Well my vow to keep the blog up to date is not going so well it would seem so I apologise for being a lazy so and so. I have found that writing this blog is a little like going to the gym. If you do it regularly then it is no problem whatsoever, however miss one work out and three weeks can fly by without so much as a bicep curl being done.

Anyhow, what has been going on recently?  The Dutch open has come and gone with a victory for my pal Darren Clarke on a fantastic Dutch links course, in foul weather. In fact, it could almost have been an Irish open I guess so maybe it was fitting that an Irishman won. I finished in 26th place with a nice last round of 66 to cheer myself and The Jockey up. In fairness The Jockey had a feeling somewhere in his temple of a body that we would shoot 65 and when I was 5 under with six to play he looked as though he may be right for once, but,alas, as usual he wasn't. Still that round gave me some confidence to take to Gleneagles at least.

Gleneagles is a world class hotel and golf resort, with everything you could ever wish for to enjoy a short break away from the rat race, except for one tiny thing, SUNSHINE. All week long the weather was grey, wet and windy but as usual those hardy Scottish golf fans came out to watch the final Ryder Cup counting event.

Before the event got underway though we of course played in the Wednesday pro am, always an interesting day for The Jockey and I as someone in our group always manages to do something ridiculous on the course.

This week was no different and one member of our fourball, who to hide his embarrassment shall remain nameless, did something neither of us had witnessed before.   The bloody idiot picked his ball up on the second fairway and cleaned it, only for the other guys to shout across that they did not think it was preferred lies today. Of course they were right so this numbskull incurred a shot penalty. Now this I have seen happen before in fairness but when he ripped a drive down the really difficult third hole and picked his ball up again our group could not believe it. Really some of these guys who play in Wednesday pro ams are a nightmare.

Anyhow, moving on the week turned out to be unexpectedly good after a really poor first round of two over. A six under par round on Friday moved us nicely up the leader board, which I put mainly down to all my hard work and talent for getting the ball in the hole but which Monty puts down to the wonderful food his wife Gaynor prepared for us on Thursday evening. Seeing as he shot five under on Friday maybe it was the Montgomerie hospitality that helped us on our way after all?

A strong finish on Saturday with four birdies in the final five holes put us right in the mix as they say and it was great to have the feeling of being in with a chance to win again. Alas my putter went cold on Sunday unfortunately and three missed putts inside six foot stalled my momentum and in the end we finished three behind the likeable Frenchman Gregory Havret. Still joint third was a good week and is another step in the right direction.

The Jockey had a quiet week I'm afraid so not much to inform you about there except for his living quarters for the week. Instead of the five star luxury he has become accustomed to over the last year he had to make do with the west wing of the Montgomerie estate up there in bonnie Scotland courtesy of our mutual friend and my former caddie now being Colin's bagman. He said he was reasonably comfortable but is unsure if he will stay next year unless the renovations are completed in time.

One last thing, that plonker in the pro am who picked his ball up two holes running I have decided should be named and shamed so if you happen to know him feel free to embarrass him any time you get the chance.   His name is David Howell.