Back on the swing: the simple joy of going back to golf | Vic Marks | sport

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Back on the swing: the simple joy of going back to golf | Vic Marks | sport

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TThe fairway was freshly cut and welcoming; A yellow flag, 350 meters away, flickered in the cold breeze that descended from Dartmoor as the sun appeared through wispy clouds. With the driver in hand and the provisional ball in my pocket, I went to the first tee of the Okehampton Golf Club and, for the first time in a few months, I tried to hit a golf ball beyond seven yards available in the yard. back. What a relief to touch this club, not only because the ball quickly rose in the air in the right direction; there was a dim light that life would one day return to normal.

The professional of the Ashley club welcomed us on the first tee. They usually don't have a starter in Okehampton, perhaps the friendliest and meanest club in Devon. But it looked like a special occasion; the club came to life, as did its golfers. The course was in excellent condition, perfectly maintained fairways, hyacinths in bloom, fast and real and treacherous greens (again). Ricki, the course director, had mowed the lawn again at 9 p.m. on Tuesday to make sure everything was perfect; Neither he nor the environmentalist Mike was fired; instead, this pair had obviously been busy for the past two months.

Vic Marks and his playmate, Gavin, are greeted at the clubhouse.


 Vic Marks and his playmate, Gavin, are greeted at the clubhouse. Photography: Jonny Weeks / The Guardian

Ashley hadn't sold any golf equipment at the time or given any lessons, but she was still beaming now that the course reopened. He was also there to remind us of the new regulations if necessary. In fact, the members had already received specific instructions from the secretary, Bev, with a clarity that seems to have eluded some of our leaders in Westminster. Putting golf shoes in the parking lot is frowned upon on some courses. But now it has become mandatory in Okehampton; changing rooms are prohibited.

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Gavin and I played 18 holes, which was a luxury. Ashley explained how in the largest clubs in Exeter and Tiverton County it was possible to play only nine because the demand for golf was so high among the members. But Okehampton is small and beautiful; There was hardly space available on Wednesday morning and that is still the case for the rest of the week, but they can still accommodate everyone.

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Bev was in an optimistic mood, but he generally is. She performs an efficient and joyful operation that leaves no play and little overhead. Only two of his collaborators were dismissed, his assistant and a cleaner; She has been in constant contact with the club professional, the captain and the catering company, which has successfully diversified by offering a wide variety of dinners and lunches throughout the city. She is also grateful to the members for paying their submarines, no matter what. I was sure the club would go through this relatively unscathed crisis, but that may not be the case everywhere.

Vic Marks (right) plays 12, one by three with a sharp drop in the tee.


 Vic Marks (right) plays 12, one by three with a sharp drop in the tee. Photography: Jonny Weeks / The Guardian

In the course, we ignore these important questions. It was a pleasure to be there, to breathe fresh air and to worry about nothing more important than avoiding the water in the valley holes. As a former athlete, I like competition a little bit and I'm tired of getting hit in the cradle and scrabble recently, but Gavin and I didn't take the worth getting a card or a contest. We are delighted with our newly discovered freedom and the strange good photo. At the last hole, we played putters, two meters away, of course, and then we went home. The pandemic hardly deserved to be mentioned, but were the hyacinths a little later this year?