ST ALBANS, ENGLAND | Golf is a pastoral game, a seemly and quiet one. The crack of a ball leaving the face of a golf club sometimes can sound like the crack of a whip, but no pain is inflicted apart from the damage the club renders to the ball. At some courses such as Royal St George’s, in Sandwich, England, skylarks make the most noise, soaring and swooping and all the time whistling, whistling, whistling. The shout of “well played” or “good shot” or “bad luck” are among the lingua franca of golf, rightly described as a gentlemanly game.
Down the years, visitors to Augusta National will have been advised as to their behaviour by the late Robert Tyre Jones, one of the founders of the Masters and the very ne plus ultra of a sportsman who fought hard and lost politely, knew when to keep silent and when to offer condolences, one who was modest in victory and magnanimous in defeat. As well as being aware of the difference between self-aggrandisement and self-effacement. To many of those who never met him, he seems a paragon. To many of those who did, he was.
“No running” is a well-known instruction at the Masters. Jones hardly needed to add “no booing” or cheering a missed stroke. Applaud long and loud by all means, but only when the ball has come to rest. Shake hands on the first tee and say “play well” and remove headgear, shake hands and say “well played” on the 18th green, too. These are some of the game’s sacred rites, and they and others are annually reinforced at Augusta National each April.
The world has become a coarser place since Bobby Jones’ day, one where vulgarity is sometimes applauded, and civility sometimes appears to have disappeared out the window. Here are some of the instructions written on tickets for the LIV Golf event northwest of London last week. It is a sign of the times that they even have to be made. But they have.
“Guests will enjoy the LIV Golf tournament free from disruptive behaviour including, but not limited to foul or abusive language, obscene gestures, fighting, throwing objects, booing, or cheering at inappropriate times, attempting to disrupt play or distract Teams or Players from their professional game. Those who engage in any of these actions are subject to immediate ejection from the tournament grounds and subject to criminal trespass or prosecution.”
Obscene gestures. Fighting. Attempting to disrupt play. Criminal trespass and prosecution. Has golf really come to this? Sadly, it seems it has.
E-MAIL JOHN
John Hopkins