How to Play Golf With Kangaroos. Only in Australia
How to Play Golf With Kangaroos. Only in Australia
Picture this.
You're playing golf on a beautiful, scenic course. It's a balmy summer's day, the course is uncrowded and everything is going well until you reach the dogleg par 5.
Your group's path is blocked by a slow moving group of four and your ball has stopped in the middle of them. The male in the group, standing over a metre tall is obviously annoyed because he is scratching his chest and eyeing you menacingly.
Normally you would apologise, but these are not golfers. They're kangaroos and this group, together with another group of 10, have effectively blocked the fairway.
Venturing into the middle of the group to play your shot, would be hazardous for you as well as the kangaroos. What do you do?
This is a common hazard on many golf courses in Australia and most use the pick and drop rule with no penalty. You gently pick up your ball (if you're game) walk past the group, drop it and continue on with the game.
I faced this hazard recently at Marangaroo Golf Course situated in an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
The conditions on metropolitan golf courses are ideal for these grey kangaroos. They have plenty of water and lots of lush grass. A far cry from the harsh, dry conditions their red kangaroo cousins face in Outback Australia.
In fact on some golf courses, kangaroos can become a real menace and some golf clubs have even considered a culling program.
Meanwhile, this unique piece of Australiana attracts golfers from overseas (particularly Japan).
To the intrepid locals, they are just another hazard, in addition to snakes, deep bunkers, lakes, thick bushland and that curse of all Aussie golfers the Grass Tree.
Don't know what a Grass Tree is? Ask any Australian golfer or play on an Aussie golf course.
You'll soon find out!
Footnote.
Kangaroos may be seen as cute to overseas visitors, but they can be a hazard not only on golf courses, but on country roads, particularly at dusk. They are blinded by vehicle headlights and have a habit of stopping in the middle of the road.
This is why many farmers and those living in rural areas of Australia have a steel bar attached to the front of their vehicle called a "roo bar."
Nevertheless, it doesn't always protect them and a recent fatal accident in Queensland demonstrates this. A motorist on an unsealed outback road, hit a kangaroo at speed. Just before he hit, the kangaroo jumped. Sadly the beast went through the windscreen and its frantic thrashing and kicking killed him.
I experienced a similar incident around midnight some years ago. Fortunately, before I hit, the kangaroo ducked and went under the car. To my amazement the car was undamaged but the animal died instantly.
The following morning when I inspected the underside of the car, the only evidence of the collision was a trail of grey fur and blood from the front bumper to the rear bumper.
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