Things I hate about summer golf

I hate golf tans.

I hate being too hot.

Erm, at the moment I think that's about it.

But I do really hate both of those things. A lot.

Golf tans really ruin your look everywhere other than the golf course. I don't mind one white hand so much as the white feet, which mean you can't wear nice shoes. And I've got my eye on a pair of red patent mid-heeled mary-janes as well as these:

There's also the sleeve marks thing, which mean it's impossible to wear nice clothes. Even if you wear a sleeveless top the marks are still in the wrong place. Nope. Golf tans are a terrible look.

Also, everyone knows about sun damage. I'm in denial about my age, I don't want to get old and I don't want to get wrinkly.

So my anti-golf tan, anti-age, anti-sun strategy is high priority and has several aspects:

- wear sunscreen
- wear trousers, not shorts

- try and find a long-sleeved summer top, if such a thing exists (this could be tricky)
- try and find a tanning glove that's not totally disgusting
- use my magic sun umbrella which not only protects me from UV but also brings the temperature underneath down! Brilliant.

- wear a visor. OK I do anyway, even in winter, but still, it keeps the sun off your face.

- wear more sunscreen

I have to admit that I have failed already, today in fact, by not wearing sunscreen. And now I've got the beginnings of a proper white hand. I shall let that be a warning to me and try harder in future. Starting by remembering the safe place I put the sunscreen.

(Golf tan photo courtesy of y-cart on Flickr.

Shoe photo shamelessly pinched from the irregular choice website <3)

Things I love about summer golf

I love the weather, of course. It's great being out in the sunshine. The sound of the woodpeckers in Home Wood around the first tee, the skylarks giving it large at the fourth, the parakeets shout-shout-shouting down the 15th.

We've also got swans: two pairs and a spare, apparently, although I'm suspicious it might just be the same two wandering around the course trying to confuse people. I did recently have to wait for them to walk majestically slowly across the 9th green into the greenside bunker before we could putt. The baby rabbits, moorhens, coots and egyption geese are like fluffy toys. The trees are thick with leaves and what was scrubby rough a few weeks ago is now "that verdant and enamelled mead" - you might almost deliberately hit your ball in there to have the chance to walk through it.

On the golf side, on the other hand, it's brilliant how much further the ball goes! And how much easier it is walking 18 holes across grass instead of wading through mud. Not having to wipe the mud off your ball to find the logo to line up your putt, not having to wipe your clubs every time you put them back in your bag, being able to feel your fingers!


And of course, summer season clothes are so much more fashionable - we can at last dress for looks, instead of just to stay warm and dry.

So, I'm looking forward to better conditions, better dressing and with a bit of luck better scores!

(Photo courtesy of AmUnivers on Flickr)

Hooray for summer golf!

One week we were playing a seniors vs ladies fixture in rain so wet you could swim across the fairways. The next week it's 25C and it's factor 30 sunscreen and my magic sun umbrella. The trip-over between winter rules and the summer club season happened in a day.

So the rough has sprouted up thicker than a shag-pile carpet, the trees are suddenly thick with leaves (80% air yehright), the fairways are firm and the greens are delicious. Hooray for summer golf!

(Photo courtesy of kuddlyteddybear2004 on Flickr)