Was this the best half day off work ever?

LOOK and learn, lads, I said to the camera in jest as my mate held his mobile phone up and pointed it in my direction. I then had a practice swing, addressed the ball and promptly shanked it around 30 yards in front of me. Cue understandable hilarity from my three playing partners on the first tee.

This was on Monday afternoon as I took advantage of the lockdown restrictions being lifted and the great weather to hack my way around my local golf course.

I played badly – we all played badly – but I got to see three of my closest mates for a couple of hours in the sunshine, and that is precisely what we all needed after the past three months.

We all hit some decent shots but these were, unfortunately, very much in the minority as the swearing levels reached fever pitch and the laughter rarely stopped.

It was the best half day off work I can remember taking in years, maybe ever.

I won’t be the only one to have noticed a huge increase in the number of people, again understandably, making the most of seeing their friends this week. Both the TV and our sister paper, the Nottingham Post, ran pieces on the litter-strewn park that cleaners have had to deal with each morning in the NG postcode area as crowds gathered to drink and celebrate.

A walk and bike ride I do frequently has now gone from being a journey through the proverbial ghost town to almost resembling a festival atmosphere as friends met up with their cans of beer, bottles of wine, snacks and music.

And to see the smiles on people’s faces and hear their laughter has been an absolute tonic this week, and long may it carry on.

So long as people still stick to the rules, that is, and we don’t see another spike in Covid later this year.

My own cricket club has its ground day this weekend with players gathering to clear out the pavilion, paint the gates and start prepping the equipment for the start of the season.

Friendlies have been arranged during April and the league begins on May 1 with excitement levels rocketing among the team.

Mrs Naylor has invited three friends round for socially distanced fizz on our patio this weekend and she, too, is very much looking forward to catching up with their news.

Spring, it seems, is well and truly here and we have the bank holiday weekend to enjoy it.

For many that will mean Easter eggs and hot cross buns and for those with religious faith a chance to celebrate what they believe in.

Personally, I am not religious but I have every respect for those who are.

For the majority of people, though, this four-day weekend will mean relaxing, seeing family and friends and taking part in the communal outpouring of relief that has been so evident since Monday.

By the time some of you read this I should have played another two rounds of golf with my chums.

I hope that the tee shots I hit travel more than 30 yards and the putts on the green are in the ones and twos rather than Monday’s threes and even a couple of fours.

Have a lovely bank holiday weekend whatever you are doing. Enjoy seeing your loved ones and please stick to the rules.

Stay safe all.

I got to see three of my closest mates for a couple of hours in the sunshine, and that is precisely what we all needed.