Thoreau caution to the wind
We've been working hard lately to get our game going, or at least going in the right direction. Time for a little break, because golf is not just about making good shots and playing great, it's also about the stories. Golf, like hunting and fishing, create so many memorable moments. Plus, you can drink beer and not risk drowning or falling out of a tree...really?! your game it THAT bad...well, we can keep working on that.
Well, they're Southern people, and if they know you are working at home they think nothing of walking right in for coffee. But they wouldn't dream of interrupting you at golf.
Henry David Thoreau enjoyed the natural beauty of a golf course as well. His time spent in Walden Woods was quite accidental, he was actually searching for a lost ball. Terrible golfer. Wicked slice. Not really a transcendent player. Ok, that's not true, but neither is the 300-yard drive you hit last week down at the municipal course, but the story is fun to tell.
It had to be almost 15 years ago when I went and played Oyster Bay. I was playing with a buddy and I believe we were moving to the green at 15 and noticing the activity up around the 16th tee. There were three guys up there, two were off to the side of the tee box. The other was down several yards in front, club held near the head with his left hand, shaft stretched out away from him like a sword, right arm extended in the air and curled above him, waving the handle about and shuffling back and forth.
"Oh look," I said to my playing partner, "Errol Flynn is playing in the group ahead of us."
He chuckled and we preceded to each 3-putt for a terrible finish and made our way back to the cart, heading toward 16.
As we got closer to the tee box we realized what caused the stir from the previous group (outside of stupidity.) There were three small alligators lying on the bank near the water that was off to the right of 16. Simply a marvelous picture. I recommend taking them. What they had probably failed to notice at the time was, not too far away was mama gator off to the other side partially obscured by some tall grass.
Now, I don't taunt nature, plus I have all my appendages just how I like them so I encouraged my friend to go ahead and hit his first. I watched as he took a beautiful long swing...and popped the ball straight up in the air, but on the fairway.
I had a King Cobra 427 back then. Amazing club. I never should have gotten rid of it because I could hit some wonderful drives...oh well. Anyway, I hit this one right down the fairway, leaving about 120 yards to the hole, which was fronted by water.
After two shots from my partner got him near the green, I lined up my 8-iron, for what I hoped, would be a nice green in regulation...but...I chunked it. Hit a good two inches behind the ball. Took a horrible sliver of earth with the club, and the ball jumped and then rolled ever so gingerly into the water ahead of me.
I didn't figure that it got in very far and I started to walk up and retrieve it when my buddy hollered from the cart.
"Leave it. Drop another one."
"I should be able to reach it with my club," I replied.
"Leave it!" he said emphatically. "Forget the penalty. We'll call it a mulligan."
"That was a Pro V1," I said "That's like four bucks. I'm going to get it."
"DON'T. GO. UP THERE!" He insisted again.
And that's when I saw it. Just a bit of snout poking from behind the reeds at the water's edge, very close to where my ball had gone in. You may not know how big an iceberg is by the tip, but you can get a pretty good idea about an alligator from what you can see.
"Yeah. I'll, uh, take the penalty. I'll just drop here," as I pulled a ball from my pocket and casually let it fall beside me. Hmm. Up in 4 and down with a 2-putt for double. Shame I wasted that drive, but it's always better to lose a stroke or two instead of an arm, or a leg, or something like that.
I'm not much for nature hikes. I prefer a cart and my bag strapped to the back. Enjoy the moments. Enjoy the game. Forget what Mark Twain supposedly said and Thoreau-ly enjoy nature...from a suitable distance of course.
I am a professional
I'm just not a professional golfer...or instructor. However, I have been paid to write, on occasion, so we'll go there for a bit. In fact, many writers have enjoyed the game. Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) noted that it was a place to get away from the distractions:Well, they're Southern people, and if they know you are working at home they think nothing of walking right in for coffee. But they wouldn't dream of interrupting you at golf.
Henry David Thoreau enjoyed the natural beauty of a golf course as well. His time spent in Walden Woods was quite accidental, he was actually searching for a lost ball. Terrible golfer. Wicked slice. Not really a transcendent player. Ok, that's not true, but neither is the 300-yard drive you hit last week down at the municipal course, but the story is fun to tell.
I played Oyster Bay once...ONCE!
I have the luxury of living near over 100 golf courses. Depending on your search, you can generally find both Brunswick County, NC, where I live and Horry County, SC (Myrtle Beach) among the top 5 or 6 in per capita public courses in the country. The additional benefit is local rates, which can save me about half off the regular greens fees. When I first began playing, I wasn't good at all, so I decided I would at least enjoy the beauty of as many courses as I could. During this adventure I had one of my Johnny Dangerously moments.It had to be almost 15 years ago when I went and played Oyster Bay. I was playing with a buddy and I believe we were moving to the green at 15 and noticing the activity up around the 16th tee. There were three guys up there, two were off to the side of the tee box. The other was down several yards in front, club held near the head with his left hand, shaft stretched out away from him like a sword, right arm extended in the air and curled above him, waving the handle about and shuffling back and forth.
"Oh look," I said to my playing partner, "Errol Flynn is playing in the group ahead of us."
He chuckled and we preceded to each 3-putt for a terrible finish and made our way back to the cart, heading toward 16.
As we got closer to the tee box we realized what caused the stir from the previous group (outside of stupidity.) There were three small alligators lying on the bank near the water that was off to the right of 16. Simply a marvelous picture. I recommend taking them. What they had probably failed to notice at the time was, not too far away was mama gator off to the other side partially obscured by some tall grass.
Now, I don't taunt nature, plus I have all my appendages just how I like them so I encouraged my friend to go ahead and hit his first. I watched as he took a beautiful long swing...and popped the ball straight up in the air, but on the fairway.
I had a King Cobra 427 back then. Amazing club. I never should have gotten rid of it because I could hit some wonderful drives...oh well. Anyway, I hit this one right down the fairway, leaving about 120 yards to the hole, which was fronted by water.
After two shots from my partner got him near the green, I lined up my 8-iron, for what I hoped, would be a nice green in regulation...but...I chunked it. Hit a good two inches behind the ball. Took a horrible sliver of earth with the club, and the ball jumped and then rolled ever so gingerly into the water ahead of me.
I didn't figure that it got in very far and I started to walk up and retrieve it when my buddy hollered from the cart.
"Leave it. Drop another one."
"I should be able to reach it with my club," I replied.
"Leave it!" he said emphatically. "Forget the penalty. We'll call it a mulligan."
"That was a Pro V1," I said "That's like four bucks. I'm going to get it."
"DON'T. GO. UP THERE!" He insisted again.
And that's when I saw it. Just a bit of snout poking from behind the reeds at the water's edge, very close to where my ball had gone in. You may not know how big an iceberg is by the tip, but you can get a pretty good idea about an alligator from what you can see.
"Yeah. I'll, uh, take the penalty. I'll just drop here," as I pulled a ball from my pocket and casually let it fall beside me. Hmm. Up in 4 and down with a 2-putt for double. Shame I wasted that drive, but it's always better to lose a stroke or two instead of an arm, or a leg, or something like that.
I'm not much for nature hikes. I prefer a cart and my bag strapped to the back. Enjoy the moments. Enjoy the game. Forget what Mark Twain supposedly said and Thoreau-ly enjoy nature...from a suitable distance of course.
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