I had just completed a mediocre round of golf which had left me winded, sunburned and in poor spirit; ah, the game that I love. Now when I say mediocre, I mean of course, by my standards, which are completely different standards than I hold for others. Another observer might say my round was a disaster and as it turned out, one observer did.
I had just finished putting up my clubs, shut the door to the car and about to head to the clubhouse for some much needed sustenance, when I heard a voice chuckling from behind. "Oh Laddie, that was quite a sight". My head dropped to my chest, I uttered a mild (by my standards) expletive, and turned around to face the music. "Hello Simon".
"Aye, hello Dogwood, I haven't laughed that hard since the time I saw Lady Hathaway's terrier take her for a walk".
Allow me to introduce Simon. He is the Head Groundskeeper at our local club and we are very fortunate to have him, or so he tells us. He is a sturdily built gent of undetermined age, with a burnished complexion from a lifetime spent in the elements. He has tended to the grounds of several courses over the years including some that are very prestigious and the hosts of many professional tour events. How he ended up at our club is an interesting story but I shall attempt to give you the short version.
Simon is very meticulous when it comes to "His" course and it shows. The fairways are lush, the greens neat and tidy and beautiful landscaping along the way. The entire course calls to one like a Siren Song. But like the Song, there are dangers, or in golf-speak, hazards along the way; i.e., bunkers, water and rough, and these hazards can be difficult to get out of. However, you don't notice, because of the Song, until it's too late and your round is spoiled. But you come back, time and again, because you know that the next time will be different, and the time after that. But it won't be. It's the "Song" that keeps calling or rather Simon's Course. So the people keep coming and Simon's courses keep making money which is why he is always in such high demand.
However, one particular day was different. Simon's previous club was holding their Women's Club Championship and the lady in the lead with one hole left to play, happened to be the mistress of the Club President. Well, as you might have surmised, after hitting her second shot on the final hole, she found herself in "trouble" and as a result so did the Club President. Demands were made and Simon was sacked.
When our Club heard he was available, Simon was contacted, his terms accepted, and work begun. The transformation was magnificent. I remember the first time I played it after he had finished with his changes. The beauty of the course was like none I had ever seen. I was hooked from that very day. Every hole looked like an achievable par, my scorecard however, looked quite the contrary. And so I went out again, determined it would be different, and again, determined, and again...but with results always the same.
So that is Simon, and while he stood there, still chuckling at his own joke or my round of golf, I'm not sure which, I asked, "but why Simon, why do you do it"? "Why do you set up the courses the way you do"?
He chuckled again and replied, "Listen Laddie, the game came about by a bunch of sheep herders hittin' their way around a pasture. If they can hit their way out of sheep dung, certainly you can hit your way out of a bit o' sand and rough". Then he laid a hand on my shoulder and gently turned me to face the first hole, and softly said, "will you just look at that, aint she a beauty", and instantly mesmerized I agreed that she was. And somehow, Simon had slipped my bag of clubs over my shoulder and whispered, "you can do it Laddie, this time it will be different". "She's calling to you now, go to her" and so I did.
I vowed to myself, this time it Would be different, this round Would be a good one and as I headed to the first tee box, somewhere off in the background, in answer to my questions, I heard a soft chuckle...
Cheers,
Dogwood
