Conference 7.286::golf

727.0. "Dualing drivers" by SSGVAX::CHAIKOWSKI () Thu Aug 17 1989 23:48

		Reproduced without permission from the Middlesex News
		August 17, 1989. Written by Tom Moroney.



                  	"Golf as a contact sport."

        

	Golf is a vicious, nasty game, and nobody knows that better than Bob
Santos.
	
	You could even say he had the idea driven into this head.

	There he was last week, waiting to get on the 10th hole at Stow Acres
Country Club in Stow, when he noticed the foursome in front had stopped for a
rest.

	Three of the four golfers had gone to the clubhouse for sodas. The
fourth was sitting on a bench, "so I went over to ask if my party could play
through," said the 52 year old Santos.

	As I understand golf etiquette, Santos was making a reasonable request.
The slower foursome should always move aside for the faster one.

	Not only that, his foursome - him, his wife and two brothers - were
driving golf carts. The slower foursome was on foot.

	"We'd been delayed by them for several holes, but I didn't say anthing
until that moment,"he recalled.

	But when he did open his mouth, the guy sitting on the bench refused to
let him through, saying his friends would be right back.

	Santos took a quick look around, didn't see anybody rushing back to tee
off and asked again: "Can we play through?"

	"No (expletive) way," came the guy's reply.

	So Santos took his club, a driver, and knocked the guy's ball right off
the tee.

	The guy pushed Santos. Santos went after the guy. And then the guy,
without a word of warning, swung his driver at Santos, smacking him on the
side of the head and leaving a five-inch gash that beld profusely and later
required 10 stitches.

	When the Stow police showed up with two cruisers, they identified the
guy who whacked Santos as Rolf Gjesteby, who is 34 and lives in Stow.

	The police asked Santos if he wanted to press changes against the
swinger, but Santos refused.

	"Since it happened, though, I've had thses terrible headaches and dizzy
spells," he said yesterday.

	And so he says he's driving to the Stow police station tomorrow to
press charges against his assailant.

	"But why didn't you press charges when it happened?" I asked.

	"I really don't know. I was probably in a daze," he said.

	Santos shot a 42 on the front nine, then he washed the blood off, put on
a new shirt and shot a 48 on the back nine.

	"It did affect my game, I was woozy," he admitted.

	In the meantime, I called Rolf Gjesteby, the man who allegedly attacked
him, and Rolf denies even being there.

	"Do you play golf?" I said.
	"No."
	"Never been to Stow Acres?"
	"Once, with my father-in-law. But we only played 9 holes and said the
heck with it," he said.

	Nice try, Rolf. But that's not exactly what the police say.

	They say Rolf the Golfer was a regular. And now, because of his errant
swing, he's been permanently banned from the course.

	My only regret is how he denied the whole thing when I called. I was all
set to have a deep and meaningful discussion on one aspect of the game where he
could really use some help: club selection.

	From what I hear, Rolf used his driver to do his whacking.

	But as golf star Greg Norman writes in "Shark Attack!" his guide to
aggressive golf: "The 2-wood has more loft, and gives you more elevation, less
sidespin and longer carry that does a driver."

	Not to mention that it probably requires fewer stitches.

    I know that this isn't really what the topic title is about, but its
    close enough, and I don't think that this merits its own topic. Well,
    maybe it does, really. If the Moderators want to move this, feel free.
    
    I heard on the radio yesterday, that at a driving competition, the
    winning distance was 241 yards. Nothing that spectacular there right ?
    Well this competition was for One Armed Golfers. I find that truly
    amazing, and slightly embarrassing, as I can't reach that distance
    with two arms !
    
    There is a one armed Golfer at my dad's club in Germany, but I didn't
    think there were that many. Wrong again Wayne.
    
    (Topic for disabled golf maybe ?)
    
    Regards,
    Wayne