Tortoise and the Hare

23rd July 2008

The only hares or tortoises at Royal Birkdale last week were being blown across the windswept fairways, adding further hazards to the Open competitors. However as Greg Norman proved, the young Turks and tearaways were put categorically in their place by this chiselled, senior pro's performance. Mountain trekking is frequently the same, to gaze upon the corrugated summit of Kilimanjaro or the dazzling top of Mount Blanc - both mountains with the contours of the great man's face and the colour of his bleached barnet respectively - is spectacular, but to walk up and around them is often the more successful domain of seasoned trekkers who have done a bit of time in the hills, have played a few rounds with mother nature and return yearly to scalp new challenges. Mr Norman was ultimately unsuccessful, but he gave enormous pleasure and a huge lease of life to many journeyman club players who maybe felt their best days were locked firmly in the 19th hole saloon. Big, seminal mountains like Kilimanjaro and Mt Blanc are not going anywhere, the excuse of age has been proved to be worthless this last week, get those boots laced up.