We finished today's round in 4 hours and 30 minutes. If you look back on the previous posts, you will see that the weekly times range from 4 hours and 25 minutes to 4 hours and 45 minutes, so although this round fit within the norm it was marked by an event that strikes fear in the heart of every golfer. No I'm not talking about the dreaded shank shot, I'm talking about something else. So let me set the scene. Golf is like driving down a winding double yellow line country road with no passing lane. You hope that you do not get behind a tractor which will force you to move at a speed that is slower than you would like to go. The only thing worse than playing golf behind a "tractor" foursome is if your foursome is the tractor. If you are constantly looking behind you and seeing the foursome waiting for you to move on so they can hit their shot - you begin to feel like you are in a scene from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and wondering "Who are those guys who are alway right behind us?"
We don't want to be the tractor so we developed a set of rules to ensure that we play as fast as we can. Fast is relative, and we are on our honor to try our best, but the law is enforced by a solitary figure that patrols the golf course. He rides alone and his title is ranger, but he is not the "lone Ranger" He (sometimes a she) is usually a retired gentleman who gets paid a nominal fee and some golf perks to ride the course and fill up the water stations. The ranger is vested with other responsibilities, he is responsible for ensuring that the pace of play is as fast as it can be. If not, he must chastise and exhort the foursome to play faster. Getting scolded by the Ranger is an embarrassment that you want to avoid. It is reminiscent of being told to be quiet in a theater, or being told by the Principal to hurry up and get to class.
We felt on pretty safe ground today because the foursome behind us was more than one hole back, but we did notice that the foursome in front of us was pulling away from us. But since we were not holding up anyone, what difference did it make. We tried the usual pre-emptive maneuver with the Ranger - chatting with him about what a beautiful day it was and generally making nice. But the sucking up was all for naught. On the 11th tee it happened. He said, "guys, could you pick up the pace the people in front of you are a full hole ahead of you."
What to do? Defend ourselves by saying we are playing as fast as we can and that on the last hole we even has two players hitting simultaneously? Or maybe we should say, "What difference does it make, because the foursome behind us is not being held up by us.
What did we do???
It was a beautiful day and we weren't going to let this spoil it. We said, "okay," and proceeded to play the remaining holes as fast as we could.
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Since this blog is about 'full disclosure' -- it's not only the "Ranger" that keeps us moving but we have our very own 'policeman' who keeps us 'on our toes.' He is also the judge and jury - so there is no 'appealing his edicts.'
Dan and I apologize to Barry - for talking - on more than one occassion - while he was concentrating on putting.
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