Sludge, the longest earthworm on the golf course, watched Campbell sewing seed on the newly raked area on the 11th fairway. The greenkeeper hammered two hunter green stakes into the ground and hung white rope between the stakes so that a GUR sign faced towards where the players would come down the fairway. He marked the ground with white line marker and placed more stakes to mark out the rectangular area under repair before gathering up his rake and mallet and making his way back to the Sheds for a brew. Fore’, someone shouted. Campbell stopped and looked around. A golf ball landed a few yards in front of the rope and was shortly followed by a young man in a royal blue Ralph Lauren shirt and green shorts dragging a top of the range caddy golf cart. The golfer located his ball and stood looking at the GUR area and then at his clubs. He finally selected a 7 Iron and waggled into position to make the shot. Fore’, he shouted again. His club tore a large divot from the fairway. His shot landed barely 30 yards away on the far side of the newly raked patch of ground. The golfer put his club back in his bag, ignored the divot and walked towards the fenced off area, lifted the rope, bent down and dragged his cart under it and across the newly repaired area to where his ball had landed. A line of footprints and two deep furrows from the wheels of the golf cart now appeared in the freshly seeded area. ‘Hoots mon,’ shouted Campbell flinging down the rake and mallet. ‘What are ye doing?' The golfer turned around to look at Campbell. ‘Can’t imagine why I duffed that shot. Been off my game, you know. Thought I’d come early and do a practice round.’ 'I’m no speaking aboot yon shot, I'm speaking aboot this’. Campbell waved his hand towards the repaired area. The golfer looked back at the marked out area and at the ropes and stakes. He pushed his cap back on his head and turned to look at Campbell. ‘Well,’ he said, scratching his head. ‘I don’t understand why you do it like this.’ He pointed his club at the roped-out area. ‘Why do you put a rope only on one side? What about those other two sides? Why don’t you put a rope on those sides too?’ ‘What are ye talking aboot?’ exclaimed Campbell. ‘Do ye ken what GUR means?' ‘Yes, of course I do - Go Under Rope replied the golfer.
Written by S J Day
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