Community Radio Rotorua, November, 2006
Len struggled through the rough, pushing vegetation aside with his stick. He’d gone well, but now he’d lost his damn ball. That’d mean a penalty. Then, through the undergrowth, he spotted Ivan.
Ivan looked around. When he thought no one was looking, he swung his leg at the grass.
The bastard’s kicking his ball out of the rough, Len thought. The third time today, no wonder he’s ahead. “Hi Ivan, you’ve got a good lie, I see.”
“Lucky shot. What about you?”
“I’ve got to drop for a penalty.” Len flicked his head behind him. “My ball’s in there.”
Ivan selected a wedge and stepped up to his ball. Len watched as he pitched on to the green. His ball stopped a metre from the pin.
“Good shot, well done,” Len said.
The other pair of their foursome straggled up. They’d picked up and were heading to the nineteenth. Len hobbled up the fairway and dropped a ball at the edge. His shot landed well short of the pin, so he putted out last.
Ivan acknowledged his round. “Good putt, good round too, bravo.”
Len pulled out Ivan’s card. “What’d you have for the hole, Ivan?” He knew Ivan should take a penalty for moving his ball, but didn’t mention it.
“Five, par again, I’m afraid. And you?”
“I took a penalty, so put nine down for me.” Len tallied Ivan’s card. “eighty two off the stick, gives you the round.”
Ivan smiled, cocking his head. “Player of the day too, I hope.”
Len was relieved to reach the clubhouse and ease the tension on his leg brace. The others had found a table in the lounge. Len got a round in. They chatted until the secretary started reading the day’s results. A couple of players went up for spot prizes, before player of the day was announced. Ivan beamed as he got out of his chair to go up. He didn’t see Len’s stick in his way.
The ambulance arrived promptly and the lounge crowd soon settled. No one noticed the player of the day prize hadn’t been collected.
