Covid 19 and social distancing in Byron Bay

April 27, 2020 ~ margaretsealey ~ 4 Comments

It’s been an awful few weeks for all of us. There is such a sense of loss pervading the world. It’s hard to grasp the loss of life first in China, then Italy, Iran, Spain and more recently the UK and the United States. While here in Australia, we seem to be doing well in comparison to the rest of the world, Covid 19, with its plethora of social distancing regulations is still affecting all of us in many different ways : some good, some not so good.

For example, I thought that social distancing and social isolation would be a breeze for me. After all, hadn’t I whiled away many an afternoon lost between the pages of a good book? All by myself? And I had made a serious New Year’s resolution; namely to don my Marie Kondo persona and declutter every room in the house – a herculean task that would keep me gainfully employed at home and Vinnies restocked for the foreseeable future! And there was the cupboard full of crafty stuff longing to see the light of day. All I had to do was open it.

But I discovered that it’s one thing to choose to be isolated and busy in your own home and quite another to be forced to isolate and social distance and be busy in your own home. Initially, for me, it changed how I viewed these ‘at home’ activities. They lost some of their appeal because, with the exception of going out for some exercise, they were the only things I could do. I spent too much time dwelling on what I couldn’t do. Whether it was spending precious time with the grandkids, going out for coffee or a meal with friends, enjoying a visit to the cinema or local library, being able to exercise with more than one person or leisurely browse the shops for that perfect but non-essential gift or new pair of shoes, I was resentful that for a time, my connections to the wider world had changed.

However, when I began focusing on what I could do, I found that although much had changed, I had so much for which I was grateful.

Back in early February nearly 24 inches or 600 mls of rain decided to fall on Byron Bay over a couple of days. It was a deluge. So much rain that we were almost flooded!

We had waterfalls cascading down our retaining walls and surrounding the house on three sides.

Despite spending far too many hours sweeping water away dressed for the occasion in my pyjamas and gumboots, or on hold with the SES or bemoaning the lack of sandbags, I am very grateful that the house survived intact and was not awash with mud and slush.

So of course, now that we are confined for the most part, to the house, Kenn and I have been busy repairing the damage. Generally, I’ve watched, admired, made coffee and planted while Kenn did all the hard stuff.

New paths constructed and stormwater drains installed

And while the garden continues to be a work in progress, we have taken advantage of the beautiful autumn weather to leave the house and get some exercise. Mindful of social distancing we have generally avoided the walk up to the lighthouse for even in this time of social distancing amid the Corona virus pandemic, there are still lots of dedicated walkers ahead of you and behind you. Instead we have enjoyed the Three Sisters’ Walk at Broken Head and its easy to see why.

The track is only 1.6 kms return and follows the clifftop to a lookout over Kings Beach.

**Initially, you enter a shady tunnel of greenery where**

We have also enjoyed daily beach walks. We are lucky that people have obeyed the rules and so our beaches have not been closed.

***The water is still so warm and as you can see, hardly another person in sight***

***And at the moment, the rock platforms are revealed at low tide. Such fun to explore***

***Loved the colours through the Pass. So much to see and feel! Here, it’s easy to forget Covid for a time.***

Kenn has thoughtfully pumped up the tyres on our pushbikes and we have ridden around our local bike track. It hasn’t changed very much since I wrote about a year or so ago. And of course, I’ve been able to go to golf. I really was upset when for two whole days golf was on the taboo list. Byron Bay Golf Course is just beautiful at the moment and I’m enjoying the stroll around the course while I try to curb my wayward driver, over enthusiastic pitching wedge and disobedient putter. It’s great to chat, from a distance with your partner as you complete the course but of course I miss the the fun of the 19th hole. But how good is it that I’m able to play?

***View over the 9th hole at Byron Bay Golf Course***

***Although there is a lot of water around the course, I love the reflections and the ducks.***

Now that I can’t go out for dinner or lunch as I used to do, I found myself spending a lot more time in the kitchen. I’ve been cooking some retro recipes such as my sister Jenny’s curried sausages. Haven’t had curried sausages for years but these were delicious. And of course I’ve baked bread! As I kneaded vigorously for the required 10 or so minutes I told myself that I was building muscle that I would be able to utilise for my drive. ( I wonder how many loaves of bread I will have to knead before I notice a change?)

I made it easy for myself by using this mix. They are a family business from SA.

