The niceties of the golf game.

12.7.2009.

Golf is one of the oldest recorded games in the world. Available reference to it goes unbroken in Scotland for 500 years, thus the credit to it as the originator, though other references to a golf-like game in other countries including China have emerged from time to time, but with uncertain proof. The point is, this is an ancient sporting past-time that has over its long history accumulated all kinds of rules & etiquette, both fair and downright silly. But one determining facet of it is the imposition of the self-discipline. Totally opposite to football (the international kind, not the American one) where today the refree has to really watch out for plenty of deliberate fouls like tripping opponents or even the equally plentiful balatant dives, the gentleman (and gentlewoman) golfer penalises himself even for such a ridiculous thing as the ball moving ever so slightly after he has addressed it but before making his strike, in which case only two people know about it - himself and God. This is not even to mention having the ball landing in a bad lie, such as a divot hole or behind some impediments.

The other thing is the "honour" in golf, when the winner of the previous hole is accorded precedence over the others in the flight in teeing off, or where the golfer with the lowest handicap is similiarly treated. Again in the course of play, the golfer who is "away" or farthest from the hole, including upon reaching the putting green, is preferred to play first. As it is, golf is a time-consuming game, a full 18-hole walking round taking up at least 4.5 hours, and that provided you don't spend too much time looking for your balls in the rough etc. 

So built into the etiquette is the term "playing through" - allowing the following flight behind yours to overtake you if they are on a faster clip. Again, in "friendly" game a two-foot putt is normally conceded in the interest of speeding up play. In truth golf recognizes the need to adjust to the speed of play for the whole course in a truly considerate rule imposed on golfers where the enforcement is really basically voluntary.

A true-blue golfer is also a history buff, as far as the the venerable game is concerned. He can give a brief recitation of the high points of the game, especially the modern records made by the greatest known players dead or alive. With the advent of technology, especially with the demise of the wooden clubs, he will also regale with the finer points of the hybrid clubs and the various loft and shaft types, and the multi-layered, multi-coated balls. Otherwise that so-called golfer is not a true golfer. 

Then there's the matter of dress. Some people take their class right to the course. The real golfer is different. There has to be some kind of colour-coordination, right down to the caps and shoes. The rule also says no jeans and all tuck-in. So the sight of the pork-sellers lunging at their balls in long shorts and untucked tee-shirts seen in some private clubs are a real pain to the eyes and give the game a bad name. The ladies are to be highly commended here. They often make sure even their socks are colour-coordinated. As a bonus, if you pass by one before the start of a game, you can't avoid the whiff of fragarance liberally applied. I say before the game because after 5 hours in the Malaysian sun nothing worldly can disguise the female b.o. 

So, it pains me, a serious golfer, when the niceties of the ancient game is not displayed. When the odd cheating (you can't avoid base human character flaws) is added, it makes me want to cry. 

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