Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart. ~Arthur Daley
They say that the golf is a game where the course is your opponent. In this game like in other ball games you don't have a moving ball, it is stationary on the ground.You got to hit that stationary ball and so it appears to be a very easy game for any one who has not played golf. But then ask those who are playing golf for years but still could not master those drives, chips, pitch, putts.
To play this game one has to remember 3Cs, concentration,control and confidence..well i was doing just that when i took position for my drive at 4th Tee. The ball flew to the left, i was careful that the ball should not go to the right in the jungle.It was drizzling. i was playing alone and my caddy Hoolo was carrying my bag . I had my umbrella and Hoolo was wrapped in rain coat with his face practically hidden in the hood.
It was slowly becoming dark. Hoolo could locate the ball, i walked to the ball and gave the driver to Hoolo. I pulled out 6 iron from the golf bag, aligned myself with the flag, took position with slight knee bend and back straight.In the rainy season it is preferred lie as per local club rule. Hoolo had kept the ball on the tip of the grass.I took a few practice swing and then I swung the club with half rotation of the body, i don't go for full swing as a precaution against the likely damage of hip, shoulder and knee joints.My drive could cover 180 yards and with 6 iron i covered another 120 yards. Now i was within 70 yards of the green. I picked up the pitching iron, took stance and swung the ball to the green. The ball rolled to the far edge, the hole was at 15 feet. I took out my new putter Itsy Bitsy of Taylormade.I squatted at the back of the ball and judged the lie of the green, Hoolo took out the flag from the hole, he pointed 3 inches off left of the hole. I took a few practice stroke of the putter, placed it behind the ball and rolled the ball towards left of the hole. The ball rolled but as the green was wet so it stopped short by 2 feet of the hole.So it was one more putt and got a bogie in that hole.
The Tee off at the 5th green is quite tricky as the boundary wall is at the right and beyond that is the shed of Calcutta Metro. I have lost many balls by driving the ball beyond the boundary wall. This time i took aim towards the left, the ball was on the Tee, with eyes down i took a few practice swing of my Taylormade Burner. Then i took position towards the left and swung the driver, the ball went high to the left among the trees.It was raining still and was getting darker. I could see the shadowy figure of Hoolo at a distance. I purposefully walked towards the trees,Hoolo waived his hand towards right. I found that the ball was at the centre of the fairway, i was surprised that it had not gone to the cluster of trees. Hoolo took the driver from me and gave 7 iron.The rain was still there but then i wanted to complete rest of the holes in the semidarkness. I took aim , took a few practice swing and hit the ball. I could not see the ball , i did not see even Hoolo. I walked towards the green. To my surprise i found the ball lying 1 foot away from the hole.I putted the ball and got a birdie on that par 4 5th green.i was expecting applause from Hoolo but he was not there.I picked up the ball from the hole and put that in my pocket. It had started raining heavily i ran to the golf shed near the 6 th Tee off point. There was a different club boy standing with dab and water in the shed. He smiled at me and said," " Sir you scored birdie in that hole."
“Yes," i said but was surprised that he had noticed that in that rain, but then how could he count the strokes from my Tee off point. I was quite perplexed but i was quite proud with my game of that day. I tipped him 50 rupees.
"Shukriyasaheb, you scored hole in one in 6th a few months back. I missed your backshish on that day." He was speaking in typical Urdu mixed Hindi.He was funnily dressed.
I was quite surprised that he knew about my scoring hole in one.
Hoolo was not still visible anywhere.I asked that club boy to tell Hoolo to come near the Shamiana. As the rain had increased so i abandon the game and taking cover under my umbrella cut across the 7th green and then 1st green towards the club house.
The club canteen shamiana was not much crowded that day because of the rain.I ordered a hot cup of coffee. Still i could not get my caddie.
I went towards my car in the car park. there i found Hoolo standing with my driver Gopal, both looked worried. I was furious on Hoolo.
"Where did you go?" i shouted at him.
"It was raining heavy so i shouted at you that i am going and asked you to come."
"But you gave me 7 iron in 5th fairway and took my driver."
" No sir here is your golf bag and 7 iron is here."
"What about putter? I scored birdie with that."
"Sir here is your new Itsy Bitsy putter. But sir, your TaylormadeBurmner is missing."
"Then who was that caddie who located the ball and was carrying bag up to the 5th green. But after i sank the ball i did not see him."
"Sir every one has come out of the course including the club boy in the shed."
" I saw a different club boy there. He seemed to have seen me scoring birdie. I was quite surprised." I was worried. That driver was new and also thinking about the whole incident started giving me goose pimples. My drive was certainly going towards the trees but that caddy found it lying in the centre of the fairway.
He gave me 7 iron and then took the 7 iron from me on the green. He handed over a putter but i did notice the make. I remembered to have carried the putter to the shed and left that on the bench.In a hurry to rush back to the club house because it got dark and the rain had increased i totally forgot about the putter.
Hoolo was aghast and started chanting " Ram."
I asked my driver and Hoolo to accompany me to the shed near 6th Tee off place. Hoolo was not ready to come, he told me that next morning he would search the driver.He was pale from fear and i started getting goose bumps.
"Ok, tell me when the hard core golfers come in the morning?"
"Just at the day break, 5.45am."
Gopal drove me back to my flat.
Next day i reached Tollyclub before the day break. Hoolo was waiting for me. Me, Gopal and Hoolo proceeded to 6th green. We went to the golf shed but did not find my Taylormade driver there. We started walking on the fairway of 5th green, suddenly Hooloshouted , "Sir come here and see."
Near the 6th Tee off point there is a grave yard. Hoolo was standing in side the grave yard.It is believed that those three graves bang next to the 6th Tee off point are those of Johnson family who owned the property around that place before the club was established. But the ornate design on the grave had Muslim touch.
Me and Gopal went near the graves, my Taylormade driver was lying beside the graves, also by the side was lying the 50 rupees note which i had tipped to that Urdu speaking club boy.
My head started spinning, Gopal lifted the Driver. I asked them not to take that 50 rupees note. Hoolo was trembling in fear. I was looking at Hoolo and started thinking whether he was the real guy or the one who was with me yesterday on that 5th green.I touched him, he was the real one but then who was that caddy who assisted me to get that birdie. Did that really happen or was that a figment of my imagination. Three of us were standing there dumbstruck..slowly the day was breaking.
Gopal my driver asked, "Babu ,are you sure that you played on 5th green yesterday? You might have left that driver in the shed. The driver might have been pulled to that place by those foxes which roam the course freely."
"What you say is possible, due to the inclement weather i might have been day dreaming." I said those words in order to lighten the situation but the event of the previous evening was quite vivid in my mind.That friendly ghost helped me in scoring a birdie by placing a wayward ball in the centre of the fairway.The second shot by 7 iron was also an out of the world stroke as the ball fell within 1 foot of the hole.
After that evening i have stopped playing in the afternoons, in the morning whenever i pass that grave yard while playing golf i thank that unknown soul but my hand automatically reaches for my sacred thread.