My Marie Kondo persona has also made a tentative reappearance. The great decluttering has begun! Kenn tackled the garage and following quite a few trips to the tip, the floor and walls resurfaced. Inside, the study is once again an inviting space. There’s still so much to do but then Covid 19 isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

Now I’ve never been one to linger over housework but Covid has made me more thorough than normal. I actually wipe most surfaces such as floors, benches and door handles with disinfectant everyday where it would have been once every few days or in the case of door handles, once in a blue moon. To make the task more appealing, I’m using a local product that has a wonderful scent of lemon myrtle. It’s like bringing the rainforest into your home.

This local company has a full range of products which do a great job. And I would never have noticed them if not for Covid 19. I found them in my local Mitre 10 store but the products are readily available online.

Nor have my afternoons been idle. There has been time to read or binge on Netflix or Foxtel while knitting a little cardigan here or a little jumper there for the grand children. The craft cupboard is well and truly open for business.

I’m hanging out for an easing of restrictions. While I was sad to say goodbye to our overseas trip to the UK ( we were due to fly out late May) I’m more concerned that I won’t be able to travel to Darwin at the end of July to meet a new grand child. When this little one comes into the world, Kenn and I will have seven little Australian grandchildren. Who would have thought? We were childless nearly 5 years ago! At the very least, it would be lovely to be able to travel intrastate and catch up with family that we haven’t seen for months. While face-time is great, it can’t replace that special hug a little one bestows.

For the moment we have to keep on keeping and focus on those little things that make each day special: the flowers, the blue butterfly that loves visiting the azalea, the breeze in the trees or just that special cup of coffee made for you with love.

How have you been keeping busy during Covid 19?

A Weekend Golf Trip: A very fun thing to do with friends!

December 20, 2018December 20, 2018 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

The Tenterfield Golf Course turned it on for us

When I picked up a golf club for the very first time a couple of years ago and swung it enthusiastically this way and that, I had no idea that Golf would offer so much more than mere exercise. Indeed, despite the very high level of frustration that can be engendered by a disobedient little white ball, I’ve discovered that there’s a lot of fun to be had both on and off the course!

This was especially true of my first ever golfing weekend away from home which took place in a month or so ago. A girl’s weekend always has much to recommend it but when that weekend includes shopping, lunching, yarning over nibbles and drinks, dinner, dancing and a game of golf here and there, you know you’re on a winner. And even more so when your companions are the Mullumbimby Saturday Lady Golfers, affectionately known as “The Chooks.”

As the name suggests, this is a group of ladies who don’t take themselves too seriously, who know how to party and who are always willing to help a friend. Now the Chooks hold by the saying, “What happens on tour, stays on tour,” so no stories that might have inspired the director of ‘The Hangover’ will darken this post!

The girls have been collecting all manner of Chooks for good luck . Some are more appealing than others apparently.

Betty, our club captain had generously offered Kerrie and I a lift and so on a sunny Friday morning, I found myself heading for Tenterfield, which is about three hours away from home. Now you wouldn’t want the journey to be too boring, so the Chooks had agreed to meet up for morning tea in Casino. Travel requires frequent refueling after all! A quick coffee and cake, a bit of a natter and a wander around the shopping district and we were back in the car ready to climb the Great Dividing Range. Betty and Kerrie were very familiar with the road but I hadn’t traveled on it for over 20 years. Unlike most of NSW, there had been plenty of rain and and little villages like Tabulum were picture postcard perfect.

This will be the last time I will be able to drive over the historic Tabulum Bridge, ( it is the longest wooden bridge in the Southern Hemisphere) before it’s demolished for a modern one.

It seemed to me that even the bends in the road had been smoothed out and before too long we were approaching our home away from home for the next two nights: Tenterfield.

A beautiful avenue of trees greeted us as we entered the town.

We stayed at the Bowling Club Motor Inn which is located within easy walking distance of the main street.

Kerrie and I had a lovely view of the bowling greens from our private patio. Our room was a generous size and they also supplied a continental breakfast .

There was time on that first afternoon for a leisurely walk through town, before returning for afternoon drinks and nibbles at the motel.

Despite the threatening storm clouds, the weather did not hinder us in any way. So lucky!

A night of dinner and dancing followed. Many of the girls were able to show some very fancy moves on the dance floor. They are definitely ‘girls who know how to have fun.’ Next morning our championship game awaited at the picture perfect Tenterfield golf course.

A perfect late spring day. Views to the mountains very lovely

After our group photo, I was in for a surprise. As this was my first trip, I was presented at the start of play with a tiara as I was the “virgin” of the group. I was to wear the tiara throughout the day’s play and abide by some ‘special rules of play’ which would be revealed as the day progressed!

