There are too many egyptian geece (Alopochen aegyptiaca) in South Africa, and especially on our golf courses! Attached a shot taken this week from my cell phone. There were at least 50 of them running around the green (not all visible here) – they seem to love greens. The noise and the mess was amazing. In fact greenkeepers are tearing their hair out, with no solutions in sight. I have even heard a rumour (probably too crazy to be true), that one club is giving caddies a goose each.
In any event, in this past week I have twice landed in a large pile of excrement just off the green. The greens are badly impacted by the droppings, but at least you can lift, clean up (including putting line) and replace. From off the green you play it as it lies. In both cases I was really lucky to get down in two shots. So what to do about this menace?
Then, three holes later, I saw two parents with five little goslings swimming just below me on the Hennops River that runs through the course. They are simply too beautiful, and my heart melted. (Sadly, no photo, because I left my cell phone on the cart). Seeing them actually made the golf better. I have decided to treat goose merde as a hazard similar to a bunker, and will try to optimise my skills from out of the ordure. I just do not like the idea of practising!
