Allie Baba the stricken thief

So standing on the 18th tee at the Royal County Down (PBUI) with the sun glinting on the snow at the top of Slieve Donard (Snow just visible if you click on image), a light wind, the hacking women confined to their own course and no threat to proper golfers, and a series of good holes behind me-all was right in the world. One thing was certain, one thing was sure that my drive at this par 5 540 yard hole would be the best yet. This might be a tough finishing hole but Huttonian was up to it.

Sure enough-swack-straight up the middle, right at the saddle between Slieve Donard and Commedagh(but not quite that far) -but wait a minute-what is that is fast converging on the spot destined for my drive to finish? Oh No its Allie the ball nicking Alsatian, desperate to add my Titleist 4 to his collection. To lose my ball at this stage and it has done me three rounds-what a tragedy.

Then a mighty yelp and Allie took off like an, er, stricken Alsatian. The Titleist 4 had struck him just above the tail and he rushed off without a backward glance-for the safety of the far rough and the Yellow Gorse. My ball lay glowing proudly in the middle of the fairway.

After such a good drive it was a pity that my second shot disappeared into a Bunker.

But on balance.

A good morning

Labels: Alllie, Ball findingAlsatians, Royal County Down

  ¶ 12:35 PM (0) comments

 
Dogged Does it. If not quite

I am afraid this is a successive second post about Golf. But that what being in Norn Iron is all about. And actually I would not have done so except for the curious instance of the dog that didn’t bark at all.

Returning on an empty course (well it was 8am) I hit a longish drive on the 15th-straight towards the top of Slieve Donard but fortunately not quite as far. Looking for it in lightish rough and well clear of the imported Gorse bushes I came upon a little heap of 4 very good balls and one of this new fangled brush tees in a posh plastic case. Who on earth could have lost four balls and a tee within 6 inches of each other?

Then I heard a snuffle. It was Ally the dog seeking Alsatian. He was still some distance away with his master, who was in his wellies searching the lake on the adjoining fairway, a good hundred yards distant. So it must have been yer man or his beast who had found the balls and left them in a little pile with the tee to pick up later. But funnily enough they did not seem at all concerned about a stranger being so close to their pirate’s hoard. And then strangest of all they moved off out of sight living me in possession of the treasure trove. It can’t have been theirs all along.Some one, a golfing benefactor, a Leprecaun perhaps, who had long since gone.

Moral dilemma.What to do? Should I take the lot? ‘Finders Keepers’ is the rule on golf courses even if one deplores the systematic search and rescue industrial approach of Ally and his keeper. But somehow taking all 4 balls, even 4 very good balls, seemed somehow wrong. So I took 2 and the posh brush tee (having lost mine on the previous hole) and moved on leaving the remaining two balls for some other lucky person.

I looked back just as I left the 15th green. Exactly where I had been stood Ally. Even from that distance it was clear he had two balls in his mouth. And he was whining. He also seemed

to be looking for something


‘Why’ asked Watson did the dog not bark at all ?

‘His mouth was full,
Stupid’

Said Holmes.


PS The image is nothing to do with the 15th. It is the drive at the 4th on the Annesley Course (MPBUI). Slieve Donard is a good line but if you reach it you are out of bounds.

Labels: Ball findingAlsatians, Golf, Norn Iron, Royal County Down

  ¶ 11:12 AM (0) comments