Feels Like Summer

Well, officially it's still spring but when the temperature gets into the mid twenties (Celsius) or mid seventies (Fahrenheit) like it did this week, it sure seems like summer. Here's a sport that's popular with many Victorians, golf. This foursome is pictured on one of the greens of the Victoria Golf Club. The course lies on both sides of Beach Drive and is bounded on the east by the rocky coastline and some pretty awesome views.

Apocalyptic Putting

In addition to a cricket oval and a lawn bowling green Beacon Hill Park also has a small putting green, pictured here beneath a forbidding sky. The putting green surrounds a statue of poet Robert Burns, thus presenting two of Scotland's gifts to the world in one place. There are no references in Burns' poetry to golf but, from the Robert Burns Club of Milwaukee, we do have the following verse. Address to the Golf Ball by Seiichiro Otsuka Great Mischieftain o' the human race, Weel are ye worthy o' a grace As lang's you traivel straight. Ye aim tae reach that distant hill Nae bother tae play wi' skylark shrill. The dinky dimples o' your saucy face Should stay awa safe frae ills o' life, The whins, waters, traps an' trail That lie between us and our holy grail. Ay ye sleekit, tyrannous, drunken beastie, gae straight! Why the hell do ye gae left and richt? Now don't squat there deep drowned in bunker Like a stupid fried egg in stinker. Poor devil, I'll gie ye one last chance Tae be my trusty, couthy crony. If ye wish tae prove yersel worthy o' my gratefu' prayer For once, gae straight and get in there. Amen, and grant me a day sae groovy And a glorious-ever bonnie burdie.

Victoria Golf Club

Given the large number of senior citizens in Victoria it is not surprising that golf is a popular sport. Here is a scene from the Victoria Golf Club in Oak Bay, a membership only club that is one of the oldest and finest golf courses in Canada. The golfer contemplating her next shot in this photo is in a scene that has probably not changed much since the course was established in 1893. That's Trial Island in the background and, further back, the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula.