Orange can be beautiful.... but orange shorts???

A view of a fabulous sunrise from my bedroom this morning in The Crook. It is always good  to be home.

HOWEVER! The pro shop at Islantilla had a good range of ladies clothes and a good sale. Several of us dotted in and out throughout the week and had our eye on one or two things.

What do I NEVER wear........ patterns, anything orange or shorts?

When unpacking my case I thought to myself.....is this Avril getting her own back at me and I never twigged!!!!  Yes I did buy these shorts....not sure if I'll ever wear them at Muckhart...... a bit too much methinks??? We'll see........................

Last Day...Best Golf!!!!!!!!

Last Morning and an hour earlier than usual. Mmmmm..... yes we can still pull!!!!! He was 75 at least and determined he wanted to join us for the round!!!

There was only one of the infamous 3 balls left, so I suggested a putting comp as we awaited our tee slot. As usual throughout the week we had had loads of excuses for all sorts of shots but particularly the short game. Some folks were really serious  about their putting so here was an opportunity to get in a wee bit extra practice.

We agreed only 2 putts each to get a winner. My putting isn't great but it is the first time I have ever hit the ball and it curled around my toes backwards to finish on the outside of my right heel! Even with its added quirkiness the competetive streak is alive and kicking! Eileen won the comp.

It was a very relaxing and enjoyable last round on a warmish day. Extra rolls had been taken at breakfast to feed our little duck family!


Staff at the resort were helpful and friendly, particularly all of the golf staff........Tellez in particular!!!!!! After a long lie and late breakfast we chilled out until departure.  Travel arrangements went well and we landed back in the dark and the cold  at the clubhouse.

I started this blog by saying it was a new experience for me.  I particularly  enjoyed getting to know some folks a little better,  playing golf  in the warmth and really liked my hired Callaway X Hot clubs........thank goodness not as much as my own....that could have been expensive!!!!

A wee bit of trickery?

Another beautiful morning and this time on our two favourite courses Yellow and Green (Blue was just hard!)

Two new teams and new challenges. Having had a day off we were keen to get back out and by now we didn't really have any excuses for our less than best play!...Oh Well!

This first hole was long with a difficult dogleg to the right and down a hill into the ditch or up into gunge on the other side  before trying to get up over or through trees onto the green

Here are the first team approaching  the second tee as we were coming down on our dogleg bit! Unbeknown to Avril she was the "Chosen One"!  I had given her a different kind of tee to try...one bought in Canada........ and she set up for the second time.  This particular hole was a par 3  with Tee set up high with a big dip and the green was also high up on the other side.

I wasn't able to get close enough for a pic but believe me Avril's expression was one of complete disbelief. She hit a lovely tee shot. There was no sound, just a large puff of white stuff. She looked across at me with great consternation. "What on earth!!!!!I don't understand that" she said looking straight at me, it worked beautifully the last time!!!!!! She was really so surprised and I couldn't let her think something had gone wrong!!! I had to give her a hug and admit what I had done. Needless to say she took it all in good part........BUT she has promised to get me back! I was very careful with my Sangria later on!!!!

 This is a similar pack on Amazon?

Of course it had been the intention to have 2 joke balls consecutively ( 1 in each team) so that all could see but the course was busy and we needed to keep moving on.

This was another short par 3 and Kathryn "volunteered" to try out ball number 2 as we were well in front of the folks behind. This one had a very pretty jetstream ribbon and didn't go very far. Needless to say neither of the players were penalised for those shots and were able to carry on as normal!  Mmmmm

There were lots of pretty birds around but I never managed to get my camera out in time except for the non-moving heron! Funnily enough we hardly heard any birdsong?

Pre dinner drinks.

The Sangria was really rather good.............don't ever remember enjoying it so much in the past!!

Post Dinner

Drinks, coffees, and liqueurs..........rediscovered my love for Sambucca!  We didn't do very well in the "Pointless" quiz that night. I wonder why?

