test out my new status as a 6 handicapper. Boy, was I in for a disappointment. 11 points on the front 9, 14 on the back. Brutal.

I played with Mike and Joe, both 19 handicappers, and only Mike thrived. Sadly for him, a couple of scratches and late blemishes ruined a promising card. [Photo: Par 4 5th]

At one point Joe was hitting a second shot, standing three feet from a flock of sheep, sheltering under the trees. No interest whatsoever. Barely an eyelid batted. Like The Curragh, the sheep are allowed to roam freely over the course; unlike The Curragh, the sheep here seem to have better manners and do not invade the greens. And the greens are lethal. Three-putt country almost every time. And then there’s the gorse…

I think my 4 over gross at Athy won a prize, but the website says otherwise – it says that 7 over gross won. More to follow on that one. I had several things stolen from my camper van while it was being repaired in Birr, and I’m not going to have a prize stolen from me too. It might be golf balls after all, and as I wrote only yesterday – every ball counts on this trek.