funky_nomad

If your course has a Rated Winter Course, or you play off standard tee areas throughout the winter, you can get cut any time, and Scottish Golf has been encouraging clubs to use this. There are a couple of applied limitations (clubs are expected to put in place a Local Rule re use of fairway mats, and these can only be played from fairways and tees, and no more than 2 temporary greens can be in play), but I have heard that a few clubs have started to apply handicap changes for their off-season medals and Pro Shop Winter Sweeps.

A LINO rebrand would boost the vote in Kirkcaldy, if nowhere else.

I kinda interpreted that as Spieth and Viktor trying to make sure Rory didn't get done for an illegal drop - knowing where a ball crossed a lateral water hazard can be a bugger to judge from back on the tee, particularly when there's water all the way down one side. It should never have taken that long, though: "You sure?" "You sure you're sure???" "On your head be it - don't do a Monty!" would've been far quicker...

Just finished the Zen Diaries Of Garry Shandling, a 2-part documentary spread over 4+ hours. Not without demons and the odd temper tantrum, but the warmth that pretty much everyone had for the guy was palpable. So funny and innovative, too. I'm off to watch The Garry Shandling Show and The Larry Sanders Show for the next few weeks...

Now all you have to do is work out what your new 160-yard club is...

Another solid start (-4) for Connor Syme today. He does appear to be in very decent form at the moment, without converting into wins. Interestingly, his was the worst round of his 3-ball, who were a combined -17 (-8, -5, -4).

No-one knows...

He teed off at the 10th in round 2, which means it's been downgraded to merely a horrible choke from one of the worst of all time.

Conor Syme tied for the lead going into the final round in South Africa. Nice.

Just noticed that the leader after the first round on this week's DP tour somehow managed to miss the cut, following up a 65 with an 81. Some card...

I feel his pain, I hate playing off mats at this time of the year too. Wait, hang on...

I see Conor Syme is once again in a decent position near the top of the leaderboard, this week in South Africa. No coverage on Sky Sports, which is puzzling given that it's a designated DP World Tour event, it's part of the "International Swing", and they're covering next week's event which has the same prize fund and the same amount of Race To Dubai points available.

I'd have preferred True Detective: In The Night Garden to be honest.

Blimey, that logo... It looks like it's based on a still from The Simpsons when Itchy skins Scratchy alive.

As someone who has undergone 2 cancer operations in the last couple of years or so, I'm certainly not having a go at the NHS, they do incredible work. However based on my experience, and those I've shared cancer wards with, I'd imagine the frequency of NHS patients going from an anomaly being spotted to non-surgical treatment commencing within a 2-week period would be pretty low. If, post-treatment, Charles could see his way to diverting his state funding to the kind of cancer research that may end up extending his time on the throne, that'd be swell.

I wonder how many people using the NHS would go from an anomaly being spotted in (I assume) pre-op bloods, via diagnosis of cancer, to commencing non-surgical treatment, all within a couple of weeks?

Just finished a 3-day binge watch of Miners Strike 1984: The Battle For Britain on Channel 4. Really good doc - pretty well balanced but thoroughly fucking depressing at the same time (particularly the Battle of Orgreave episode), and a great reminder to all those who think Maggie wasn't as bad as people remember that she was that she was a hateful human being. Also, how rotten to the core were South Yorkshire Police in the 80's?

You'd probably get a 4-ball at Drumoig for the cost of a single at the New/Jubilee, and you wouldn't be playing off mats. Castle usually opens early March, but play at all the Links Trust courses will be off mats until the end of March. Unless you avoid the Ranger, obvs...

I'm going to opt for (c) - both.

The only heartening thing from the programme was the genuine disgust of the Standards team, and indeed the Federation bloke, at some of these officers' behaviour. Also, how thick do you have to be to behave like a complete cretin while wearing a body camera, then joke about how the footage is going to look on the same body camera???

Part of the attraction of Reacher in the books is, beyond the normal suspension of belief required for most "action thrillers", there didn't seem to be anything overly unbelievable - most (while obviously not all) plot devices fell within the realms of possibility, and entirely pretty much all are within character. I suspect that's one of the reasons why the books are so popular. At no stage while reading the books did I find myself laughing out loud at the action scenes, but the "laughs due to ridiculousness" count during Season 2 was off the chart, particularly during the season finale. I'm not sure I'll be back for Season 3, tbh.

'You're giving up your degree to play GOLF?!?!?!" "But Mom..."

And if he didn't already have sponsors lined up to sign him following his amateur success, they'll be queuing round the block now. Wonder how long it'll be before he turns pro? His win will get him a couple of exemptions that he already had with his US Amateur win (including the Masters), but it might be kinda nice to see someone of his obvious talent hang back a bit before joining the Pro ranks.

Ooft, Nick Dunlap!