Foolish Fits

Square Green at Pinehurst #1 during the United North and South Amateur Championship 1904 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anyone who’s played the game understands that golf can bring out the worst in people. Even the most even keeled people can snap at some of the obstacles this game can serve up. This is just an example of this during a great day of golf in Pinehurst.

Myself, Jim and two brothers named Danny and Ned were teeing it up at Pinehurst #3 on a hot summers day. Pinehurst was about a 40 minute drive across the Fort Bragg military reservation from Fayetteville NC. As usual we were very excited about another round at one of the most exclusive golf resorts in the world. So we got the bet right on the first tee and we were on the way.

Number 3 isn’t the most challenging of the eight courses at the resort but it’s a neat layout and barrels of fun. All of us were close friends and managed to play 2 or 3 times a week. Danny was the younger of the two brothers and it was common knowledge that his temper could flare up at the drop of a hat. Danny had loaned Jim his Ping blue dot sand wedge until Jim could replace the one he had lost. All of Danny’s clubs were upright due to his 6′ 4″ stature. Well Jim, standing  a wee 5′ 8″, took it upon himself to have Danny’s club bent to a standard lie figuring he would never be the wiser. About half way through the back side Danny got mad when he jerked one into the hazard and hit his golf bag with his five iron. Well, his next shot required a sand wedge. Unfortunately when he hit his bag he had broken his Cleveland sand wedge. Without hesitation he asked Jim for his Ping sand wedge and Jim Reluctantly handed it over. When Danny addressed his ball he erupted. He called Jim every name in the book and in a fit of rage he took his bag off the cart and headed out on foot towards the clubhouse. Nobody had the nerve to try to stop him so we just played on with three. Myself, Jim and Ned. And to add insult to injury, when we finished we realized that Danny, our transportation, had left us in Pinehurst with no way home.

The reason I’ve shared this with you is to illustrate how ridiculous you look when you lose your composure on the course. I was constantly reminded growing up to always respect the game. Danny and I have never played golf together since then and probably never will. Yes, I would be willing to give him another chance as we stay great friends. But frankly, there’s no place for this type of behavior on the course.

Fairways and Greens

Robert Rowe

Golfer Tiger Woods explains his warm-up routine to a crowd at Stryker Golf Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, during an exhibition. Woods spent a week at the Army post for various types of Army training, including a jump from an airplane. The exhibition followed a golf clinic given to selected youth at Fort Bragg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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