St. Andrews Old Course is closed on Sundays. Strollers, picnics dot the Links. In England, Heathland courses are much the same. Although they do not close, these areas of town are seen as public playgrounds. Exercising, walking dogs, there is an understanding that its shared land between golfers and towns people looking for recreation. I won’t lie, every time I hear about it, the premise sounds intriging.
Our town is small. The course has clearly become central to a booming community. It resembles a Links. People should probably exercise. There’s just one problem, America can’t handle this concept. Course owners are reminded of liability. Everything begins and ends with the likelihood of being sued. Townspeople cannot use their head. Why come out at sun down, when you can rollerblade with your shirt off at 11:00am on Saturday through the middle of the course. Or how about the 25 people walking down the fourteenth hole after Mother’s Day brunch calling this quality time with mom.
Golfers want what they paid for. In America, they paid for the right to lose a shit ton of balls, but killing people with strollers…. those are obstacles they didn’t pay for. England must be operating on a mutual respect system. Golfers tolerate people walking their dog, because later on they will want to walk their dog. Townspeople understand the game because golf is central to the fabric of town, and they stay out of the way of golfers. And neither one is looking for the opportunity to sue the golf course owner. That’s where business is super aggravating. What I do, isn’t necessarily what I want to be doing. I simply can’t unfold the fabric of how we have been taught to live. My dear friend calls that earth school. I can’t change that.