Sites and Sounds of Seville

Scottish  
Elegant  
Vivacious  
Interesting  
Ladies  
Lost in
Europe

On our day off golf the hotel booked us a minibus with a driver Rayo to take us to Seville, an hour and a half away from Islantilla. We agreed the best way to see the city, associated with Don Juan, Columbus and Carmen, was from the top deck of an open-topped bus.

This is the fourth time I have tried to complete this post and the next day and lost all!!!!!! So in hope now that I have a decent connection!

Seville is a real mix of old and newish architecture. We set off on the top of the bus and saw about half of the tour before getting off. I knew the old jewish quarter was beside some of the old town walls and suggested we get off in a particular district. As we got off the bus we were in the middle of a wedding and this is fairly typical of several I have seen in the past. The ladies were just stunning, wonderful hats and shoes. Needless to say I have several pics!

We walked for quite a bit through the "suburbs" towards the city centre but sadly didn't find the old part.

This is fairly typical of the ornate carvings and the moorish influence is evident in the old buildings.

The above pic is outside the bullring the Plaza del Toro. it is interesting to think how our thoughts of such a spectacle have perhaps changed in the last 30 years or so however I believe it is still very popular  and well attended by spaniards.

What else but us eating again..... tapas at El Plaza de Hercules.

Whit! It's not supposed to be this!!!!!

 "Whit"!!!!!! says Avril. " Where did this come from"? Here we are at the dreaded 11th tee. The wind is howling around us   and the gale is blowing from right to left! Today we are two  new teams. Of course we are friends but!!!!!!.......... don't you believe it..........the mantra is ............we are going to win today!!!!!

We had already played the  "Verde" course which was OK and here we are on the dreaded "Azul"!!!! Not even Dexter could emerge from this hazard  because he would be drowning with the weight of all the balls deposited here! We each changed our balls to the one which we      didn't care if we lost!!!!!

It is only 129m to the pin but the wind is in our faces and I am having difficulty standing up as the water  is running down the legs and filling up my shoes .......and...... I am being blown about!!!!!!

Today has been so much better for me. Whilst not in the trees, and only at the beach once,  I drive off and lo and behold I am on the green and it looks  relatively near the pin. Mind you I  could  be completely wrong as can't see a blooming thing out of my specs. Windscreen wipers not working!

As the one with the camera I enjoy  taking the pics but my Muckhart Senoritas insisted that I post pics of myself  in all my dishevelled glory! Hence  noting I have need of a hairdresser....it didn't occur to me to bring my rainhat! It is warm though! Yeeeeees! We didn't discover till end of the 18 holes that our opposition ........Jan, Eileen, Ann and Kathryn had abandoned ship and bailed out at the 11th!!!

Today's excuses!

"The water has swollen my hand"!
"My tee is not working"!
"It is not a bloomin" pond ....it is an ocean"!

No this is not a pic of three inmates at an institutional outing. For our evening's entertainment  Avril came up with the game. We each had  a name posted on our hats and we had to guess who we were!  Funnily enough I did guess who I was.......David Cameron!!! Mmmmmm need I take the hint  that I am perhaps a bit bossy?  Jan successfully worked out she was Keith Salmoni, June was  Tony Bennet and Eileen, Lady Gaga, Kathryn, Peter Pan, Ann, Sir Bradley Wiggans and due to the late hour.........I've forgotten Avril  and Helen! Sorry girls!!!

The pattern has been established we play 18 holes, in the clubhouse for  Sangria and toasties, time out on our own and the pre dinner drinks in someone's suite!

As a group we are learning a little more about each other  and there is much laughter and good fun!  I'm sure that is nothing to do with the large liqueures we have with our coffee after dinner!  By the way, mine is a sambucca! Tomorrow is a day off from the courses and we are off to Seville!!! Who knows what might happen tomorrow? The carrot is the leather handbag shops in the old jewish quarter.

Me Tarzan...You Jane?

Why on earth would I  be posting such a pic on our golf blog? Suffice to say....or maybe I should be saying.......... I would like to share with you that today was not my best golfing day ever. Without meaning to  I created a brand new record! 21 trees  hit in one round of 18 holes! Do please note however I wasn't in any bunkers!!!!!

