Victoria GC
20th August 2020
In: Golf courses
Victoria GC on the outskirts of Kandy turned out to be an amazing experience and that was nothing to do with the golf.
I was out in Sri Lanka following the England cricket team for a few of the games and I also brought my golf clubs along, for a few rounds in the Sri Lankan sunshine in between the cricket.
Back in blighty before setting off for Sri Lanka, David “Bumble” Lloyd suggested during his cricket commentary, Victoria golf club was well worth a visit. So in between games I took a rickshaw to the course from Kandy where I was staying.
I checked into the clubhouse and was asked to sign the visitor’s book, on looking at the visitors book, there were the names and signatures of cricket legends who had booked in the day before. Having resisted the temptation to remove the page from the visitors book I headed to the first tee.
On arrival at the tee there were about 12 players waiting to tee off, one of them was Sir Ian Botham. Ian Botham, one of my sporting heroes came over and suggested I go off the 10th tee, as there were about four groups in front who had already teed off. I teed off on the back nine and played 27 holes before heading back to the clubhouse.
I arrived back at the clubhouse ready for a cold beer and sitting on the patio were some of England’s finest ever cricketers, wow does it get any better than this. All really friendly and Sir Ian must have remembered suggesting I start at the 10th, as he even asked me how I got on …
I went to the restroom and who should be standing a few feet further up from me, England legend David bumble Lloyd. I got chatting as you do, standing at a urinal and explained to Bumble, I heard about the Victoria golf course from his commentary of the previous test match back in England. I sat back on the patio enjoying a beer with such amazing company all around me and Bumble said, can you just tell this lot what you told me in the toilet. It turned out to be pundit rivalry, as when I repeated what I said in the toilet, Bumble got a great deal of stick off all of the others.
It must be pretty good being a former England captain and a sky pundit, travelling the globe commentating on cricket, however, what a really nice down-to-earth group of people they all were, and what an amazing experience, one I will never forget. Oh and the golf course was pretty good also…..
I was out in Sri Lanka following the England cricket team for a few of the games and I also brought my golf clubs along, for a few rounds in the Sri Lankan sunshine in between the cricket.
Back in blighty before setting off for Sri Lanka, David “Bumble” Lloyd suggested during his cricket commentary, Victoria golf club was well worth a visit. So in between games I took a rickshaw to the course from Kandy where I was staying.
I checked into the clubhouse and was asked to sign the visitor’s book, on looking at the visitors book, there were the names and signatures of cricket legends who had booked in the day before. Having resisted the temptation to remove the page from the visitors book I headed to the first tee.
On arrival at the tee there were about 12 players waiting to tee off, one of them was Sir Ian Botham. Ian Botham, one of my sporting heroes came over and suggested I go off the 10th tee, as there were about four groups in front who had already teed off. I teed off on the back nine and played 27 holes before heading back to the clubhouse.
I arrived back at the clubhouse ready for a cold beer and sitting on the patio were some of England’s finest ever cricketers, wow does it get any better than this. All really friendly and Sir Ian must have remembered suggesting I start at the 10th, as he even asked me how I got on …
I went to the restroom and who should be standing a few feet further up from me, England legend David bumble Lloyd. I got chatting as you do, standing at a urinal and explained to Bumble, I heard about the Victoria golf course from his commentary of the previous test match back in England. I sat back on the patio enjoying a beer with such amazing company all around me and Bumble said, can you just tell this lot what you told me in the toilet. It turned out to be pundit rivalry, as when I repeated what I said in the toilet, Bumble got a great deal of stick off all of the others.
It must be pretty good being a former England captain and a sky pundit, travelling the globe commentating on cricket, however, what a really nice down-to-earth group of people they all were, and what an amazing experience, one I will never forget. Oh and the golf course was pretty good also…..