UNFAIR golf course maintenance, NOT

[Garland Bayley]

OK Jim,

I will fess up. I have been playing devil's advocate to see what reasoning would be put forth. I chose the situation that I felt lent the strongest argument for my chosen side and went with it. It probably suffers some as it travels, because the pinching in of trees close to the fairway is probably not as common as I am used to at my home course. Tom Doak characterized Sahalee as 18 holes of tree gates and I am sure he would do the same for my home course. So although I dismissed many situations proposed as too rare to take seriously, perhaps that is what many thought of my position.

My strongest argument against the position I took for this thread is that most golf is played over and over at the same course for the vast majority of players. They establish a handicap at the course which reflects their problems with trees. Therefore, although I may suffer from a swing that is interfered with 3 times a round that my short buddy doesn't experience. Our respective handicaps reflect that and we can compete on as equal a footing as any other players competing on their home courses. I may actually have a slight advantage in that my handicap might "travel" a little better.  

[Garland Bayley]

Sorry to bring this up again, but Slag's tree thread and Cos' buffer thread actually caused me to remember a course where the tee markers had been placed so far back that I couldn't make a full swing under the overhanging trees ON THE TEE!
 

[Dan King]

Every so often I'll come to a tee where it is impossible to hit a driver from the tee left handed without interference from some branches. It doesn't happen very often, perhaps once a year. Sure, when it happens I think it is unfair, but not unfair enough to think about it beyond my shot.

Golf is suppose to be unfair. Only by being tested by the inherent unfairness built into the game are golfers truly tested. Anyone can hit shots: the test is how do you handle yourself when faced with the likes of an obviously inferior player who holes out from all over the course. Can you handle the bad bounces as well as the good, handle the drive of your life which goes further than you ever hit it -- only to end up in a divot hole?

Being tall you have certain advantages in life. It doesn't bother me in the least that sometimes you have disadvantages on the golf course. Being left handed I'm disadvantaged both in life and on the course. Luckily I have my good looks to make up for my disadvantages.

Cheers,
Dan King

At the hotel there [Marvis Bay] he would find collected a mob of golfers -- I use the term in the broadest of sense to embrase the paralytics and the men who play left handed -- whom even he [Ferdinand Dibble] would be able to beat.
 --The Oldest Member (Heart of a Goof by P.G. Wodehouse)

[Garland Bayley]

Hey Dan,

I am guessing you didn't read the whole thread. I was playing devil's advocate to get the reactions. As for the hole where the branches interfered with my tee shot, I made birdie.

The frowning face was because it is aggravating to encounter such a thing on a tee box. But that aggravation can be overcome.