DUSSERA AND GOLF-A HEADY COCKTAIL

Among many tournaments that start after the monsoon season,there is one conducted by RWITC-never bothered to find out the connection between riding and golf. I entered the tournament for fun as the club had found me not good enough to hold my handicap of 16. There was nothing to lose. What they did not explain was that it was a long drawn out tournament. Having collected 34 points at the first session, I thought it was the end,until my name appeared for a short list of play offs in pairs. One look at the board and I knew it would end in a whimper as I was drawn against AK Singh playing to 13. 

 This morning I reported at the crowded session due to Dussera,but AK and I were given priority due to the tournament schedule. The starter whispered to me and said that AK actually plays to 4 and that at the medal round last Saturday he had shot 59-an unbelievable 13 under par.AK rolled in, two minutes to T-Off, with his belly leading the way a few seconds ahead of him. Then the dual began. I gathered as we sauntered on towards the first green, that he was as old as my son.That did not not help my mind set. I was petrified playing with some one who had shot 59 in this very course. Every passing member waived at him with great respect and barely noticed me. That is when it struck me that all I had to do is to shoot pars and let him go for birdies to off set the many strokes that I had earned as a lowly golfer. I did just that and by the fourth hole I was four up with a naughty smile on my face. He was running to catch up. The front nine ended with my lead at 4 holes.

Normally my game goes to pieces at the back nine due to lack of focus and a tired back. So it did and AK began to dig my grave. By the 13th my lead reduced to just 1.  I held on with a couple of halves. At the 16th(par 3) I went right into the big banyan tree and AK was on the green. He had a wry smile-don't know why. I had a stroke but no ball to find. The ball just vanished,perhaps between the humongous branches of the Banyan  No quarters given. He asked me to walk back and take the 3rd shot from the Tee. As I walked back,a long walk at that, I said to myself no one managed to kill you off Karachi in 1971, how can AK get you now. Wham, I was on the green but 3 on. AK missed a birdie and shot a par. I putted a 12 footer and halved. I was still one up and did not want a sudden death after 18. I just had to win hole 17 and I would be 2 up and unbeatable-simple. Now the pressure got to AK. He had been driving straight and long till then. Wham and a scream-------his ball was sighted on fairway 18. I went straight as an arrow-to the middle of the fairway  and about 230 yards. I shot a par and he a 5. It was sealed with a couple of spectators who came to see the old man who had beaten the latest craze on the course. 

I may not survive the next play off but my Dussera was made-here on the Poona golf course. Please note Poona and not Pune!!