As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my priorities are all a twist when it comes to golf. This morning, I walked along the coast of the North West of Hawaii's island of Oahu. Not far from where we are staying is the wonderful course designed, I understand, by Arnold Palmer. Was I attracted to the golf course first? Well no!
Following my flawed personality, I spent a wonderful two hours of early morning light walking along the beach, which is a wonderful light sand mixed with very sharp rocks which are either coral or what's left of volcanic rock. As the sand is so light in colour, it seems to be coral, which is born out a closer examination. Another, bit of information is that there are what appear to be clusters of many types of rock within hardened sandstone, or ash. A closer examination of the rocks reveals that they are a multitude of different types of sea organism and coral, probably thousands if not millions of years old.
Captain Cook Could not Run Away
For those that are not aware, the islands of Hawaii used to be called the Sandwich Islands after the English Lord that financed the Cook explorations. It is unfortunate that Captain Cook died on the beach of one of these isalnds, but hardly surprising because the sand is so soft underfoot that it is almost impossible to run away. Captain Cook would have no chance of escape by foot because he would have been so tired trying to get only a few feet along the coast. As it was, I found my morning walk was very tough going, and soon sought the grass inland from the beach. This is when, Ane and I found hole 14 of the Arnold Palmer designed golf course. I can only say, wow! What a magnificent course!
It reminded me very much of the old course at St. Andrews in Scotland. The green was enomous and in front of it and within it were more than a dozen sand traps. The grass was fast, very low cut, and beautifully manicured. Amazing!
As we walked along the green, there they were, the many lost golf balls of artful golfers. In all, I found seven. Anne found one. "Hurry," I said knowing my personality flaw. "We have got to escape this place!" My concern was, of course, that we would find so many balls that when returning home the plane would not be able to take off because of the wieght, or worse still that I might not be able to afford the weight surcharge.
Shortly afterwards, we found a tennis court and were able to play tennis for several hours. Boy, life is hard when you are on vacation!