Ryder Cup Weekend

What a great weekend that was! Really enjoyed it.

Friday I had the Ryder Cup golf playing on my other laptop from 12.30pm whilst I was working - it was so engaging and great to watch. The ability of the players was phenomenal. Europe got a decent lead.

Finished work a bit late so I was caught up and Tash came home for dinner and then from 5.30pm I was back in the office on my laptop watching the second session and again Europe dominated. I didn't move an inch the whole time and it didn't finish until 11.30pm!!

Went to bed knowing I had an early start.

Up bright and early, well less bright now as it's dark in the mornings until 6.45am - and I felt a bit groggy, not from drink as I didn't drink last night but just weary.

Got sorted and then went off to Radley, Wayne turned up the same time as me, 7.00am and we got practising. Jon Hawkins and Robbie Barresi made up the foursome and Robbie and I got pair together which was perhaps a little unfair as we have high handicaps and boy, did we make use of them!

We destroyed Wayne and Hawks, absolutely smashed them winning holes left, right and centre - completing the win on the 13th! £5.00 in the pocket as a result.. :-)

Finished the round, I was completing all the holes so that I could put in a card and I ended up with a round of 90 so I was very pleased with that. Spoiler alert - it brought my handicap down to 20.8 which I am delighted with and is the lowest I've ever been - need to keep going though I want to be in the teens before the New Year.

Went home and did some chores in between trying to sneak in the office and watch the Ryder cup again - Foursome and Fourballs - but Tash was onto me and I had to work instead! It was productive so that was good, ticked items off a very long list.

We then went out into town to do some shopping for my birthday, went into Uniglo and found a pair of trousers I liked but they were too long and they didn't have my size online but what is brilliant about their system is that they do an alteration service and I was able to get them taken up for free - really impressive.

I then said to Tash I really wanted a big knitted jumper and we went across the road to Superdry and exactly what I wanted was there on the front table - couldn't believe it, tried it on and loved it - so bought that as well - that's my birthday presents from Tash sorted.

We then pottered around for a bit before going to Pizza Express for a meal and then over to The Crown for another drink afterwards. Really nice to spend some time like that and then made our way home. Watched a bit of TV but I was more invested in the golf on the iPhone. Then to bed. 

Jobs got done in the morning so that I could watch the golf from midday, it was only when I checked my phone that I saw the golf didn't start until 5.00pm!! Anyway, cracked on with everything on the list and did well. Then went over to Sue's and sorted her BBQ that Aaron had put together completely incorrectly, Sue was pleased that’s now sorted for her.

As planned we then made our way over to Vic's pub (The Abingdon Arms - Beckley) for Sunday roast. It was really busy in there but we got a place sorted and had a really good meal - and to top it off we didn't have to pay as Vic had told them we were on our way over so that was a great bonus, mind you - we still ended up giving a £35 tip...

Dropped Sue off and then made our way back home and I said "goodbye" to Tash for the rest of the evening and I just sat at my laptop watching the golf.

What was expected to be an absolutely hammering for the US turned into an incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking evening as they fought back and took the fight to Europe. It was incredibly tense and you really worried that they would turn over the deficit - each of the games were making it to the 18th hole and it was only by about the 8th pairing that we got the points we needed to retain the trophy through Shane Lowry, and then Tyrrell Hatton got the point for Europe to eventually win 15–13, that was close. I stayed watching until the end and the presentation of the trophy and the celebrations and about midnight called it a (long) day.

I really enjoyed that, such a great weekend's golf and so exciting and amazing how good these players are.

It's back in 2 years and in Ireland, I'll have to put it in the diary for Tash so I can watch all of it next time!

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Reflections:

• A fantastic mix of golf, work, and life admin – and probably the most exciting Ryder Cup I’ve watched.

• I’m really pleased with how my golf is coming along – shooting 90 and getting my handicap down to 20.8 felt huge. A proper milestone.

• Loved having time out with Tash – birthday presents sorted, nice meal, and quality time.

• The Ryder Cup finale was tense, almost painful to watch at times, but such a thrill when Europe finally clinched it.

Win of the Weekend:
Europe retaining the Ryder Cup and me hitting my lowest ever handicap – a weekend of golf wins all round.