"The atmosphere was limited"

Lawrence Donegan writes about the galleries--can you call 250 a gallery!?--present for day one of the Seve Trophy.

Europe took a one-point lead over a team from Great Britain and Ireland after day one of the Seve Trophy but in the battle for the hearts and minds of the Irish public between the Royal & Ancient game and the national ploughing championships, it was a complete walkover.

The result: golf - approximately 250 paying customers wandering forlornly around the vast expanse of the Heritage resort; ploughing - 80,000 crammed into the Annaharvey Farm, 20 miles away, for one of Ireland's great cultural events.

"The atmosphere was limited," said Colin Montgomerie after he and his partner, Marc Warren, lost 3&1 in the opening fourball of the day to Europe's Peter Hanson and Robert Karlsson - a match that attracted around two dozen spectators as it headed off into the back nine. "The ploughing championships need to finish, and the sooner that happens the better. The farmers need to bring their wellies and get over here because the quality of golf is excellent."

Leaving aside the stereotyping of farmers and their footwear, the Scotsman had an excellent point.

The Principal also shares a story of getting to watch great golf with unobstructed views.  

Comments

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

Sounds wonderful, actually. As we all know, there's nothing better sometimes than to have a golf course all to yourself.

[86general]

What the heck is ploughing? Is it pronounced "plowing," or "pluffing," or maybe some Gaelic "plaurgghhckejrffhiirchdcsacsking"?

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

That's another thing professional golfers shouldn't do .. and that's say goofy things. Leave that to blog posters.

I did some research: you pronounce the word in question as if you're coughing up a hair ball.

So try again.. From the gut. That's it. Fore!

Enjoy.

[86general]

Ok, so it's like I said, "plaurgghhckejrffhiirchdcsacsking."

[Chicago kid, author of four boys and a goil]

What is Toonamint of Champions?

[Stan Schmenge]

Seve Trophy should've switched to a polka competition.

[Sir Real]

Seve Trophy, Bushleague Cup...plowing down the cocktails at Tullamore sounds like a better option! At least Woody provided some comic relief and rode hard..despite being pulled out wet!

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

Chicago Kid,

Great marathon up there. It's a book, by the way. Not for the easily offended.

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

I take that back. The book was written for the easily offended!

[Chicago kid]

The only marathon Chicagoans care about is that of the futility of the Cubs.

[Todd Sentell, author of Toonamint of Champions]

I understand ... and good luck with that. But for 26.2 miles both sides of your neat streets were lined with wonderful Chicagoans. There were some Nazi skinheads at mile 19. Otherwise ...