“Top-o-the-morning to ya, John,” writes Joan. “The most optimistic people in the world, are I believe, to be found on the golf course. Particularly on country courses where most members are probably on ordinary sort of handicaps, (like 18-45) and playing ordinary golf with the occasional miracle round, and that wonderful feeling of a perfectly struck drive that happens too rarely. Aged between 30 and 90 they keep punishing themselves by turning up in the frost and fog in winter, a 40 degree heat in summer to continue the torture. But the comment most heard is: ‘Well, we are here and lots of people would like to be but are not able. Aren’t we lucky, and isn’t it a beautiful day for it”, as we land yet another little white ball into the dam with a heavy sigh.”