Your best shot

The tee box becomes a stage, and today s leading man‚ stocky, tartan‚ clad and magnificently confident‚ winds up for glory. His swing detonates with such gusto that clods of turf leap skyward, leaving a crater around the tee. Two companions look on: one squints in alarm, bracing for flying debris; the other purses his lips in sceptical admiration. In the middle of this miniature explosion sits the dimpled ball, still perfectly poised, perhaps unmoved at all. It s the timeless comedy of intentions versus outcomes, rendered with affectionate caricature. Watercolour colour blocks and crisp outlines keep the motion readable, from the arc of the club to the ticked‚ up toes of aggressively patterned socks. You can almost hear the thump of the club, the gasp of the gallery of two, and the soft thud of divots returning to earth. Yet the mood stays generous: these are weekend friends whose teasing will end in laughter, not lectures. The piece salutes the optimism that keeps golfers teeing it up‚ because every mighty practice swing, even the misfires, carries the hope that the next one will finally be your best shot.