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One
dream
DID you
know that avid golfer and Philippine Airlines president
Jaime Bautista has a simple dream?
In his
speech during the Junior Golf Foundation of the
Philippines’ sendoff party on Friday at Villamor,
Bautista is hoping that her unica hija take to the sport
he loves most—golf.
“I feel
a little envious whenever I see parents accompany their
children to the golf courses,” Bautista said. “I wish I
could do the same with my daughter.”
“Me and
my wife love golf but it seems that our daughter is not
too keen about it. She’s really into computers and
computer games,” Bautista added, smiling.
Forgotten practice
GOLF is
a gentleman’s game long governed by a code of etiquettes
even before rules and regulations have seen print.
Players of long ago must have requested their flight
mates either not to stand too close when swinging or,
maybe, not to talk when someone’s making a shot. All
these courtesies, whether on or off a course, are for
the enjoyment and safety of every golfer.
Take the
case of what happened with Frankie Miñoza during the
1999 Casino Filipino Open at Manila Southwoods.
Miñoza
was about to hit a tee shot at No. 10 when photographers
started taking pictures. The clicking sound of no less
than 10 cameras created a distraction because, at that
time, shutters of manual cameras create more noise than
the digitals of today.
Pissed
and disgusted, Miñoza gave them a dagger look as if
saying “do that again and I’ll hit you all with my
club!”
Any
breach is not punishable by a loss of a stroke or the
whole game but the loss of social status in the golfing
world. In other words, players will implement the
severest form of penalty of never to play with the
guilty party. That is why it is very important to
exercise common sense and good manners in golf.
Common
sense equals safety. Stand far enough from a golfer
hitting a shot. Don’t make practice swings without
first ensuring that nobody is within range. Never hit
unless the players ahead are out of sight.
That
last example is the most common mistake of amateurs. In
one media tournament, a beginner miscalculated the
distance and almost hit a veteran sports scribe who was
on the green and about to putt. When in doubt, in such a
situation, the player must shout “fore!” loud and clear,
as a clear warning to those playing ahead of him.
Good
manners dictate consideration for players. Concentration
is an absolute necessity for having a good and
consistent game. Acts of distractions, like talking or
moving while an opponent or partner plays, are totally
undesirable.
The
speed of play is also one of golf’s most continuing
problems. The enjoyment vanishes when those ahead are so
slow that others behind are kept waiting. Any delay
causes “traffic” inside the course with short holes
being congested with groups waiting for their turn.
Finding
a lost ball should not be another reason for delay. The
five-minute rule limit in searching is not an excuse to
keep the match on hold. It is best to replace the ball
and incur a one-stroke penalty to allow the smooth flow.
Upon
completion of a hole, players must immediately evacuate
the putting green. It is so maddening to see a flight
putt out, then leisurely compare and mark scorecards
before moving to the next tee.
Cellular
phones are an excellent convenience for communication
but they could also mean hell to others on the course.
All
said, golfers must always implement common sense and
good manners which form the codes of etiquette—the best
guide to playing in a way that lead to safety and
enjoyment. |
