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IT IS FALL AGAIN
"Play in the low 80’s. If it is any hotter than that I won’t play”
The Fall season is probably the most enjoyable time of the year for outdoor activities. It is not too hot or cold -- nothing to gripe about. You can go to your favorite football stadium and watch your team in comfort. If the sun irritates your eyes, watching it on the stadium’s big screen is the next option.... at least you get to enjoy being outdoors.
On the subject of football, many of you do not realize that Yale University was the first college to win 800 football games. The Ivy league deemphasized football many years ago and aimed their curriculum at producing politicians and lawyers. A great weight was placed on the lawyers, who later are to be hired to keep the politicians out of trouble. We would have been far better off if they had kept football higher on their priority list.
Early fall is a wonderful time of year for golf. The golf courses are probably in their best shape and most of the distractions caused by the summer heat are gone. Many of the clubs hold their annual club championships, as well as invitational tournaments, at this time of year. It is also your last chance to try to get your body in shape before you hibernate in front of your television set during winter.
Many of my early years in the golf profession were spent at clubs in the north. Most of the clubs, especially the summer resort clubs, would close in the middle or end of October. When that time arrived, I would find myself heading south with the Canadians and the geese.
Fall is also the time of year when golf hustlers start heading south. They will wear long sleeve shirts, broad brimmed hats, and gloves on both hands. The purpose is to prevent getting a sun tan. They are preparing to refine their game on southern courses. They are laying in wait for those poor unsuspecting white faced Yankees coming south for the winter. When the Yankees acquire a little tan they will lay off.
This part of the country has a two grass season on greens. The summer grasses are Bermuda, and the winter grasses are different strains of what is commonly known as rye. As soon as cold weather and heavy frosts arrive the Bermuda stops growing and will turn brown. Winter grasses are then planted over this dormant Bermuda, and will form a fine putting surface for the winter months. The winter grasses thrive on water and cool nights. There usually is a couple of weeks that the planting of the winter grass may cause a little inconvenience. You may have a little more trouble than usual with your putting, but at least now you have an excuse. This is a very short period of time, so show a little patience.
“A golfer is a gardener digging up someone else’s lawn.”