The genesis of a sport

[Ally Mcintosh]

I have a good friend who lives in Crail and is a member of the golf courses on the links there.

Last year he moved to Italy and was set up with a lovely hilltop villa an hour from Rome. Working in Italy myself at the time, I visited him for the weekend of the Ryder Cup. Unfortunately we couldn’t find coverage anywhere and so we passed up on following the pros and instead amused ourselves by making up our own little golf game amongst the pine trees scattered around outside.

Over the course of the weekend the rules developed but essentially each game consisted of a race to 21 points, a single point received for each chip that hit a tree. The same ball was used in rotation by each player. The ball had to be played as it lay and the tree that had just been hit could not be used again for the next shot. The configuration of the trees and natural obstacles was perfect. I estimate that we spent around 12 hours of immense fun playing our game those two days.

My friend has since introduced the game to all who visit him. He just mailed me to say that his father-in-law (who coaches the young kids at Crail) has in turn introduced the game to his charges using parking cones instead of trees. He says that it is by far the most popular game amongst them and that the adults are now taking a serious interest.

I feel proud to be one of the two “forefathers” of tree-golf. I am absolutely sure that it will spread like wildfire to become one of the most popular sports on the planet. I am also sure that it will be changed beyond recognition (they’re already using plastic cones!) and along the way something of the innocent fun that I had that weekend will be lost forever.

Ally ”Old Tom” McIntosh

[Jud_T]

Good show.  I knew there must be some legitimate use for trees in golf....

[Colin Macqueen]

Ally,
Shades of the Dutch! What a great story!  I have 3 grandsons; 5 year old twins and a wee one at 6 months. I also live on a 2 acre urban/rural block with dozens of nicely spaced gum trees. The boys want to play at the golf club which is not possible due to the inherently dangerous mix of five year olds and whizzing golf balls.  But........ I am inspired by your approach and will instigate this in July when they return for a holiday! Plenty old golf clubs, dozens of old balls, the “green” to play on, the players and the enthusiasm.  I hope that we will be the first to play this “gemme” in The Antipodes and I will ensure the boys know who “invented” tree-golf.
I will relay the results as soon as they come in. Hopefully it inspires all participants to play golf proper and does not spell the demise of the golf course as we know and love it!


P.S.  I will be be visiting Scotland and playing at Balcomie, Crail at the beginning of May with Mac Plumart and Marty Bonnar so we nae doot  will make enquiries as to how the game is progressing there and report accordingly.

Cheers Colin.

[Simon Holt]

Very cool Ally.  I love stuff like that.

[Tim Martin]

I have a good friend who lives in Crail and is a member of the golf courses on the links there.

Last year he moved to Italy and was set up with a lovely hilltop villa an hour from Rome. Working in Italy myself at the time, I visited him for the weekend of the Ryder Cup. Unfortunately we couldn’t find coverage anywhere and so we passed up on following the pros and instead amused ourselves by making up our own little golf game amongst the pine trees scattered around outside.

Over the course of the weekend the rules developed but essentially each game consisted of a race to 21 points, a single point received for each chip that hit a tree. The same ball was used in rotation by each player. The ball had to be played as it lay and the tree that had just been hit could not be used again for the next shot. The configuration of the trees and natural obstacles was perfect. I estimate that we spent around 12 hours of immense fun playing our game those two days.

My friend has since introduced the game to all who visit him. He just mailed me to say that his father-in-law (who coaches the young kids at Crail) has in turn introduced the game to his charges using parking cones instead of trees. He says that it is by far the most popular game amongst them and that the adults are now taking a serious interest.

I feel proud to be one of the two “forefathers” of tree-golf. I am absolutely sure that it will spread like wildfire to become one of the most popular sports on the planet. I am also sure that it will be changed beyond recognition (they’re already using plastic cones!) and along the way something of the innocent fun that I had that weekend will be lost forever.

Ally ”Old Tom” McIntosh

Ally-Does the time tested "just aim for the tree if you don`t want to hit it" still apply in tree-golf?

[Jason Topp]

This could be a new game while waiting on the tee of a par 3 using the tee markers rather than the trees.  We usually play a version of croquet in those situations.

[Dan Kelly]

When I was about 10 years old, my dad gave me a single club: a 6-iron.

I began the process of learning to play golf by hitting plastic golf balls around the yard -- with my 6-iron at first, and then with my dad's little-used 4-wood. The "holes" were tree trunks.

Thankfully, my parents weren't the type to care overmuch about having a perfect lawn.