Dear Editor,
“Must haves, maybes and don’t bothers to get in gear,” News, March 30.
In the recent News’ golf feature, the writer mentioned a divot repair tool as a “must have” item. Absolutely true. Seeing as the season is upon us, I think it’s a good time to refresh, or educate in the first place, people of the responsibilities of all golfers while they’re on the course.
“Fix divots, repair ball marks, rake sand traps.” These three things are on every scorecard at every golf course yet it’s astounding to see how many players just ignore them. They think that because they’ve paid their green fees they are not required to do these small maintenance things, as if it’s beneath them and the course has people to deal with such menial acts of labour.
While learning the game as a kid, these and other things to do with golf etiquette were pounded into my head as being just as important as learning to play the game itself. It’s a gentleman’s game and it sure seems like there are fewer gentlemen playing each year judging by what I see on golf courses. Many people have zero consideration for the course or the players behind them who find their golf ball in an un-raked footprint in a bunker or a fresh divot.
I won’t even get into the concept of allowing faster groups to play through as that seems to be totally foreign to most. Or the people who have little or no chance of breaking 100 but yet play from the blue tees, resulting in the bane of golf today, which is slow play. Nobody enjoys a five-hour round.
So please, fix your divots, rake the bunkers, repair your ball mark on the greens (plus one more if you see any), play “ready” golf and if you have no chance of breaking 90 or even 100, move to the white tee boxes. Your fellow players out there will appreciate your efforts and you’ll enjoy the round more yourself.
Donald Grant
Richmond
