THE WILDERNESS YEARS

2000 did not live up to expectations for reasons too tiresome to go into. Robbo, Dave, Gordon and Kevin Bowker set off for Ireland, playing around the Belfast Hilton course, frequented by glamorous air hostesses, and then over the border via the Walls of Derry and the Giants Causeway to Yeats country and County Sligo and the biggest and best breakfast known to man. We played Enniscrone and Ross’s Point and one other, although they were all quite busy.

However, the Bears gathered again in 2001 and played a shortened tournament of two rounds, one around the Roxburghe course in Kelso and one around Rosemount (Blairgowrie). Roxburghe was £60 for the day, plus a bit extra for golf buggies in the afternoon. A very good course and probably worth the big green fee, but quite a longish trip from Edinburgh which is why it’s probably not doing so well in terms of numbers. The golf buggies were a real hoot but not to be taken by Duncan. He preferred to go it alone on foot, dodging the careering buggies on occasion as they criss-crossed the fairways. The scoring was quite steady by all except Tommo who was desperately short of practice. Years of retreat to the Shetlands were starting to take their toll and he had a 12 at possibly the most scenic hole on the course, the par 5 9th along the Tweed, with the railway viaduct in the distance. Lovely weather and a fine meal at the clubhouse sitting out in the open.

Next day we travelled north from Edinburgh to play Rosemount and Lansdowne in a package deal. For £80 we had bacon rolls and tea, a Bears round on Rosemount, soup and sannies for lunch, a round on Lansdowne and then a slap up feed in the lounge overlooking the course with wine courtesy of this year’s victor, Robbo. Tommo had to be kitted out in borrowed togs, with the course still expecting golfers to change into a jacket, shirt and tie for dinner. A tiresome public school ritual but needs must I suppose…