My Newest Target: Golf

I guess I am a lot like Don Quixote, always tilting at windmills.

Well, my latest "windmill" is—golf!

I don't have anything against golf in and of itself. In fact, time was when I used to play it (very badly). It can be good exercise, as long as you walk around the course, instead of riding around in one of those electric carts which, as far as I'm concerned, somewhat defeat the purpose (assuming that the purpose of the game is exercise).

My real gripe is against golf courses. First, they consume a tremendous amount of water for their maintenance, often in areas where water is scarce. Not to mention causing environmental damage from runoff of the fertilizers used on their grass.

But here's a rather surprising harm that golf can cause. Those who know me know that I like birds; and I just learned that sandhill cranes in Florida frequently get their legs broken by being struck by golf balls. When their legs are thus broken, they can't walk. Sandhill cranes are a large and very beautiful bird and, while not classed as endangered, they are a declining species, so I find it quite saddening when they are subject to yet another human-caused peril (they also get struck by cars).

We can't keep these birds from alighting on golf courses, obviously, since they fly. And you can't ask golfers to "watch out" for them, since anyone familiar with golf knows that your ball might not go where you intend it to!

But maybe golf, or golf courses, should be regulated on environmental grounds. I'd go so far as to say that, in areas where golf courses are very numerous and water is also scarce, the number of golf courses should be restricted.

Copyright © 2011 by Richard Stein