Sad news from Norn Iron. One of my former regular golfing partners has died of a heart attack -on the golf course. Tee last time I had played with him-my partner in a 4 ball-he had not played well. The day he collapsed and died he had decided to go out by himself to 'sharpen up his game' as he put it to another friend. Sadly despite prompt assistance from a couple of other players-one a doctor-it was too late to revive him.
That course has taken its toll over the years. Two years ago another of my former partners died quite suddenly-not on the course but not long after playing. As a young 'juvenile' member I had a constant run in with three elderly golfers known by us irreverant youngsters as 'Quake, Shake and Quiver' Quake was a senior judge, Shake a distinguished surgeon who suffered from a severe hand tremor (Called, I think, St Vitus' dance) which, so it was said, disapeared when he was operating and Quiver had lost one arm and played very very badly with the other. Their combined ages was over 250 and they always played 18 holes on the no 2 course. Juvenilies were not allowed on the Championship course. This fearsome three ball never let any one however merited go past them and the only tactic was to creep up behind them, hit over their heads and then roar past to continue the round. A dangerous tactic as they were very angry at such treatment and used to complain to the course ranger or to the Club Captain. However we were saved by their poor eysight and were never positively identified. Another wheeze was to creep past at the 9th green where it was their habit to suspend play for a sandwich and a hipflask before tackling the 2nd 9.
Of these three, two died on the course. It was rumoured that the first death spoilt their game for the other two as he died early on in their round and they did not have the combined strength to carry him for the full 18 holes. But I suspect this was a bit of misplaced humour by callow youths such as myself. How I must have changed.
