Well, a person can take only so much abuse……
I am delighted Royal Portrush is back as a force in world golf; it is great news on so many levels, and a fitting tribute to the successes (multiple) of Northern Ireland’s golfers. But this is where the abuse comes in. The media celebrate Graeme McDowell’s success at Pebble Beach. They laud Rory McIlroy at Congressional. They love what Darren Clarke did at St George’s.
Fine, but what about me?
What about me at the 9th on Krakow Valley in the Oktoberfest Cup? That drive of mine that took me into the record books? The one that shot long and straight down the fairway, still airborne when it passed the Longest Drive marker. Does this count for nothing?
I hit the drive, lifted the marker, pencilled my name in as the man to hit the new longest drive, put the marker down by my ball, and waited for the green to clear.
A man got into a golf buggy at the clubhouse behind the hole, drove down the fairway, lifted the marker, and in perfect Polish-accented English asked: “Who is Mike?”
I threw my arms wide, like Sam Torrence the day he sank the putt to win the 1985 Ryder Cup at the Belfry, and screamed: “Me!!!!”
He nooded sweetly. As I awaited news that I had won a new set of the best golf clubs on Planet Earth, or the golf trip of a lifetime, he explained: “This is the Ladies Longest Drive Competition.” At which point he and the marker disappeared back down the fairway.
So, you see my issue. Has anyone asked me, one of Northern Ireland’s recent International golf champions, what I think about the Irish Open coming to Royal Portrush? No! Was I even invited to the announcement today? No! Will they invite to play in June? They needn’t bother! The Ladies Long Drive Champion of all-Poland is not coming out to play!
