The start of Summer

Saturday was busy as the summer season started. It just didn't feel like summer - morning rain and strong winds all day, although in the afternoon the course and surrounds looked good as the sun came out.

We had a team in the inter-county foursomes - unfortunately not for long; Close House beat us.

We had the first 2011 competition off white tees, the first that counted for handicap purposes. It's always a bit of a shock to see the difference 20 or so yards makes on the first tee: it's not a big distance - except psychologically.

And I had to get a team of 16 for the Ponteland match the following week - we had 7 people at the start of the day, 18 at the end, so that was successful although it did mean I had to make a selection. Was that diversion of attention the reason I played so badly I came last - both in the Brass Monkeys, an expensive move, and in the competition (I think the first time I've done that)? Potentially, but really I think it was just bad golf.

The afternoon players had the best of the weather, with the top three (Nick Whitton who spent much of the round saying he was playing badly, John Porteus and Mark Dawson) playing then.