Just a quickie...

Hello, just a quickie blog today. Thought I'd enlighten my readers with this quick story. I truly believe that today I have met the biggest pillock in the world (apart from myself obviously).

At work, when we rent out buggies we have to take a deposit for the key we give out so that the key is returned to us. Sounds reasonably doesn't it? Well not to this muppet. If it wasn't enough that he argued this like a petulent child and make himself like extremely foolish, he then produced £10 and demanded a receipt for his deposit. I attempted to explain obviously that the key was effectively his receipt and that we keep a log of all deposits taken for buggies. Was this enough?? OH NO!!! Here are the gentlemans exact words: 'I will have a receipt right now. No offence but if you were to drop dead, how would anybody know that I had left you with a deposit?'
I take great concern knowing that if by some pure unfortunate turn of events that I did drop down dead today, this gentlemans main worry would be ensuring that he got his £10 deposit back!! What a complete tool, honestly!!!

In this industry we do meet some interesting individuals.

Thought i'd share that with you all....

Exams over and career move!!!!

Bonjour.

My exams are now over thankfully and I'm pleased to say I am fairly certain I passed with flying colours. The Science, Coaching and Retail exams were all reasonably straight forward which was a relief but I am slightly unsure about my success with the technology one. The PGA can be cruel buggers sometimes. My main revision method was through past papers, as recommended to me by various people and for 3 of the exams this was fine. However, with the technology exam, NOT ONE of the questions on the practise paper came up! Seriously, what's the point of the practise paper. Instead all the questions were from the 300 odd page study guide in which I doubt anyone had read from cover. Questions included: 'why is carbon black (?!) used to make grips?'. I tried to guess intelligently by giving practical benefits and as it turns out the answer was 'TO MAKE THEM BLACK'!!!! What a pillock I am.

Hopefully I blagged well enough to achieve the 40% pass mark, but I'll have to wait till July to find out.


On a different note, I am pleased and excited to say that I am moving jobs again and beginning a job with Kent National Golf Club in just over a week. I won't go into the factors within my current job as to why i'm leaving but suffice to say it has been very hard getting up at 5.30am and spending 2 hours a day in my car. The distinct lack of golf I've been playing simply isn't acceptable. I am first and foremost a golfer and to get myself into my current position was in retrospect a very bad plan. Oh well, thankfully that will change soon and I will once again have time to play, practise, and at last begin to teach!! I am really keen to start giving golf lessons and I believe I am now ready! This is another thing that has not been possible lately.

It's seems crazy to be moving jobs again, but I honestly believe I have now found a golf club I will enjoy working at. I can't wait to begin.....

Exam time!!!

Hello once again.

This week I have my year one PGA exams! This is good, as I have now done all my assignments too so once the exams are out the way I am free to play golf, move house and just generally chill out over the summer.

Through my own stupidity I have got to go all the way to Exeter for the exams. I was daft enough to overlook the closing date of my exam entry and miss out on doing them 20 minutes down the road in Kent. Oh well, it's a trip away I guess.
I have four exams to do. They are: retail, technology, coaching and sports science. My revision has going well although I was told I wasn't allowed to revise at work anymore which I think was both unreasonable and unnecessary (as I told them). My revision has been mainly based on past exam papers. I have been advised by people in the second and third year of the course that this is the best way to go. Obviously I have read up on areas of the study guides too.
I feel extremely confident about these exams. It will be very strange be in an exam environment again as it's been quite a while since I've done this. Anyways, enough about that for now but wish me luck.

I've played a bit of golf here and there, although not as much as i'd like to be. I'm having drive for two hours a day on top of an 8 hour shift and to be fair this is both exhausting, and leaves me struggling to find the energy to devote the energy I'd like to my golf.
I'm hitting the ball pretty well at the moment, it must be said but my chipping and putting is nowhere good enough. I have a tournament in just over a month. It is the Powerade Assistants Championships at North Downs Golf Club. If I can finish in the top 15 I will progress to the National Finals at the London Club, which would be great. It's looking like I will have to miss Open Qualifying this year unfortunately as quite frankly, with getting a house this year my finances are pretty limited. In fact, I am only looking like playing in 3 tournaments this year. This is a shame as I love playing competitively. However, as I said i've not had the time to work at my golf as I'd like (this is set to change!!!) and i'm quite prepared to forego tournament golf this year in order to get our house. Next year I will looking to play in as many tournaments as I can and I was given some sound advice that it is always possible to be competitive with ones-self and its not like I'm gonna stop playing golf altogether. Perhaps stuff will crop up that I can play in.

Other than that, there are other things i'm desperate to write about but now is not the time. Always good to leave readers on a cliff hanger eh!

Till nex time, be well......

Well done!!

Congratulations, if you are a new reader and recently recieved my email, you have successfully stumbled across my blog. Lucky you!!! HAHA

I do tend to write these entries as a journal to myself but obviously feel like there may be some anecdotes, stories, laughs, cries, gripes etc that I like to 'put out there'.
I think the main aim is that now I have moved away, maybe this is my way of staying in touch with people I don't always see or talk to.
Hey, if it gives you something different to read for a few minutes every now and then and perhaps even brings a smile or a laugh, it cant be that bad can it?! ;)

The fact is thats its there and I write in it to document stuff golfwise and lifewise.

I hope it is enjoyed by anyone who chooses to follow it.....

Welcome to my 2007 blog.....

Hello again loyal readers. I have had a bit of a break from blogging but the refreshment period is over now and I am once again raring to go (yeeee-hah!!).

Let me bring you up to speed....

After the trials and tribulations of last year, the great news is that my career in professional golf is now under way.
At the end of '06 I left my job with Mid Sussex Golf Club and moved away from Brighton altogether to be with my lady of now nearly 4 and a half years.
I begun a new job at a new golf club which, to be diplomatic, actually no I won't was bloody shite!!!
As any readers of my previous blogs may gather, I don't tend to give up easily on stuff but this was an exception. Within 24 hours I had 'politely' refused to continue employment with this golf club and frankly, although it seemed a bit risky at the time, it was the best darned thing I ever did. I won't explain the ins-and-outs of what occured but, suffice to say, the job on offer was not the job I walked into.
I now work at a very exclusive golf club outside London but in the months in between these jobs I had a whale of a time. I got another job working in the morning collecting golf balls at a driving range which I really enjoyed as I got to play golf 5 times a week!!

My PGA assignments have gone well. Of the 4 I have received back, I have got one pass, two merits and one distinction which is very encouraging and I have my exams coming up very soon!!!

On a personal note, I guess I'm a grown up now. My and R are set to move in to a house in sunny Tunbridge Wells! So that means, i'm all mortgaged up. Wow!!! Who would have thought. I really need to start giving golf lessons though as I need to be earning more than I am currently.

I believe that this more or less generalises the events so far this year.

For now, be well.......