I was very lucky to score Michelle, our club president, as my partner for the day.

An unlucky bounce and I was in the car park – special rule for virgins: play every ball where you find it!

But the fun didn’t stop there. The following morning after checkout, we all headed to Casino where we would be playing our second round of golf. Again, another lovely day awaited us. Casino is a more challenging course than Tenterfield and I must confess, my beginner skills were tested!

Alas all good things come to an end and after lunch and presentations, we headed home. I am already looking forward to next year’s jaunt.

A Hole in One: Not an impossible dream!

May 18, 2018May 18, 2018 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

IMG_0852-COLLAGE — Sister Act : Jenny and I on our respective Par 3’s at Cowra and Mullumbimby Golf Courses.

Until a couple of weeks ago, I thought that landing a hole in one was an impossible dream. Something only achieved by golf whisperers, players who can actually play the game with some finesse and seem able to coax, caress and cajole their clubs and balls into behaving beautifully, fulfilling golfing desires. Players like my sister, Jenny who after many years of playing A grade and representative golf, landed her first hole in one last year at Cowra Golf Club. Teeing off on the 5th, a Par 3 with her trusty nine iron, Jenny saw her ball sail toward the pin. However, it was only when she and her group walked down to the hole, that she could celebrate. Her ball was lying there, nestled in the cup! Although she has won many events over the years, she told me that this hole in one was the most special.

PicMonkey Collage — Cowra Golf Course is a beautiful country course in the Central West of NSW. With lush fairways and challenging bunkers, there are one or two hills that will give you a cardio workout. I had a wonderful time playing there with Jenny while hooning around in her golf buggy. You might like to check out our adventures here.

But I thought wrong! Even a relative newcomer to golf such as myself, who has enjoyed many mishaps on her golfing journey and who steps up to the ball, swings and hopes for the best, can land a hole in one.

My special moment happened a couple of weeks ago at Mullumbimby Golf Club.

PicMonkey Collage 5 — Beautiful Mullumbimby, a country paradise.

There I was competing in our monthly medal round, hoping against hope that my score wouldn’t blow out too embarrassingly, when the unbelievable happened. It was the 12th hole. A par 3. The hole is bordered by water on both sides and as I stepped up with my driver, I remember having a few, stern, silent words to my pretty blue flowered ball. “Don’t even think about going for a dip in the pond! I know you like to swim but this isn’t the time for fraternising with the geese. You don’t want to get dirty, I only bought you yesterday … Just fly up in the air and you’ll see how soft and lovely the grass is on the green.”

Maybe my ball listened, maybe I followed through properly or Lady Luck intervened … I don’t know. All I know is, I watched as my ball sailed to the left, curved around and landed softly just before the hole and rolled in. Picking up my ball from the cup, I actually felt a bit guilty. I know how many really good players are out there who haven’t been rewarded with a hole in one and here was I with one. It didn’t seem fair somehow.

That guilty feeling didn’t stop me from being absolutely thrilled when I was presented with my first sporting trophy since I was the 16 years girls swimming champion at school, something I achieved through participation not skill.

20180518_150034 — I think the flowers did it!

What has been particularly heartwarming has been my fellow lady golfers’ reactions. They were genuinely thrilled for me. But that’s golf isn’t it? It’s the comraderie as well as the personal challenge that keep us coming back. And persevering. And truly, if I was able to sink a hole in one, there’s hope for all golfers out there.

An Alien stole my ball at Murwillumbah!

March 24, 2018 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

Murwill 1 — View from the deck of Murwillumbah Golf Club. Beautiful Mount Warning in the distance shrouded by misty clouds.

Back in February, I saw the flyer on the clubhouse wall for an Open Day at Murwillumbah to benefit Breast Cancer. My curiosity was piqued. Ages ago, it seems, Annie and I had been told how beautiful this course was and consequently had it on our list of courses we’d like to play. So this seemed a perfect opportunity.

Although we had never been to an Open Day, we figured it couldn’t be too damaging to our self esteem, as it was a Single Stableford event. When one’s handicap is still languishing in the 40s and it’s the rainy season, single stableford provides a measure of comfort when you just know there are going to be a few (and possibly more than a few) mishaps out on the course. And it was for such a good cause! And dressed in a fabulous pink rosy skirt and pink shirt courtesy of my lovely sister, Jenny, I could even fulfill the dress code in style.

