In 2002, the USGA's David Oatis (NE Green Section) uncovered a lost cemetery at a club's grounds. Inscribed on a prominent within the cemetery was the following:
The 10 Commandments of Goffe
I. Thou shalt not complaine that the links are not well suited to thy game.
II. Thou shalt accept responsibility for thine own actions and not blame hapless folke for thine own mistakes.
III. Thou shalt not take the name of thy greenkeeper in vain.
IV. Thou shalt not covet thy neighborνs greens.
V. Thou shalt not force, nor pressure in any mannour, thy greenkeeper to imperil thy greens by means of using weighty rollers or clipping/grazing too closely.
VI. Thou shalt not place at risk the plants or little creatures in an unholy pursuit of deepening the colour of thine turves.
VII. Thou shalt not place any woody plants or artificial or contrived moundes on the links, for if they were intended to be there, the Lord would have seen to it long before they were envisioned by thee.
VIII. Do not place thy game of goffe before the true gods of man and nature, and remembre that goffe is a grande and wonderful game and a chance to speake with nature, but it is not a religion unto itselfe.
IX. Lest thy families and worke be ignored, thou shalte playe in a most expediente mannour.
X. The single most important commandment, find thy featherie/guttie and smite it until it is lost from the eyes of man or until it is directed into the hole. Thou shalte not improve thy lie.
An "XI" was left with no commandment, as if to invite suggestions. David, writing in the Green Section Record, gave some good ones.
Interestingly, at the bottom of his article, the following was written:
"Authorνs note: Honoring the request of the course official, the exact location of the cemetery and monument is considered privileged and shall not be disclosed."
Any clues? I assume there is a decent reason for not acknowledging the club, but I cannot think of a good one at this time. Maybe someone has updated information.