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

Golf is such a social sport

Golf taught Tex Williamson humility and patience

$Golf taught Tex Williamson humility and patience$ This month’s Golf Buddy is Terence `TEX` Williamson from Yorkshire, England. He has been disabled since he was 8 years old, due to a road accident, which degloved his right leg. In 1989, aged 31, he started a love affair with the game of golf. “A pensioner from my village gave me a half set of old blades and 7 balls. I spent the next 18 months on the village field practicing, formulating a swing that would see the ball go fairly straight, from the beginnings of a slice, come fade.”

Tex (53) has been a member of Thorne Golf club, (Nr Doncaster, Yorkshire) since 1991. “For me it has always been not to accept my disabilities as an hindrance, but to be positive and tame it. Golf gave me the hope to do this. It was the start of a love affair. It makes me happy to beat the course, the elements, the weather, the specifics of the course, and the physical aspects of the challenge. Golf taught me humility, patience, and how to control my emotions.”

Three more operations

“My current H/cap is 5.7; it has been as low as 0.8 in the past. This year I had to undergo three more operations on the leg, and obviously I have missed much of the season.”

“My short game is by far my best attribute, admired by my peers. As for the weakest part, then that has to be my long irons. I carry a Ping Zing 1 Iron, 3degree upright, and a Titlist Black DCI, 2 Iron, 2 degrees upright. These two clubs where purchased after winning the Gross open event at, Normanby Park G.C. years ago. And there still in the bag. I keep meaning to change them for a couple of utility woods, but it would be like loosing an arm to see them go.”

The Montgomerie… sheer perfection

“In my life I have been extremely fortunate to have played golf at some fantastic venues, America, Australia, Europe. But let me say this, if I was only allowed to play at one course for the rest of my life, it would have to be, The Montgomerie in in Dubai. I stood on the tee, waiting for the fog to lift. With one stroke of an angels wing, it stood before me. Perfection, sheer perfection.”

“One of the great things about golf is that it is such a social sport. It could possibly be the best sport there is to acquire friends. I play with anyone who wishes to play, does not matter if they are complete novices or pros. As long as I am involved.”

“Do you know what strikes me? That when I hole out from a bunker, or from off the green, or even make a hole in one, there is always one in player in the flight that comments that I was just being lucky, etcetera. Now that is what keeps me coming back time after time, to this wondrous game, called GOLF.”