So early Thursday morning, Annie and I set off for Murwillumbah. It was showery but we reassured each other that we could see glimpses of blue sky to the north. But as we climbed the Burringbar Range, the blue sky disappeared and showers reappeared. Thank goodness we had decided to use a buggy and just for extra protection we stashed our brollies in the cart for extra protection from the elements.

murwill 2 — My little frog was in his element.

There were over 100 ladies participating despite the weather, We found we were to play with two lovely ladies from Murwillumbah, who showed us the ropes and soon we were hitting off the tenth. It was a Par 3. Terrific, I thought.

But all was not lost. The course was lovely to play and there was some run.

murwill 4 — While there was water, it didn’t pose a threat unless you hit wildly off course and the view to the mountains was spectacular.

murwill3 — This part of the course is relatively flat and next time, I would love to walk it.

murwill 5 — And the Tweed River borders a couple of holes.

murwill 6 — But as you can see, the fairway is lovely and wide!

Soon, we were tackling the front nine. This was more hilly and had some tricky but interesting holes. And it’s also where an alien stole my ball!

mullum 9 — We found ourselves hitting down the slope and then up the slope to the greens

How did an alien steal your ball, you might ask? Well I hit a great drive and second shot ( for me that is) on a long Par 4. I had 7 shots for par, so full of anticipation, I closely watched my third shot fall just short, on the edge of the green. Dash it, I muttered to the ball, you could have gone just a little bit further! Confidently, I walked over to the ball, only to discover it belonged to one of the Murwillumbah ladies! My ball had vanished! We looked in the bunkers, we looked over the back of the green, we looked behind and we looked in the hole! No ball! Obviously, taken by aliens! What to do? The Murwillumbah ladies were seasoned golfers of over 40 years experience. Sadly they informed me, it was a wipe.

But the game must go on and the course held more lovely surprises. At one point we drove from one hole to the next through a lovely patch of rainforest.

murwill 7 — This shot doesn’t do this part of the course justice. It was so much more beautiful than this, but I was just snapping away with my phone.

And all too soon, we were shaking hands on the 9th. It was time to scan our scorecards and while we didn’t win, we didn’t disgrace ourselves either. Lunch beckoned in the clubhouse where our new friends invited us to join them. Lots of stories, lots of laughter, the most amazing raffle and presentations. And it was home time.

As we drove away, the rain started again. We couldn’t believe that we had been lucky enough to enjoy such a wonderful day of golf. Murwillumbah, we will be back!

Could this happen to you?

September 19, 2017 ~ margaretsealey ~ 1 Comment

Are you one of those people that weird stuff happens to? The sort of stuff that has everyone else around you in stitches while you are left stunned, attempting to extricate yourself from an embarrassing situation with a semblance of grace but not necessarily succeeding? Welcome to the club.

For example, you might think that nothing untoward could happen to you on the Golf course. After all, golf is a civilised game where players amble from hole to hole, hoping to hit their balls nicely down the fairway. Even if their ball runs away and buries itself in the rough, or seeks shelter behind a tree or takes a dive into the duck pond or falls in love with a hazard, this might be an unfortunate but not necessarily, an embarrassing situation.

A week or so ago, I took unfortunate and embarrassing to a whole new level. I was having one of those rounds where too many balls ran out of steam right on the lip of the hole.

Golf-Photo_01 — One or two you might forgive, but five or six? I spoke sternly to my putter and threatened my ball with early retirement but to no avail!

I know what happened next was probably my fault. I was on a tricky par 3. The green on this hole lies on a fairly steep mound, protected by two deep bunkers to the right and a band of trees to the left. But undaunted, I was determined to make up for the near misses on the previous holes. Teeing off, my ball sailed into the heavens but tracked a little to the left. Mmm, this could be unfortunate, I thought. But down the fairway, I saw that all was not lost. My ball was nestled between two trees with a clear line to the pin. Great, a little chip shot and all will be well. Maybe I’ll be in for par! I lined up. My chip cleared the rough and raced across the green where it kissed the pin and promptly leapt into the second bunker.

Green on Hole 18 — Unfortunately, I’m allergic to sand and it doesn’t like me either!

Reluctantly, I retrieved my sand wedge and … hit out of the bunker first time. But alas, I hit too hard. My ball raced across the green and disappeared from view down the other side. Definitely unfortunate! Rhonda broke the bad news: it’s gone into ‘out of bounds’ and I had to take a drop. But first, I had to retrieve my ball. I had never hit a ball into this out of bounds area before but soon discovered that the ground fell away steeply to a little creek where I spied my favourite ball lying a pool of water. I scrambled down to retrieve it and was just reaching over to pick it up when I heard an ominous crashing sound. It was my buggy, doing somersaults while nose-diving into the creek! In my haste to retrieve my ball, I had forgotten to put the brake on. Luckily the buggy didn’t land on top of me and didn’t appear to be damaged. But how to get it and me back up? The bank was too steep to push it up, so I had to pull it. With Rhonda holding one hand, the other hand dragging the buggy and digging my spikes in, I inched my way up the bank, bottom slide by bottom slide like a geriatric slug. Eventually, I was up and so was my buggy. Needless to say, Rhonda found it very difficult to keep a straight face. And I still had to play a shot! Taking a deep breath, I nudged the ball forward and finally putted it in. Taking stock of my appearance, I realised that I now, from top to toe resembled a SAS soldier ready for jungle warfare. I wasn’t going to be able to live down this escapade for a while.

To add insult to injury, three days later disaster struck again. It was a perfect spring day and I was hitting cleanly down a long par 5 which has lovely water views on both sides of the fairway. Even though it was warm, I was very comfortable under my new sun-safe umbrella which I’d purchased from the Pro shop the day before.

I was secretly chuffed at how well I was doing and foolishly began to day-dream about my approach shots. Bad, bad move! I didn’t notice that the wind was picking up. While I was navigating a ditch, a gust toppled my buggy over, tearing my umbrella away. My good friend Annie gave chase while I rescued my buggy. Two falls in one week! Maybe I should get a new job – as a golf buggy road tester! But alas, Annie couldn’t channel her inner Usain Bolt and the umbrella raced away. The wind dropped and for about ten seconds, I thought there was hope for a successful retrieval. Then, it changed direction, sweeping my new umbrella towards the pond. I tried to catch up to it but running has never been my forte and I watched in horror as my umbrella pirouetted around the edge and then set sail for the middle. There it stopped before slowly sinking, like the Titanic on its maiden voyage. Very ‘unfortunate’ and now that I look back on it, very funny! It could only happen to me.

21762218_10155736034488343_6319148936383129821_n — Maybe Froggie was trying to tell me something!

For the time being, I’m making do with an old yellow umbrella which has seen better days. On the plus side, It shows no desire to find another home and some shade is better than none! Could this happen to you?

The Perils of Winter Golf

August 30, 2017 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

PicMonkey Collage winter golf — Enter a caption

Spring is almost here and in the Northern Rivers, the weather of late has been perfect for golf: cool mornings and warm days brushed with gentle breezes. Out on the course, everyone seems happy, even the ducks. Indeed, we had so much sunny weather in August that I have developed ‘golf foot’. This condition is not to be confused with ‘trench foot’ which is caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary, and cold conditions and which afflicted our WW1 diggers. Rather it is a condition in which your lower extremities come to resemble your driver in reverse. Legs are tanned by prolonged exposure to the sun while from the ankles down, your feet are silvery white. It’s not a look that you’ll see on the catwalks of Paris anytime soon!

And while it is lovely right now, we’ve had our fair share of wintry conditions. It hasn’t been super cold. Unlike the lady golfers from the Central West of NSW who ventured out to play their weekly comp despite fog and frost and being buffeted by icy winds fresh from the Alps, we haven’t had to contend with freezing conditions. However we have faced storms, hail and very, very wet conditions.

The fairway at **Cowra!** How hard would it be to find a white ball? I wonder if one is allowed to play golf in Ugg boots? Local rule change?

In June, we experienced a series of big storms. We could see them approaching but luckily made it through a game without a drenching.

10th hole storm — It was a bit grey and not a lot of run but a little bit of golf was better than no golf at all.

But the storms brought water, a lot of water! The Mullumbimby golf course went under and was closed for a time. It reopened to walkers only. What we didn’t appreciate until we got to the course was that we weren’t really walking: we were wading and sloshing our way down the fairways.

Did you know that a golf ball can land on a puddle and skip along, skimming the water like a low flying ballistic missile? And just like a ballistic missile, have a homing device attached? I discovered that mine did! Without fail, my balls would come to rest in the deepest, most inaccessible drainage ditch. I’m a slow learner. It took a few lost balls before I dug out my most decrepit balls. But these balls wouldn’t get lost. Isn’t that always the way?

Even with preferred lie, conditions were tough. Balls would soar beautifully through the air only to come back to earth with a plop, nestling comfortably in the oozy mud. They needed and received a good talking to from our irons! Even the greens, where I have felt most comfortable posed real problems. On one green I watched in horror as my ball parted the waters, slowing down as it did so. What should have been a gimme putt became a three or four or five putt but who was counting? On the next, I of course over-compensated. My ball sailed past the hole onto the other side of the green and into the welcoming arms of a bunker. So considerate of it. Wiping: holes, balls, sticks, shoes, legs, shirts and buggies became the order of the day.

