Apologies for the lateness in getting my Monthly Awards for the month of May up on site but I have a good excuse.

For a second year running, I’ve taken the opportunity to visit the Outer Hebridies and on this occasion – Lewis and Harris.

However here is my winners and losers from the month of April, 2013.

BEST GOLF COURSE PLAYED – Thracian Cliffs, Kavarna, Bulgaria

I am still dining out on the experience of travelling to Bulgaria for the Volvo World Match-Play Championship and in particular seeing first hand the stunning Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort laid-out along the Black Sea shoreline.

The golf course is a mix of the Old Head at Kinsale in Ireland, Nefyn in Wales, the famed New South Wales Club in Sydney  and a little of Pebble Beach.

Tour Miss and myself got an even better look inside the ropes when presented with the rare opportunity to play the Pro-Am and joining Thailand’s affable Thongchai Jaidee, who eventually finished a gallant runner-up to Graeme McDowell.

Every hole on this golf course is a picture postcard.

BEST GOLF TOURNAMENT – Volvo World Match-Play Championship, Bulgaria.

It was a brave decision on the part of organisers to take a prestigious event as the Volvo World Match-Play Championship to Bulgaria.

The TV pictures were outstanding and the stories we reported on that week generated enormous print and website coverage and far more than we and I’m sure organisers could have anticipated.

A hearty congratulations as well as thanks to Volvo, the Bulgarian Golf Association and the European Tour for the opportunity to be present at an historic Race to Dubai first.

SHOT OF THE MONTH – Bernie McGuire

Forget the pros as I’m putting my hand up for ‘Shot of the Month’ in taking out ‘Nearest to the Pin’ in the 2013 Volvo World Match-Play Pro-Am for my 5-iron effort at the par three, 17th on the Thracian Cliffs course.

Tour Miss and myself played the Pro-Am in the company of Thongchai Jaidee and we nearly pulled off a treble as Tour Miss won the prize for the Ladies Longest Drive at the 3rd hole and with Thongchai then going within a whisker of taking out the tournament going down gallantly to Graeme McDowell in the final.

Special thanks to Per Ericsson and Anna from Volvo.

RULING OF THE MONTH – Nicolas Colsaerts.

The sight of Nicolas Colsaerts having to take a penatly drop inside a toilet during round three of the Volvo World Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria turned into one of most humourous episodes I’ve ever seen in over two decades reporting on golf.

The incident to the side of the 10th green on the Thracian Cliffs course had Colsaerts and his opponent Graeme McDowell plus caddies, officials, TV commentators and the media laughing in stitches for hours.

Of course, newspapers and websites had a field day with headlines.

Even when I asked to speak to the rules official involved to fully clarify the ruling, he indicated in all seriousness that Colsaerts had ‘to go through the motions’ of taking a drop inside the toilet.

I’m washing my hands and saying no more!

PLAYER OF THE MONTH – Brett Rumford

Italian stallion Matteo Manassero may have captured the Tour’s flagship event but our Player of the Month is Australia’s Brett Rumford.

After taking out the Ballantine’s Championship in the last week of April, Rumford did something that fellow Australian golfing great, Greg Norman never managed to achieve in his time on the Europen Tour and that was to win back-to-back titles when he captured the following week’s Volvo China Open.

CADDY OF THE MONTH – John ‘Ronnie’ Roberts.

There is not many caddies who put in the time and effort as Ronnie.

On practice days, he’s one of the first caddies walking the course and long when his player is back in the hotel, Ronnie’s again out making himself more familiar with the tournament layout.

Ronnie’s efforts were richly rewarded when he helped steer Aussie Brett Rumford to back-to-back Race to Dubai victories.

The Bournemouth-born bagman has now tasted success on seven occassions and on five different tour’s.

UNFORTUNATE RESPONSE TO AN INNOCENT QUESTION AWARD OF THE MONTH – Sergio Garcia

It was just unfortunate for everyone that Sergio Garcia found himself lambasted for his ‘fried chicken’ comments at the European Tour’s annual Player Awards dinner.

Of course, you can argue the Golf Channel’s Steve Sands should never have brought up the issue of the on-going confrontation between Garcia and Tiger Woods in such an environment as the European Tour’s night of nights.

But Garcia’s been around long enough to have known better and with his response completely suffocating all news in the lead-up to the Tour’s flagship event.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH – Colin Montgomerie

Sergio Garcia issued an unreserved apology and also intends apologising to Tiger Woods for his racist comments made during the European Tour’s annual Players Awards dinner.

