"Stranded at the drive-in, branded a fool, what will they say...
....if I miss the ball"
Thank goodness for that!
A hundred plus people watching, including family and friends, and yet it was a lonely place stood on that hut.
Let's face it we were all wondering the same thing.
Could I get the club back to the ball and avoid a dreaded top, scuff, whiff, block or hook?
It turns out I could.
And so it starts.
Captain of Eastbourne Downs Golf Club...God bless 'em.
God help 'em!
What's the 'drive-in' tradition all about? I hear no-one ask.
Well it's very much a ceremonial thing these days. An event that almost exclusively exists to present a blinding opportunity for a new Captain to embarrass themselves in front of the widest possible audience.
But back in the day...Club Captaincy was won in competition. The winner of the annual Club Championship was appointed Club Captain.
The logic of having your best player as captain is a staple of most sports. We see it to this day in the England cricket team (Stokes) and football team (Kane).
But an aptitude for playing good golf doesn't necessarily translate to proficiency in the administrative and organisational heft required to help run a golf club.
Clubs (presumably to their cost) quickly worked this out and so club captaincy became an elected appointment, like any other.
The drive-in of today is therefore a nod to golfing tradition. The new Captain drives off as if in competition but is guaranteed to win. It's a field of one.
But what kind of captain can Eastbourne Downs expect?
In Marvel terms I'm definitely more Deadpool than Captain America.
Yep that's me in the middle at Top Meadow 2017.
And in Gerry Anderson world my hairstyle is more The Hood than Captain Scarlett
I think (hope) I did an ok job as Pete O'Neill's Vice-Captain, but that's very much a supporting role.
And in life generally I see myself more as a Bernard (Woolley) than a Hacker (Jim).
My very good friend RHAB knows what I'm talking about.
But I guess there was at least one Bernard who made a pretty decent job of captaincy.
Unfortunately for Eastbourne Downs GC my two favourite captains are Mannering and Blackaddder...
But whatever it brings I'll try and give it my best.
Or as Mr Pool would say "Maximum effort".
With the Golf Club three weeks into new ownership there's plenty going on and loads to get to grips with.
It's going to be an 'ell of a journey but if I get a chance I'll keep these pages updated with my take on it all.
You have been watching...
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