After surviving golf’s ultimate hazard, Frank
Macgowan is now all smiles
What’s the most intimidating hazard you’ve ever faced on a golf course? A pond requiring a 200-yard carry? A Florida gator giving you the evil eye from just off the fairway? All child’s play, if you ask longstanding BMC member Frank Macgowan.
Picture this: Frank and his playing partner are at Oak Glen in Stillwater and his partner hits his tee shot OB left. From the tee it appears that the ball may have come to rest in someone’s back yard, and, sure enough, as they approach the yard, not only is the ball OB but posted on the neighbor’s fence is a surprisingly unfriendly No Trespassing sign.
Naturally, this was at the 13th hole.
It was when Frank and his partner got to the No Trespassing sign that things started to get weird. Especially when Frank saw what was going on one house down. Two people were sitting on the back deck, by all appearances a husband and wife. But while the missus seemed to be sitting there nonchalantly enough, her husband was anything but. He was leveling a scoped rifle directly at Frank!
Please raise your hand if anyone has ever aimed a rifle at you while you were on a golf course.
The gun was never discharged. But you won’t be surprised to learn that experiencing his potential demise did not have a salutary effect on Frank’s game. Under the circumstances, he did well just to bogey in.
Turns out the local police department was well aware of The Rifleman, as they had received past complaints about his unneighborly disposition. So, upon hearing from an understandably aggrieved Mr. Macgowan, they decided that enough was enough. Frank is still waiting to see if he’ll be called upon by the City Attorney to serve as a witness.
Interestingly, there was also a sign posted at the next yard down from The Rifleman’s, just off the 14th fairway– but with a strikingly contrasting tone: “Come on in and get your ball– and TAKE SOME LESSONS”!
When was a sense of humor more welcome?
Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590