It's 3.30pm on a very rainy mild (4*c) soaking wet New Year's Eve here in Toronto.
The people, mainly kids that will congregate at various New Year's gigs like City Hall and Mel Lastman's Square will be absolutely soaked, and they can have it, having been there and done that.
Many of my New Year's activities can't be published here, but I might give you a hint to say they usually involved my love interest at the time, some selected lingerie and a bottle of champagne....along with.. well, you get it..
One of the best however was in Scotland where Hogmanay is the biggest night of the year. I was in a rural community and followed the Scottish tradition of " first footing" your neighbours, it was considered good luck to receive a dark haired stranger with a lump of coal and a dram of whiskey right after midnight.
The 'first footing" went on all night from house to house, with many a dram shared, along with shortbread cookies, hot chocolate, mugs of tea and great comradeship. The local farmer, arrived with his tractor and trailer when the sun came up on the New Year and we all piled on and were dropped off along the way to our homes.
After a quick shower it was off to Royal Burgess GC for the annual New Years Day breakfast and round of golf !!!
Full Scottish breakfast, square sausage, Ayrshire bacon, black pudding, potato scones, fried eggs, toast and tea. Off to the first tee to play foursomes (alternate shot) all wrapped up, and warmed by a pewter dram of Royal Burgess whiskey, which was available on every other hole by the way.
The walk, fresh air and the odd good shot was a fantastic way to walk off the night before and kick off the New Year.
I'm happy to say my late brother Rodney and I continued that tradition back home here in Canada at golf courses we snuck onto with a handful of pals until the police arrived one year after an over exuberant club member called us out !
It will be a quiet night for me, a nice meal, a dram or two, team Canada at the juniors and a good movie. I'll leave the hootin' and hollerin' to the amateurs and will hit the gym to start the new year tomorrow.
All the very best my friends for 2019, and remember, "you never appreciate your health until you lose it," so take care and thanks for joining me all year..
The PGA pros are all in Hawaii already getting ready to start the season on January 3.
Bryan Angus
No comments:
Post a Comment