I was up more blooming trees in one round of golf than Tarzan and Jane  were up  in a  television series lasting a whole year!

On one shot I even managed to ricochet  not just off one tree ....but off two,  and ended up on the middle of the fairway!!!! I did try to persuade my team that of course these shots required  very particular  and demanding skills but you can imagine....they didn't buy that one!!! My Team won today's competition  but I must add without much help from me! Must do better tomorrow........... a new team and a new day.

Look Beyond the Cover of the Book!

Today the comp was a Four  Ball Better Ball with best score being the chosen one for the team. We played the Verde / Azul courses....in other words The Green  and The Blue! It was interesting to note that tonight we unanimously agreed that our favourite course was The Green  and our least favourite The Blue. On delving deeper into that noone played particularly well  on Blue! That meant of course that it was so much more challenging?????? We have now played the Blue course twice.......should we not be improving? Today as a member of Team Two we advanced  to the Tee at our allocated time.  We all teed  off and had four good drives down the middle of the fairway! Yeeees! Whilst we four could be viewed as four "older ladies"....no argument with that......... when the pro starter approached us ......Would it be possible to let the fourball group of "young men" who were long hitters go through"? We smiled sweetly and said yes of course ...no problem....they in fact were in two caddy cars whilst we "older ladies were walking"!

You can imagine our grins when one gentleman sadly took two shots to reach us standing at the side of the fairway.......only half way along to our own first drives!!!! However,  sad to say that assumptions had been made regarding four "older" ladies and the lengths of their shots! We were held up by the young fourball gentlemen, all zooming about in their caddy cars  at every hole for that nine! We ladies just quietly and efficiently  waited at every " single" hole. To be fair we did get an apology from the professional who saw we were being kept waiting and also from the fourball group themselves!!!! The moral of this story....don't make assumptions based on the cover of the book!!!!!

Avril, Ann, Sue and Kathryn,  Team 1, ahead of us on the 27th Fairway

We have the technology?

Who is a sucker for technology and gadgets?

Yep that's me!

Sorry gentlemen but even when it is from a website called "menkind.co.uk" this is a product which you might be thinking ....."Hey that's a good idea"! Surely sounds worthwhile following up?  How many missing balls are there on Arndean, Cowden and Naemoor?

Now reality here at Islantilla is that we ladies have somehow managed to lose one or two..........or maybe 11, 12, 13 balls already......... amongst the group. Never mind says I........ I have the magic solution.......Golf Ball Finder  Glasses!

You just put them on top of your existing specs and hey presto....magic! Your missing ball in the undergrowth somewhere just pops up above the rubbish and growth surrounding it ........no longer a lost ball? You are able to see your ball in any murk!

Absolute baloney!!!!! All that happens is what was dark before becomes even darker!!!!! .........and no ......can't see any missing balls with these specs!

A much better and sure idea is to employ a Dexter Crabbie  dog, send him into any undergrowth and you will be guaranteed he will emerge with a wagging tail and  all available lost balls in that area!

A well trained beautiful dog and yes definitely cheaper than any so called piece of modern technology! Go Dexter go!

Eating and drinking again?

We do seem to be doing quite a lot of that! In Jan's suite for pre dinner drinks. Whilst 4 of us indulged in long baths,  4 intrepids set off to find the local supermarket........ 2 hours later and plenty sore feet they did eventually return with the requisite snacks and........water! We look very sedate here ...................Mmmmmmm?

 Course was really pretty  but rather  long as there were lengthy walks between holes to tees but that  didn't stop the laughter. Whilst there were some really good shots there were loads of .............duffs. Naturally that was because we were just familiarising ourselves with the new challenges!

Methinks the pro shop will have a few more customers re purchase of golf balls! We have all left our own particular mark somewhere on the course.

"This has been my X Factor day. I've had 5 X scores on the first 5 holes"!!!
"And for my next trick".....
"You played much better on the second course......of course it was soooo much easier"!!!

