I guess they didn't want to scare the bejaysus out of the world's best golfers.
I'm talking about the sign on the first tee at Bethpage Black.
That sign.
According to reports it has been stored away for the duration of the U.S versus Europe showdown.
For those who are blissfully unaware of this unique welcome to players taking on the Black course let it be said that the sign can have a most unnerving effect on those golfers who are setting out on a round more in hope than expectation.
Count me as one of them. But what was I to do? I was invited by a friend to play eighteen on the famed Black Course, the setting for the Ryder Cup over the next three days. The Black track has also hosted the U.S. Open.
Anyone who has played this course doesn't need to be reminded of what it says on the sign: " - Warning - The Black Course Is An extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers."
Forget for a minute that you can easily enough play an easy course badly.
But here we have the Mount Everest of courses and you're all alone on the summit - that being the moment you place your ball and tee into the turf.
I once did this.
I had tried to ignored the sign but had read it over and over. I would not describe myself as a highly skilled golfer. I have occasional good shots, and more than my share of fluffs.
But I had been invited. As I stood up and prepared to blast away I could not help but notice all the eyes turned in my direction. There were about twenty golfers standing around the tee. The Black is hugely popular so it gets crowded. A hacker causing delays would be about as popular as, well, you get the gist.
So, they were all looking at me, "highly skilled" golfers the lot of them. Presumably.
I said a silent prayer. Just one shot. Just this drive. The rest wouldn't matter. I could always pick up.
My paying partner offered word of encouragement. They were lost on what wind there was.
To cut a long swing short the powers above me gave me that one shot. I hit a solid drive with what looked like a deliberate fade to meet the dogleg. It was more of a slice but it looked like I was steering the ball. The years of life that I had just lost came roaring back.
I glanced around the boundary of the tee. Yeah, I was saying silently, take a look at this guy.
None of the waiting players were paying the slightest bit of attention. You die here if you hit a bad tee shot and you get zero credit if you hit a good one. It's expected.
Suffice it to say the golf played for the rest of the round was somewhat less than "highly skilled." But I didn't care. I had that one decent drive to remember.
There are no atheists in a foxhole. So the saying goes.
It's fair to say that atheists stepping onto the first tee at Bethpage Black are in line to rediscover lost faith.
More prayers have gone skyward on those few square yards of Long Island sward than in any church.
Mine was but one of them.