Even when it started to dry out, and we could see most of the fairways again, there was still a lot of water and mud about. All the water hazards were full and a mistimed shot spelled disaster. We beginner golfers very quickly came to appreciate the benefits of ‘laying up’ even if we couldn’t execute perfectly.

It was not all doom and gloom. We played with preferred lie and other benefits for over a month. I loved being able to place my ball on top of the rough grass with which I have had a long standing love affair. And it was good to get in all that iron practice. But I was glad when all was dry again. As a beginner golfer, I need all the run I can get.

byron winter — Our Tuesday golf group also had a fun golf morning at Byron Bay, followed by morning tea at the Byron at Byron! So civilised!

And so Spring beckons. Determined to make the most of the great weather before the summer heat and humidity set in, we have found ourselves playing up to three times a week: some social, some comp. While like many, I have preferred playing Stableford, on Saturday I’ve agreed to play my first stroke round. Wish me luck, I’ll need it.

Oh, I almost forgot. As I was having a golf lesson on Tuesday, my coach Nicky told me that in Japan, Amateurs and Professionals stop for lunch at the end of 9 holes. Having consumed a delightful lunch and possibly some sake, they cheerfully resume their match. Beats our ten minute comfort break hands down! What do you think?

Happy golfing everyone.

Carting it up at Cowra Golf Club

October 19, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 1 Comment

While Golf presents many challenges to the newcomer, it opens up many new ‘fun’ experiences. Last week, I crossed the Blue Mountains and tackled a ‘real’ country course, playing a social game with my sister, Jenny on her home course in Cowra.

To make the most of the short time available to us, Jenny suggested that ‘carting’ was the only way to go. This was a first for me but I soon learnt that golf carts can add another dimension to your enjoyment of the game and as a bonus, mastered the basics of ‘golf buggy driving for dummies’. On a lovely Spring morning, I found myself a passenger, with Jenny in Formula I mode, zipping here and there, up and down in this little red rocket.

img_1082-1 — **Prepared for any eventuality**

All I had to do was sit tight and enjoy the view until … our balls landed on opposite sides of the fairway. Jenny parked, grabbed a wood and hopped across the fairway where she hit an imposing second shot. It soared and soared some more. Meanwhile, I managed to dribble my ball a reasonable distance down the fairway. Not a bad outcome, I thought.

fullsizerender-2 — **Yay! No trees for me on this hole!**

But then Jenny asked me to drive the cart over and pick her up. “But I can’t drive a cart” I replied.

‘It’s easy, all you do is put your foot down.” Gingerly, I pressed my foot on the pedal (motorised vehicles and I, have not had a mutually rewarding relationship) and the cart inched its way across the fairway. The red rocket had become a red slug! “Harder” yelled Jenny. I pressed harder and the cart responded. It likes me, I thought as we zoomed over to Jenny. I could get used to this mode of transport, especially on hot, humid summer days!

It was so enjoyable playing with someone who knows the course well. When the greens are fast and the bunkers are lurking, such knowledge is invaluable.

img_1076-2 — **Loved that there was no water to negotiate, only the odd bunker or two or three.**

Alas, they haven’t invented a personal golfing drone which can fly around you, assess your game and make suggestions for improvement as you are playing, but I think my sister, Jenny is the next best thing. For weeks, I had been having trouble with teeing off and hitting on the fairway and I didn’t know what was wrong. In practice, all seemed well, but as soon as I was on the course … disaster! What Jenny picked up was that I had taken some of the coaching tips too literally. I practiced my chipping, being mindful to put my weight on the front foot. Then, when I was instructed to tee off the front foot, I thought that meant that my weight had to be on the front foot when I did that too. I didn’t realise that I was trying to hit balls like a one legged stork! Once I was playing on an even keel, everything was better. I was even able to hit out of the rough in front of Jenny’s friends, Robert and Warwick. Even though I felt like a murderer, beheading innocent daisies in the process.

Golf finished and some bargains found at the Pro shop, where the new golf Pro, Nathan Stubbs was having a sale, it was time to return home for a leisurely lunch.

Spring has sprung at Cowra and Jenny’s garden was bursting with colour.

early-rose — **The first roses are out as is the wisteria.**

may-bush-camoflauge — **The may bushes and daisies overlook Cowra in the distance**

I loved looking out through the rose arbour, over the paddocks and seeing them dotted with sheep and lambs.

rose-arbour-overlooking-the-sheep-paddocks — I know they’re small, but the lambs are there!

