Bucket Listing, Flag Collecting.

An American Summer throwback.

Some people have a country bucket list but my bucket list consists of golf courses, and the aim is to play a golf course in ANY and EVERY country I visit, also known to me as Flag Collecting. One of the courses that had been on the list for over ten years, is Inverness Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.

Birmingham has some of the most beautiful courses I’ve seen and the 26 Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses stretch the entire length of the state… another thing on the bucket list. Inverness and I have a small history, so it was fitting that I start my Bama golf journey with it.
In my very short stay in Birmingham over ten years ago, I never got to play any golf at all because it was expensive, the clubs near me were mostly private, I was pregnant half the time while also juggling a very sporty, busy 15 year old daughter, 4 year old son who played soccer, basketball, baseball (Tball) and had a better social life than I did. Not forgetting that this was America, the country where people pour their own petrol, clean their own houses, mow their own lawns, watch their own kids…I just become one of them and golf was no longer in the books for me.

As soon as we arrived in Alabama, I found out we were expecting and I knew there would be no golf any time in the near future and that’s when my 5 year hiatus from golf began. I had just left Zimbabwe where I had played two solid years at least three or four times a week. I was the runner up for Mashonalands most improved golfer, missing the title by 1. I played league for my club, Borrowdale Brook Country Club and my handicap was a solid 14. Needless to say, this was not a voluntary hiatus. Right before we left America to come back home we stayed at a place by a lake that separated Inverness Country Club and me plus of course the fact that the club was private. Looking across the Lake one could see some parts of this stunning and perfectly manicured golf course. To my surprise, I had not really thought too much about playing while I lived there and I think it’s because I had a wonderful time spending time with family, friends and getting to know the new little guy in our lives. Staying across from that golf course for a couple of weeks made me realize how much I missed playing, missed home and missed the accessibility of our courses. When we finally left, my heart was sad that I never got to play Inverness and I resigned myself to the fact that I would never play there.

Fast forward nine and a half years later to my summer trip back to Bama to see family and friends. The stars were aligned, the Universe had agreed and the elements were all there….It was summer, and I did come slightly prepared to play some golf (though without my clubs) I was prepared to rent a set. Something I vowed not to do ever again if I can help it. The first bag packed for a trip anywhere is the golf bag. Inverness was not on the list of my maybe courses to play on that trip. I was more than happy to explore the other golf courses, but my dearest friends, Jeff and Melanie Jeffcoat, had hatched a plan to introduce me to Jeff’s mom, Ann, who is an avid golfer, with the hopes that she would invite me to a game. Jeff and Melanie were nervous that Ann and I might not get along. Little did they know that when you put two women who are passionate about golf in one room, regardless of their ages and backgrounds, they are bound to get along. Ann and I hit it off right off the bat. It turns out, one of her favourite golfers is Ernie Els. She just happened to be a member at Inverness Country Club. Dinner was fantastic, Ann and I had wine and watched golf while I cooked my kids favourite meal and now also the Jeffcoats….pap, peanut butter spinach and curried mince with the Robertsons spices I brought for Melanie. Everyone loved the dinner, the kids made s’mores and we all played board games. It was a winning night!!!

Imagine my excitement when I received an email from Ann the next day asking me if I was available in the week because she was inviting me to play with her and a friend at her club. Now, I type very slowly, but the speed in which I responded must have been in record time. I had only a couple of days to prepare! I had not played in 6 weeks which is sometimes a good thing, but most times not, and I had not even brought my clubs. I made my way to the PGA Tour Superstore, similar to The Pro Shop only much smaller, to hit some balls for practice with my boys. I was like a kid in a candy store in the Tour Store but I did focus and get some practice shots in.

All roads lead to Inverness.

The reception and warm welcome I received was definitely typical Southern style, yes ma’am. I met Ann and Donna at the incredibly beautiful reception with a glass water fountain smack bang in the middle of the foyer that led to what I’ve heard is one of the best Clubhouses in Birmingham or the state. Ann was kind enough to loan me her late husband’s golf clubs that turned out to be just perfect and confirmed that I needed to change
to senior men’s clubs.

It was a blistering 31⁰ and only
9:30am, Alabama humidity…I was shook like I had never lived there. I always make it a point to avoid afternoon summer golf to because of the heat but how does one avoid 31⁰ degrees at 9am! I plastered on the sunscreen, with sleeves on and water for days. Not even the Alabama humidity and heat was going to mess this day up for me…. and we were off.

Inverness Country Club is a Private, 18 hole Championship, Par 71 golf course. It has quite narrow fairways, small greens, loads of trees lining the fairways and more than a few times I felt like I was playing in a beautiful forest that is paired with rolling hills. There is an underlying serenity to it that just makes the game so much more enjoyable even if you are playing a suspect game. My game was not too suspect. I managed to played a decent game and not embarrass my dear Melanie. The club had cut the grass the day before so the greens had been freshly cut qnd were lightening speed. I was happy I had gotten better at reading my lines because there are no caddy’s at this course. These ladies read their own lines on a daily basis and their putting was really impressive. I have since made an even bigger effort to always read my own lines and double check with the caddy. The lakes certainly do come into play on some of the holes and I’m happy to say I managed to not lose any of my Tiger balls on this course. A few of the holes slant from left to right in a big way and the advice I got from Ann and Donna was to aim it slightly right so it rolls to the middle because far right and left was all trees and getting out of there was going to be “a challenge” to put it mildly in the most Southern accent. Playing with these two ladies was the most enjoyable golf I had played in a long while. They kept it on the fairway, something I need to learn to do.

Inverness Country Club is beautiful and was everything I had imagined and hoped it would be. Out of the heat and looking forward to the clubhouse.
Ann treated us to a lovey lunch at the clubhouse and my girl Melanie joined us after for lunch wearu g her Summer SHIBA Easy Living dress. 😍

As expected, that menu was packed with ALL Southern favourites. I finally settled on the Fish Tacos and Sweet Tea (always when in Bama). We were joined by some of Ann’s golfer friends from Zimbabwe who now live in Birmingham and we had some great conversations about Royal Harare, Chapman Golf club and Leopard Rock. It turned out we had a similar friend in the late Tim Price. Without a doubt, this was the highlight of my trip back….well that and the kids. Thank you Ann Jeffcoat for making a girls dream come true.

Catch you on the fairways.

Felicity.