Whilst undoubtedly a marketing tool to flog more ‘Sports kit to cherish’ and ‘Traditional British Kit’, this newsletter, I sincerely hope, will entertain with musings on sport, both amateur and professional, and whatever else takes my fancy. For example, today could very well include opinion on our Monarch’s visit to The White House, or last night’s epic clash between Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germain.
At this stage, I will not be committing to any time constraints, as in, this will not be sitting in your inbox every Monday morning. More, when life throws up topics worthy of discussion, particularly in the sporting arena, I shall attempt to put ‘pen to paper’ and encourage healthy debate.
There will be an inevitable bias towards those sports which capture my imagination, but I shall attempt to be as open-minded and imaginative as I possibly can be.
The US Masters seems the perfect place to begin. It is so much more than a golf tournament. January, February and March have been miserable this year – the rain has been relentless. Golf courses across the land have been waterlogged and those golfers that have been fortunate enough to get out and play, have had to endure monsoon-like conditions. The US Masters at Augusta is our annual signal that such times are about to end. Spring is here. The nights are shorter, the days longer. Daffodils are in bloom. Birdsong is returning. A child-like excitement emerges as golf days and matches are pencilled into our empty diaries.
This coincides with the start of the cricket season. The scent of freshly cut grass and the distant humm of mowers on village greens. Linseed oil.
This optimism for what lies in store, alongside our afternoons and evenings glued to US Masters coverage make for a cracking few days. You will all be aware of this year’s outcome, but the latter stages of Sunday had everything. Scheffler’s return to form. Tyrell Hatton’s final round and managing to keep his temper in check. Justin Rose once again right in the mix – surely, it’s his turn? Cam Young, his Ryder Cup singles match fresh in the memory, indicating enviable calm in the big moments. And Rory. Oh Rory.
The most charismatic golfer on the tour with a swing that draws gasps of appreciation like no one else (Freddie Couples maybe). An Ian Bell cover drive. A Federer top spin backhand.
It is a thing of beauty. But fallible beauty. At the halfway point, Rory was leading by 6 shots; by Sunday afternoon, Rose had a 2 shot lead. From that point, you couldn’t take your eyes off it. Sublime golf played under intense pressure, for arguably the greatest individual prize.
By the time Rory tapped in for his second win, I was drained but delighted. I would have loved Rose to have prevailed – he featured on my betting slip, Rory didn’t, but Rory is just too good.