A Golfing Experience, Cedar Valley Golf Club

Sunday 12^th June

Each day brings the sun with a wonderful breeze up the hill. Looking out over the ocean as daybreaks is especially beautiful, the cocks crowing (as they also  do at 5.25pm) but today was a different activity………..off to Cedar Valley Golf Club for a round of 9 holes (the back 9 I’ve been advised as they are easier than the first 9)!

Putting on underwear and proper trousers with a waistband and button is painful, maybe a few pounds heavier than when I left? 

Golf gear is strictly adhered to on the island. Off we went hired the clubs, balls, bought a new glove and……………hired a golf cart. 

That was indeed fun! We could have circled for ages playing at dodgems but, bearing in mind we was there  to play the golf, we set off from the 10^th tee. It wasn’t as bad as I had thought it might be considering I hadn’t held a club for  4 weeks! However at the green on the 13^th several carts appeared over the brow of the hill. 

I know things are different here in Antigua but I did note they hadn’t come from behind. 

Several folks looked terribly important but as Ann was sitting at an angle of some 60 degrees on a high spot we wondered what was happening? I called over hello and the red shirted handsome professional called hello back! I was busy saying please go through but didn’t quite understand the response when he replied that it was OK as they were doing a shoot…………they wanted me just to tee off!  


Well no… I am the green beginner who gets  stressed if I think anyone is watching and I might make a hash of my tee shot! No confidence in my abilities…justly so!

No problem they said……… we are filming for the Golf Channel on TV and for the BBC!  Uuugh!

No way  Can you imagine my duff shots? The presenter was exceedingly charming, tall, dark and handsome, very like a 30 year old Ben Genese and ushered me through. The Pro said they would film my tee shot and then give me advice!!!!!!!

Somewhat nervously I collected my driver, set up the ball……without it actually falling off the tee………. and hit the shot. (they weren’t filming. It was a similar hole to the Lonesome Pine on Arndean Course at Muchart)!

It did for once actually go straight and the pro informed me  it was on the fairway and I would get a good second shot.  I couldn’t actually find the ball after we chuntered down the hill passed the wonderful Flamboyant trees, not realising I had hit it much further than I had thought. It was in fact an OK shot and was on the green in 2!

I can’t deal with the pressure of potential fame!

I really enjoyed my nine holes in such a beautiful setting…some OK shots and several skittery ones! It was great fun  on the cart as we whizzed along creating cooler air on the flat surfaces although we were hanging on for dear like down the steeper, stony, rutted roads!  Anne did a sterling job as the Caddy and  Driver  and duly collected $200 when we passed go!

The temperature now was circa 90F as we finished at 11.15am……… a wee bit different to my last outing on the top nine, Arndean in Muckhart in the driving , horizontal, cold rain.

Totally jiggered we retired to the Athletic Club to lie back and eventually lunched late after swimming gently in the wonderfully warm water. Writing this now in the cooler breeze outside the house at 6.00pm complete of course with a glass of chilled Pinot Grigio! 

Will have to go in however because the mossies are eating me alive!