And of course I had to say hello to Marjorie, Jenny’s pet lamb who is now a very large sheep. It was time for her annual haircut and it was funny to see how her friends in the paddock didn’t recognise her after Paul had shorn her!

picmonkey-image-marjorie — **This is Marjorie looking sheepish and trying to hide in the grass now her fleece has gone.**

All too soon, our visit to Cowra came to an end but I’m looking forward to my next visit when perhaps I’ll tackle the whole 18 holes. Country golf courses are so worth exploring!

A Golf Adventure along the Tweed River

August 6, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

The river course at Tweed Heads

Isn’t the Coolangatta/Tweed Heads golf course spectacular? Just walking around it, feet cushioned by emerald green turf, taking in the water views and watching the antics of the abundant bird life is enjoyable. However tackling its many challenges was and is a real golfing adventure! Last week, Annie and Pam and I took on the challenge of the river course at Coolangatta/Tweed Heads Golf Club. Although we were just playing a social match, this was my first experience playing on a championship course and I hoped… crossed my fingers and every other appendage … and … wished … to play well.

I had a few concerns as my game isn’t quite what I would have hoped it might be by this stage. When I embarked on my golfing journey, I was full of good intentions: I promised myself that I would practice my putting at home between weekly visits to the ‘Coffee Golf’ clinic at Mullumbimby Golf Club ( I didn’t make it to double digits), pay a visit to the local driving range at Ballina (only visited the range to buy Christmas gifts) and find time to play a few extra games, perhaps at different courses. (I can count the extra games I played in an 18 month period, on one hand!) So predictably, my progress has been slow, painfully tortoise like! But I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained! Miracles can happen on a golf course I assured myself and there was always lunch and good company to look forward to, if I was doomed to disappointment.

It was a perfect day for golf, warm and sunny as only the North Coast can be, with very little breeze. Soon we were out on the course. Annie and Pam were in Superman mode: their tee shots flying down the fairway like speeding bullets. Mine were more problematical but I persevered and hit a couple that were not too shabby. We discovered that the fairways were so smooth that Annie and Pam in particular were able to hit away with their fairway woods. I was a little more timid and stuck with my irons but all our balls ran and then ran some more. Always an agreeable outcome.

annie at tweed — Annie hitting a great shot missing the water and the bunker

Even when I inevitably found the rough, to my surprise, it was relatively smooth and for once, I hit out easily. But as we approached the greens, we understood why Nicky, our golf pro, had made us practice targets with our nine irons and pitching wedges again and again and again. Every green was surrounded by water and sand! A lot of sand! Luckily, each of us only lost only one ball to the water and generally missed the sand. Yes, it was up, up and away for us.

The course is quite long and there is a fair distance between some holes, but the view you have of the river is worth the trek but I can understand why many choose to cart it.

walking between holes admiring the river — The Tweed River

All too soon, our game was over and it was time for lunch and a well deserved cappuccino at the Golf Club. Alas our day had come to an end. The highway beckoned and before too long, we were home in Byron Bay. Tweed, watch out! In the words of Arnie, ‘We will be back!’

Lunching at the Lighthouse

February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 5 Comments

iconic byron lighthouse — Byron Lighthouse from the new deck of the Cafe

My Tuesday was not behaving itself! I had intended to have of a lovely morning catching up with my fellow golf enthusiasts for a coaching session with Nicky Rickon, a leisurely coffee and perhaps, a few holes of golf at Mullumbimby Golf Club. But sadly, it was not to be. I found myself crawling along Broken Head Road. This was not good. I was going to be very, very late. But my golf clubs were nestled between the odd towel and beach chair in the boot and my feet were wearing socks and sneakers for the first time in months, ready to traverse beckoning fairways, so I detoured. A few holes at Byron would surely satisfy my golfing itch.

Although it was a very warm morning, there was a breeze so it was with some enthusiasm that I paid my money and made my way to the back nine as directed. I hadn’t played for a couple of months and as expected it took me one or two more shots than usual to complete the my first hole. But to compensate for a less than celebratory fairway performance, I did sink a long putt! I hit off the second and missed the water. All good. Then disaster. The Ladies Comp caught up to me. They suggested, nicely, that I hightail it over to the 14th, hit down to the clubhouse and play a few holes on the front nine so that I didn’t get in their way. There was only one problem. I got a trifle lost and ended up on the 13th. Where was the 14th? Obviously, my map reading skills need a little fine tuning. Feeling decidedly hot and bothered, I decided to tee off. Then I heard the sound. The sound of an approaching golf cart. I looked up. The lady golfers had me in their sights. There was nothing for it but to pick up my ball and drag my buggy and myself back to the clubhouse.

