Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

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Luton Golf Day.

Well, if I'd been a lot better, I'd have been awful, I had a torrid time, even had an air-shot (more like a plough-shot) off the first tee. But golfers are very understanding, classy peeps generally, none of this in-yer-face "ha-ha you mangled it" shite, & my playing partners, including Paul Alterman & Pepe were most understandng & helpful. I was conscious of ruining their Team-Award chances, but they seemed OK with it.

I hit about 10 "clean" shots all day - even had a par, somehow (just the one), & spent all day hacking a few shots in a roughly forward, westerly or easterly direction - my "clean" shots were mostly extravagant pulls or pushes, miles OOB - & then meandering around, soaking up the views, & photographing the ducks & birds. I actually loved the whole day, despite making a complete pigs ear of my first game in 2 years, & probably my last ever round.

We did the Presentation in the Evening, & the "Chancer Award" (for the best or worst performance) went to Gershun, who recorded 180 shots, but confessed he stopped counting his shots after 10 on each hole. (He beat me by a good few I fancy, but I stopped counting earlier). Anyway, when he stepped up to get his Award, he got almost the biggest cheer of the night, & was all smiles, testament to the comradeship & sportsmanship of golfers.

Gershun plays most of the Luton Tourneys, & the DC now & then, & when he puts chips in the middle, the Fire Alarm goes off, & everyone evacuates the building.

I'm notr sure what he does for a living, but I think he imports & retails Kosher food.

Well done Gershun Sir. (pictured here).

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Here, pre-golf, are Carmel & Nina, who acted as Drinks & Cake Buggy Drivers all day.

Amazingly, Carmel has shed 4 stone in a few months.

They were both terrific sports all day, & fair play to them both for entering into the spirit of the day.

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Shocking Buggy-Drivers though.....

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Jeff Buffenburger. You'd go far to find a nicer, or fairer man, in poker, he's an absolute legend, & has never thrown a strop in his life, he's a man who enjoys his poker immensely, & is universally liked, admired, & respected.

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Jeff actually won the big Trophy of the day for best performance (he's a bandit), & Augusta eat your heart out, none of this Green Jacket nonsense. Here's Jeff wearing the much-coveted Luton Chequered Jacket, awarded annually. (The checks are in the Post).

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Here's Paul Alterman, who had the misfortune to be in my 4-ball.

I won the Golf Team Trophy, Poker Last Longer, & Poker Outright, in 2006, & last year Paul did the same, so there was some keen rivalry this year, but I got whopped all ends up, & Paul, though missing out on the golf due to his Handicap (me), he Finalled in the Tourney I understand. Top bloke.

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This is the lithe figure of Ambro, who's a Sicilian Restauranteer. Huge fun, & a fully paid-up member of the Hinge & Bracket Fan Club.

Plays the DC game quite deep.

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....and this is Ian, who used to deal at Luton, but now just plays there, & deals at The Western.

I don't think he'd ever played golf before, but he beat me on the day. Well, everybody did.

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Here's Paul "M3Boy" Garnham getting ready for the off, & the guy on the right is one of Brian Sadler's (who organised it) sons.

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no it isn't


one of Brian's sons that is.

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Brian Sadler, who orgsanises the Luton Golf Days so meticulously. A lovely man.

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no it isn't


one of Brian's sons that is.

No, but he looks like one of his sons. To me.

Misread?

[TightEnd]

Misread. Slight. Forgivable.

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no it isn't


one of Brian's sons that is.

Ahh, I've remembered who he is now. Won the Longest Drive, which stood (into the wind) at 280 yards until he came along & pummelled one 320 yards. His name was somebody somebody - might have been Russ somebody.

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The Golf was held at Mentmore GC, which, in effect, is the back garden of the splendid pile below, which, as with so many old Palaces/Mansions, sits so grandly atop a hill, surrounded by the Course

I researched this place when I first played Mentmore, 2 years back, & it was then, I think, owned by the Estate of George Harrison, he of the Beatles, & leased/given by him to the Hari Krishna Foundation. It was then sold to an Iranian led consortium, who, so the story goes, planned to convert it into a 5 star-hotel. (Forget that, it won't convert, ever).

It was said this year by those who know these things that it was used as part of the set for a Batman Film subsequntly, but I've no idea if that was true.

I was fascinated to see Buzzards circling over the towers of this place all day, they circled endlessly without ever perceptibly moving their wings. They are absolutely huge birds.