Let's just say that after such a lousy approach shot, I deserved it and should have seen it coming. My six iron off the tee was hit nicely but caught the tree next to the water hazard when it landed.

Searching for my ball in all that high grass, I wasn't looking very carefully. That's when my right foot came down on a fluff of green which hovered above the water, and unlike the rest of the grass I was standing on, had no solid ground supporting it underneath.

Good old gravity took over. The edge of the pond was steeper than I expected. Without a moment's notice I slid straight down into the pond, plunging down into the water at an eighty degree angle, the surface of the reeking pond right up to my waist.

Bad enough was getting soaking wet, but even worse was the black sludge and muck which filled my shoes and pants up to my knees. I was pulled out of the mud by my concerned opponent who reached out with his wedge so I could grab it and pull myself out of the suction.

Taking off my pants, shoes and soaks and wringing them out as best I could before putting them back on felt only slightly better but did not help the rest of my game.

For the remaining holes my game suffered tremendously. Try for yourself to swing a golf club when your pants and shoes are sopping wet. It's like trying to twist your body when enclosed by tight layer of cellophane which refuses to give in.

Better luck next week.