I felt that I had already walked nine holes but wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “The front nine might be more challenging but is more scenic,” I’d been reliably informed. As I dragged myself down and up, across and back, I got hotter and hotter. For once, my ball didn’t seek the trees like a ballistic missile. I was stuck in the middle of the fairway. Repeatedly. Melting. In the tropical oasis that is Byron, I felt as if I was trekking across the Sahara … without a camel! Three holes later, I called it a day. I didn’t want the R.I.P sign at the side of the Golf Club driveway to commemorate me.

Lying on the couch under a fan with an ice pack on my neck, Kenn took pity on me. “How about I take you and Annie out for coffee and maybe lunch?” My day suddenly brightened. Taking advantage of our new National Parks parking sticker, we decided that lunch on the newly completed deck at the Lighthouse Cafe would be perfect.

deck overlooks the bay — Can you ever get tired of such a view?

The cafe offers simple pleasures. Coffee, milkshakes, rolls, quiches, gourmet pies and sausage rolls to mention a few and the best ice cream in Byron Bay.

menu at lighthouse cafe — We tried the vegetarian quiche, the gourmet pie and the chicken and pesto roll. Needless to say, not a crumb was left on our plates. And the coffee hit the spot!

gelati at lighthouse cafe — **In the Pink** ice cream and gelati. So hard to resist.

Lunch finished, we lingered a little. Rested a little.

For newcomers to the bay, information about Lighthouse Tours and the National Park can be found in the Lighthouse Keepers House directly behind the cafe.

lighthouse keeper's cottage — Imagine being a lighthouse keeper here! There is limited paid parking available at the Lighthouse if you do not have a National Parks permit.

Refreshed, Annie and I meandered down the track, past the most easterly point of Australia to Wategoes where Kenn kindly picked us up.

overlooking wategoes — After the morning’s adventures, a strictly downhill stroll to **Wategoes** was all I could muster.

Lunch at the Lighthouse Cafe was a lovely and unexpected way to end the morning.

Lady Golfers Rule!

October 21, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ Leave a comment

I’ve discovered that lady golfers, to quote Lady Macbeth, “are full of the milk of human kindness.”

Over the past year, my golfing journey has had many ups and downs. There have been many days when my body just didn’t want to do what I was telling it to do. I thought I was following instructions but discovered that what I thought I was doing and what I was actually doing were poles apart. I was standing too far or too close to the ball and as a consequence was aerating grass that really didn’t want to be aerated. My grip was wrong ( I realise now that I was holding it in a manner reminiscent of Barney Rubble) and unbeknownst to me, I lifted my head. To make matters worse, my feet were always pointing in the wrong direction (no wonder so many of my balls seemed to have a love connection with the trees) and my weight was too far on the back foot. (Just as well that there aren’t any rabbits on the course because I would have wiped them out with my ground hugging torpedoes.) As well, far too often, my swing was too fast or my follow through was on the nose, literally!

We're all getting closer to the pin! Yay! — We’re all getting closer to the pin! Yay!

But someone once said that the first thing golf teaches you is humility and that’s so true. But I’ve also discovered that it’s the empathy and encouragement that a beginner receives from lady golfers in particular, that gives them the patience to keep practicing, the will to keep on going.

Nicky keeping a watchful eye on us all as the storm clouds gather.

Our Golf Pro, Nicky Dickon never gets impatient, never seems to mind repetition and always finds something positive in your game. The lady members, go out of their way to welcome us and share ‘secret lady golfers’ business’ with us. My golfing group is always supportive, never noticing the bad shots and always praising the good ones. Their company, as we enjoy our coffee after our lesson, is always fun and adds a wonderful social dimension to my week.

IMG_20150818_115850 — Annie and I remembered to park down the bottom this time! The hill to the club house is very, very steep.

The first hole at Teven Golf Course. Annie and I had such fun! Lunch at Lennox was good too.

Because of their support, I have ventured onto other courses, notably Teven and Byron Bay and participated in my first invitational. There have been increasingly more days when I seem to be one with the ball. Days when my drive goes straight down the fairway and not into a hazard, my iron shots see some airtime and my chip shots land within coo-ee of a pin, welcoming in my ball with open arms. Par at last!