DUDLEY OPEN 2009 - THE SCOTTISH BORDERS

Another year, another Dudley. The time of year when golf lovers worldwide are attracted like bees to the biggest honey-pot in the game: the Dudley Open trophy "The Man and His Shaft". So it was particularly disappointing for fans to hear that the usual pool of players competing for this year's trophy was sorely depleted. How we missed the entertaining banter of BJ, who had travelled to India in search of a guru reputedly able to reduce golf handicaps within weeks through a rigorous system of daily meditation. Absent too was one of the competition's leading lights, Doc Golf, whose unique style has always been a hallmark of previous tournaments.

Sad too, that Norrie Smith was unable to defend his title. We wish him well and hope he will come bouncing back next year. And the ladies suffered a double blow: not only was heart-throb Dudley pin-up boy El Nino not appearing: he announced that his absence was due to plans to set up home with his partner (sob!). We hope very much that Chris will find his way back to the fold once he has had his fill of DIY at the weekends. But they do say that when one door shuts, another door opens….and this year saw the debut of Adrian Peters, a keen golfer who, until he came on the Dudley, thought the worst action he had ever seen was his tour of duty in the army in Bosnia. Little did he realise the horrors and delights in store for him…… Unfortunately none of the trials and tribulations of our brave Dudley golfers were recorded for posterity this year, as our loyal and long-suffering camera man Brian Suttie had another engagement. Brian, I'm sure, will be very sorry to have missed the glorious annual event that is the Dudley Open…Read on!