Randstad Open de France, Golf d’Arras, France
September 14th – 20th, 2009
The return trips to sites already visited are difficult. My expectations are more defined, the sexiness of an unexplored landscape lost. My former impressions of France aren’t clear to me, the edges more befitting a blurred Renoir landscape than the fine edge of the guillotine. As far as stereotypes go, the French were guilty of the best and worst. The country is beautiful and charmingly rustic, the food snobbish. The more Lacoste logos branded across a chest the more that chest rises, full of patriotism and Frenchness; arrogance abounds. But even as I knew, or thought I knew all these things, it would be ignorant of me to believe that I had French culture all figured out.
THE TOWN OF ARRAS
I was determined that this time around I was going to crack the shell of the French pompousness and I thought language a good place to start. I had a few phrases under my belt, “Je m’appelle Laura,” and “Je ne sais pas francais,” that I was going to try in a gesture of goodwill. Please pardon the American stereotype but my first real test with the French came from the lady at the McDonald’s drive-thru. I am a slave to the black stuff, coffee that is, and could in no way be bothered to change from my slippers and pajamas to venture into the supermarket. Once in a while even I am entitled to take the easy way out. I told her that I don’t speak French and babbled my way through my order in her native tongue. Her wide grin elated my spirits higher than the ensuing caffeine buzz. I had made the French smile!
It felt like there was hardly any time between finishing Austria and starting up again with France. The tournament at Golf d’Arras was another four day event, as purses in excess of €250,000 often are. I hardly had time to catch a breath of air. Full Pro-Am’s on both Tuesday and Wednesday meant I had to fit in a quick nine late Monday afternoon after making the drive down from Brussels. It was helpful that I had to play in Wednesday’s Pro-Am or else getting enough time on the course would have been tough. Better yet, I had another chance to interact with the natives, make an effort with my two phrases of French, and (hopefully) win them over.
As luck would have it, my pro-am team was an absolute dream. Christophe was a scratch player from the French Golf Federation. Antonio was a major organizer of next year’s LET event, also from the French Federation. The last member of our foursome, Guy, played to a 13 and worked for two French magazines. Sadly I did not inquire further on this point. Their English was impeccable, their conversation warm and lively, and their standard of play uncharted in relation to some of the other pro-am teams I’ve joined.
THE CADDIE TOURNAMENT
The same cannot be said of the golfing prowess put on display by the LET Caddie Association at the annual Caddie Tournament which had been held the previous evening. Once a year, players and caddies swap roles for a fun 5-hole scramble on the Golf d’Arras par-3 course. It is a chance for the caddies to do the swinging and the players to do the bag carrying. All year I’m sure they are thinking of how golf is so simple of a game. I can assure you that they made it completely evident that this in fact is not the case. Our five-man team managed one birdie on the course and my “player” handled himself well. Not everyone can be a winner all the time.
It was a bittersweet Sunday; half of the house had missed the cut. It was disappointing that I wasn’t one of those on the draw sheet for the weekend’s play after a valiant 71 (-1) during my 2nd round. One shot better and I would have survived the cut. “If only” may be the year’s mantra. But the electricity of excitement hung low in the air still. One of our close South African friends, Lee-Anne, was the overnight leader heading into the final round. We kept our lunch in Arras short and by-passed the confectionery’s shop to make it back before Lee-Anne finished her round. She had a chance coming into the back nine but a few bogies on the tough finishing stretch pushed her into a tie for 5th. If only…
CONSOLATION
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