But when the European Tour’s CEO, George O’Grady found himself inadvertently embroiled in the controvery it had everyone wondering where the world is headed when it comes to political correctness.

I am not condoning or brushing aside the seriousness of any of the remarks but then maybe Colin Montgomerie got it right when he was asked to comment on the matter.

He said:  “Christ, we’re all frightened to say anything; we’re frightened to open our mouths in case we say something that isn’t kosher in 2013.”

BEST CITY VISITED – Sofia, Bulgaria.

It turned out to be a great decision on route to the Volvo World Match-Play Championship to spend two nights in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital.

Of course, we did not know what to expect having never been to Bulgaria before but what a wonderul surprise and experience.

Sofia was a vibrant city full of many colourful old buildings, stunning churches and monuments but also boasting all the ‘name’ shops you expect to find in the great cities of Europe plus a plentiful supply of outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars.

But the best aspect of spending two days in Sofia was not just the friendliness of the people of Bulgaria but the prices from the taxi cabs to and fro the airport but everything from clothing, food and drink.

My advice to anyone who has never been to Bulgaria and that is to jump on flight and enjoy the experience of Sofia for yourself and before Bulgaria joins the Euro currency.

And if you’re keen on golf then there’s the Paul McGinley redesigned St. Sophia course near the airport that from a few hundred feet up looks a super test of golf.

IT CAN ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME AWARD – Marc Warren.

Twice in recent months Scotland’s Marc Warren put himself in position to win a third Race to Dubai title.

Of course, Warren went close at last year’s Scottish Open and then this year he went into the final round of the Spanish Open leading by two only to miss out on the eventual play-off by a shot.

Then in the BMW PGA Championship Warren kept his calm to par the last and make the three-man Wentworth play-off.

And while the new father was the first to bow out the manner in the way Warren conducted himself was praiseworthy.

Here’s hoping Warren can quickly put aside his Spanish Open and BMW PGA disappointment and claim that long overdue third Tour victory.

BEST MEDIA DAY – Ricoh British Women’s Open Media Day.

Anytime you get to play the famed Old Course at St. Andrews is always a pleasure.

And even though the wind was strong enough to blow a dog off a chain, it was still a wonderful experience walking a course steeped in so much history.

So many thanks again to IMG’s Michelle Mair and her team, including new recrut Tom Benlow for all there arrangements.

BEST BOTTLE OF BORDEAUX I HAD TO PART WITH – Alan Hogg, Director of Golf at Kingsbarns.

We were supposed to be playing for a pot of tea but then a  bottle of French Bordeaux seemed a more appropriate reward to present to Alan Hogg and Director of Golf at Kingsbarns.

The bet came about as Alan and I played in the same group on the occasion of the Ricoh British Women’s Open media day on the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Alan had won the encounter well before he managed the par of his lifetime at the 16th where his tee shot cannoned (or was either headed  by a little old lady who happened along at the time) off the path down that lies out-of-bounds down the  right side of the hole and back in play.

WORST AIRLINE – Wizz Airlines.

It never dawned on me why everyone in the queue was holding a printed copy of their boarding pass.

But then I found out upon check-in at Burgas Airport in Bulgaria for the flight back to the UK .

The only problem was that I had to pay something like 15 quid to print out the boarding pass but that was then exchanged for a small boarding card.

“It’s all in the small print” I was told but why print out a boarding pass when it’s exchanged for a boarding card?

I have to say in Wizz Airlines defence it was a great flight and they did allow me to carry on board, and without cost, a stunning Sweden-made Orrefors crystal bowl that was my Nearest to the Pin prize for the Volvo World Match-Play Pro-Am.

EASILY THE WORST HOTEL OF THE MONTH – Trooper Hotel, Windsor

The Trooper Hotel is conveniently located just a short drive from Wentworth and venue for the flagship BMW PGA Championship.

However the Trooper Hotel is serioulsy flagging when it comes to attending the needs of those occupying the hotel rooms.

There’s rubbish lying outside, weed ridden pathways in need of sweeping, beds remained unmade, garbage bins unemptied and overall just a serious lack of attention to detail.

The hotel owner needs to take a serious look at the rooms as they are in desperate need of a coat of paint, the sealant in the shower is ridden with mildew whereas the asking price is just not value for money.

If you’re looking for a place to stay in and around Windsor avoid the Trooper Hotel!

…. stay tuned for my June Monthly Medal awards.