Stalker and his Alsatian ball finder emerged from behind the 15th tee on the Royal County Down (PBUI) championship course as my partner and I were approaching the 14th Green.This was a very strange, indeed novel, point of entry for them as with a house just beside the 2nd green on the Annesley Course they were away off station. They watched us drive with great anticipation at the 15th standing in a sort of bog hole to the left of the fairway in which, as I watched, Stalker had already found at least two balls. We wondered what he does with his collection which must be immense-makes no attempt to sell to the golfers on the course. Perhaps he feeds the Dundrum Car Boot sale at weekends. Anyhow to day we drove straight and far past them and Ally's tail drooped a bit; wondering perhaps where his next bone was coming from.

Later I asked a guy in the Pro's shop if he bought balls from Stalker. 'Oh? Is he still around? I thought we had seen the last of him' He said. 'Why so? ' 'I had heard he had sold his house and garden at the 2nd and moved on' Got a tidy sum too-£1.5 million!'

1.5 million! And he still looks for golf balls!

There's the Norn Iron work ethic for you.

(The image is the drive from the 11th tee. The gorse to the right up the hill is a favourite happy hunting ground for Stalker and Ally)

Labels: Golf, Newcastle, Royal County Down

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