And the result is not long in from Georgia… at this rate we’d have had a winner of the Masters before the Georgians plumped for Trump or Biden.
As it is they decided to go for Joe who wouldn’t look out of place as the honorary starter.
As it goes 85-year-young fitness fanatic Gary Player and Mighty 80 Jack Nicklaus, the most successful golfer of all time, gripped it and ripped it.
Now as it happens I know all about Gary’s legendary fitness having struggled to keep up with him around Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) 25 years ago.
After I’d been invited to accompany him as he shot a piece for Japanese television.
A November Masters has dressed Augusta National in its autumn colours which is different but just as pretty.
Still we can only hope that the famous old major will be back in its spring date next year and that we’ll get to be there.
Golfbreaks offers a selection of flight-inclusive packages for the event which is pencilled in from April 8-11 from £2999.
With the option to extend your stay at Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head or Kiawah Island.
With bespoke packages and a round of golf or an extra day at Augusta.
And as you can see my swing only needs a tweak from when I impressed them all at the Paul McGinley School in Quinta do Lago.
While if you’re more interested in the Open.
Then you don’t have to be this year’s Champion Golfer to enjoy the oldest major of them all.
You can just pose up in the golf village which I did at last year’s Open in Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
A packed Sandwich
This year’s competition was due to have been played in Sandwich (Royal St George’s) and will be next year.
Which means Kent on England’s south coast, and stop me here if I’ve told you this story already.
But when I worked full-time running a newspaper sports desk…
The secretary was tasked with getting accommodation for the golf writer.
Let’s call her Kate and him Paul because that’s their names.
Kate came over to the desk all excited saying she had found Paul a place just 25 miles from the course…. in France.
Which is probably as wayward as one of my tee shots.
The other Georgia
Not to be mistaken for the other Georgia.
Georgia of the Caucuses and Black Sea, boasts a fascinating history.
With perhaps its biggest claim to fame being wine is first recorded here.
I left with a more recent vintage from lunch at George Zurabashvili, the Georgian ambassador’s, residence in Dublin.
With the vow that I would visit one day (and I will).
And that I would support their rugby team unless of course they were playing Scotland or Ireland.
And it was easy yesterday because they were facing England, although I didn’t bring them much luck.
