REGS salute Dave The Fade

An emotional day yesterday as a collection of ex pat golfers joined the Dowling family to say a final farewell to our golfing hero and the heartbeat of the REGS and Landlubbers golfing groups at Nice Crematorium yesterday afternoon. Dave the Fade, as he had become affectionately known as a result of this column and due to his ability to slice the golf ball so badly that he was in danger of it hitting him on the way around in a circle, boomerang style, refused to call it a slice but a fade, hence his nickname. He made many appearances in this column, most notably when cursing the fact that he had been drawn to play with me, but I know he enjoyed it, we would always have a laugh, mainly at the banana shaped shots for which he was renowned, so it was fitting that the golfers found the nearest golfing establishment to the crematorium with a bar to drink for a last toast to him afterwards. So I have today decided that I will not plug Currencies Direct, in deference to losing a friend and also  a customer today. Dave the Fade, RIP.

But it was not just chaps, Pauline Bull, ex Miss England and once a semi finalist in the Miss Universe competition, and regular golfer with both groups, flew back from a trip to England for the afternoon especially for the funeral, before flying back to England last night. It is such a pity, Dave would have so loved the attention from a former super model.

Steve Weston holding the newly instigated Dowling Cup in memory of the late Dave the Fade Dowling.

A public holiday tomorrow in France will be my cue to avoid any serious work. Obviously I had to take the day off on Monday when it was a bank holiday in the UK, and with lunch arranged for Friday, work will alas be at a premium. Then there is the working garden lunch at Aups over in the Var on Saturday, which does not mean I shall be doing any gardening, but it does sadly mean that I will miss the normal weekend golf, where no doubt there will be more toasts to our lost mentor. Talking of the garden lunch, I have asked what the format will be should the current thundery weather not have slipped away by then, but answer came there none. Neither Bluebell the camper, nor myself nor indeed that nice lady decorator like the  rain, so well laid plans may need to be revisited.

Paul Thornton Allan of The Big Picture tells me that he has read an expert opinion that he would get more out of life if he started what he finished, so he has been looking around the house for things to finish. So far he has finished a bottle of rioja, a bottle of merlot, a cheeky little Bordeaux, some cheese, a packet of pork scratchings and a packet of crisps and says he feels much better…

Mr Clipboard (aka Mark Gurdon) has been on the phone organising his trip next week. So called because his military bearing, hardly ever in evidence when he lived down here (apart from his short back and sides, well short, no, almost non-existent all over haircut) he now has a clipboard and all social occasions are diarised to the minute, hence 9 holes of golf will  be played next Tuesday at 10.30, the restaurant is booked for 12.30 sharp, and then thankfully I am off his radar for whatever he is busying himself with from 2.30pm onwards. I am told the wingco will make an appearance on the day, and play golf like a cricketer, which is customary.

Chris France