Growing up, my hometown had three golf courses. One was a pretty, but tough, eighteen hole course. Another was an easier and inexpensive, but always well manicured, nine-hole course. And last but not least, was a horribly maintained, bombed-out, mortar range of a nine-hole course which, I’m sure due to the low cost of greens fees, convenience and familiarity, was very popular with the seniors and some kids just learning the game. I played there once and still consider it to be some of the worst money I’ve ever spent.
But part of what made that particular course just awful was the fact that there were alternate uses for the course outside of golf. For instance, if I remember correctly, one of the local schools used part of the course for soccer practice. Soccer practice! A bunch of teenagers running around the course with cleats!
However, around this time of year, I’m remembering the main alternate use for the course – the town’s Fourth of July fireworks show. See, the town in which I grew up didn’t really have a town green or a general public space outside of a state park. So there was nowhere really conducive to setting off fireworks…except the golf course. I mentioned earlier the convenience of the course…it was only about a mile from the intersection of the two major roads that run through town. It was close to lots of businesses and shopping areas, so there was plenty of parking and places for people to setup chairs or blankets to watch from pretty much anywhere at any angle. It was the perfect spot. However, the condition of the course was sacrificed for it.
In hindsight, to me anyway, it was worth it. The course is gone now, replaced by a new middle school which was more important anyway. I no longer live in the town, but as I understand it, the fireworks are still blown off there. Concerts are held in the same place as well. Thinking about it now, did one town really need three golf courses anyway? However, I guess that’s a couple of different arguments for another time.
Swing ’til you’re happy!
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