Golf Buddies

Flying Blue Golf members share their favourite golf memories with you! Whether it’s the group of golf buddies they play with or how they got their start, read their experiences here

"The nice thing about golf is that you can play it anywhere"

Andi X, golf lover in a new life

She fell in love with golf only recently. It was her lover Malcolm Baker who arranged the introduction. Since that day in 2009 Andi X from Birmingham (UK) is trying to improve her game step by step. Golf is part of her new life, after she won one of the toughest fights imaginable: the battle against cancer. “The best thing about it? The sound of the ball in the hole.”

Andi X (44, and yes, that is her real last name) has started a new life not long ago. “I was officially declared free of cancer recently”, she says. After living in Bristol before, she has moved to the Birmingham. “To live with my boyfriend, the guy in pink you see in the picture below. Malcolm was also the one who introduced me to golf. My first experience was a ‘golfer-non golfer match’. The picture above was taken recently, at the third time we participated. Dressing up and playing golf like this was part of the fun.”

Great fun

Andi explains the phenomenon that is known mainly in the UK: “It is a great way to start a golf career. Join the match with a friend who has no experience in golf, just give it a try for nine holes. The golfer gets to tee off. Once the ball is on the green, it’s the non-golfer’s turn to putt. I did pretty well and we had great fun at all three occasions, we won second and first prizes. That is what these events are for, to share the fun of golf and turn people into golf lovers. It worked for me!”

Golf lessons birthday present

After joining the event, her boyfriend Malcolm gave her some golf lessons as a present for her birthday. Like Malcolm, Andi is now a social member of the Druids Heath Golf Club in Aldridge, Walsall, a lovely course in the Staffordshire countryside.

Andi X explains that her Malcolm, manager in the car seating business, is the real enthusiast. “He plays regularly. Not only at the club where he is a member, but also at various other clubs in the region. The big event of the year is the golf trip with ‘the boys’. The boys, meaning a group of about 20 golfers. They travel to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Florida or some other destination once a year. To play golf and, I am sure, to have quite a few beers. A real golf trip for the men.” Andi’s ambition in golf? “That is to feel confident enough with my game to arrange a ladies golfing holiday on an annual basis. Why should the guys have all the fun?”

“Play anywhere”

Andi would love to go places with Malcolm, on a nice golf trip. Florida would be the destination for her, she reveals. “The nice thing about golf is that you can play it anywhere. On every holiday into any country, there are lots of opportunities. Even in Bulgaria, where we went on holiday, you find golf courses.” But, Andi admits, there is work to be done. “I really need to work on the driver. Teeing off definitely needs improvement! It is all a matter of practice. More lessons to take and more rounds of golf I play, I suppose.”