‘A good walk spoiled’. That’s a famous quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, about golf.
It suggests that golf is a frustrating game that ruins an otherwise enjoyable walk and to be honest that is exactly my understanding of the game which I have been playing on and off for most of my life.
Whilst hitting two good shots in a row gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling I have absolutely no idea what it feels like to hit three good shots in a row.
Many years ago, when our last child was born, I put the clubs away as I could not justify being out of the house for four to six hours at a time while we had a small baby at home.
Then as he grew up and needed less parental attention and, even when he was sent packing to boarding school, I sort of forgot about golf and didn’t really get back into it.
Then a few years ago when I was swanning around the UK playing with property, my wife Debbie took it up as a way of meeting new friends. She is now well and truly hooked and plays up to four times a week.
When I returned to Bahrain, I was quite happy to get the clubs out of storage and see if I could catch up with her.
There are a few golf courses in Bahrain but the two main ones for the occasional player are the Royal Golf Club and Awali Golf Club.
Recently in the Gulf Daily News it was announced that a new Golf Academy had opened in the country and that new golfing facilities are now being planned.
The editor of this newspaper, Stan, is a big fan and known to play an early morning round each day at the Wee Monty nine-hole course.
While it is true that the membership and green fees of some clubs can be eye-watering this is not the case at the club I play at.
Awali Golf Club is the oldest golf course in the Gulf region it was first played in 1937 and is a sand course.
The fairways are delimited by bitumen lines, and the greens are a mixture of oil and sand and called browns.
That being said, it is a very valid golf course and playing it is virtually no different from playing on a traditional grass course. Indeed, Debbie and I frequently play on grass courses in the UK and our game is pretty much the same on both surfaces. The one great advantage that Awali has is that it is much less expensive than any other courses.
It is a great course on which to begin your golf adventure and if you have played a bit before but not thought about it here in Bahrain then please come along and try it out.
If you’re are looking for some guidance, then you can contact me through my email below and I will help you to play a trial round.
Golf is a great game that will frustrate, amuse and gratify you all at the same time. Plus, you get a bit of outdoor exercise so what can possibly go wrong?
jackie@jbeedie.com
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