We decided that  maybe the scores were not too important as after all....... this really was a practice day!

I am in no doubt that the best bit of all is surely the 19th hole.? Everyone enjoyed the sangria and the beer (best sangria ever!)

Hidden Hazards in the undergrowth!

As I happily moved from the green towards the next tee I heard the panicky squeal of Hawkeye Helen behind me. "Snakes, Snakes", she yelled. "Watch Out"! Camera to hand, but not the focus I quickly turned round to see said snake scooting along towards the water in a bit of a hurry. A trampling herd of scotswomen was just a bit too much!

Of course the golf was blooming brilliant, mediocre, duff??????

 Early morning sunrise from bedroom balcony and no.......the pool is not beckoning me!  Slight chill in the air and wind blowing a bit more than gently!

After a very hearty breakfast........great selection to suit all palates..........we checked in at the pro shop and picked up our clubs as well as our electric trolleys..........easy so far! A great big warm welcoming smile from our spanish professionals. Hola and Buenos dias from two very handsome young spaniards certainly brought smiles to our faces!

 

 With grins up front and full of joie de vivre ....or something.........we approached the first tee on course Azul. We were on the blue and yellow today! Now it would be very wrong of me to say the excuses were already being thought up............suffice to say a number of statements throughout the day might suggest that we were not exactly on top form!

Team One teed off first whilst Avril posed behind us setting the "standard " for Team Two!

The courses are indeed in a very pretty setting and blue skies were the order of the day.

After 2 holes.....

" We've had 2 holes and I haven't hit a ball yet!    "My trolley ain't working!" "My GPS doesn't seem to be accurate"!

And all this  before we reached the first real hazard. Three of us very successfully managed to deposit balls in the first water hazard. Pebble Beach eat your heart out!

Indeed....mi pelota en los matajos .......began to trip off the tongue quite easily! Of course there were some cracking shots but "And for my next trick" surfaced on a number of occasions!

We Are Off!

We left Muckhart in a wet dawn and drove to Glasgow Airport in the seemingly endless traffic. I had forgotten what the morning commute can be like at 8.00am. Methinks  I have become a real  country bumpkin  as I am so  very thankful not to have to  make that journey now on a daily basis.  Gregor our driver  kept us amused as he dodged in and out of  dense lanes of dodgem drivers! Needless to say you can't see the fried eggs and bacon that most of us consumed prior to pic being taken! A good breakfast was had by all.

After an easy flight with no hassles we  disembarked  at Faro, collected our clubs and looked for our own Scarlet Pimpernelle last seen in Villamoura.

We seek her here, we seek her there
Those Muckhart ladies seek her everywhere
Is she in heaven, is she in hell.
That beloved but elusive Avril Pimpernelle

Our missing friend was just a tad late at Faro but glad to say she did arrive with Cliff  and then we all set off (minus Cliff) towards our destination some 65 kms away.

A rainbow appeared in the sky as we were leaving the airport. Is that some kind of alien craft.......no.......... just a dirty mark on the windscreen! One  plus point I forgot to mention......... it is lovely and warm!

Portugal and Spain are separated by the  attractive bridge  ahead.

Whilst small scale in comparison to the Forth Bridges,  still quite beautiful

Having left the motorway a welcome party surrounded our bus and made one heck of a noise. Funnily enough baaing  and bleating in Spanish sounds pretty much the same as in English? An unusual and unexpected welcome to Islantilla!

We unpacked and settled into our Junior Suites.......I could fit in at least 5 or 6 Muckhart ladies locker rooms into my suite and enjoyed a brief sojourn out on my good sized balcony which overlooks 2 outdoor swimming pools. Warm, peaceful and quiet....bliss.

We rounded off a hard day doing exactly the same as when we started...... eating and  drinking, except  the glasses this time did not contain fruit juice! Teams have been drawn for tomorrow and the stableford competion will be the plan for the day! Daggers or bats at 10.30....how civilised!