Day 258 - Groves

The usual fitful night's sleep: however tired you are, we always find the first night (and indeed the second!) difficult...

View of 2nd fairway through pool area

Then it was time to explore the house: since I had last been here in January, we had had a number of pieces of work carried out here, including the relaying of the poolside tiles with travertine stone and also the construction of a built in barbecue area with associated grantite tops.

The latter looked splendid, just as I had imagined it and should be great for outside entertainment.  The new tiles were more problematic though as the many months of exposure to Florida sun and humidity had taken their toll: nothing however that a few hours of hard labo(u)r with a light bleach solution couldn't fix... they look great as well too now!  And with the sun shining too, no complaints here...

Feeling like some outside activity, Mrs Lawrence and I decided to make our way to the nearby Highlands Club. This used to be private but, as is the case in many places, has opened up to public play. In their case, they have 3 course and have kept one for members' use only and allowed third party access to the other two.  We had played the Highlands course before but never the shorter Groves one: today was an ideal opportunity, all the more so as they only wanted a fee of $15/person including buggies.

We had a very pleasant game: as ever, you think that short par 4s will be easy...but pride cometh before the fall. They had plenty of deferences and it was a great introduction to Florida golf - so very different from back in the UK, with its palmettos, the different grasses on both fairways and greens and of course water everywhere!