A large cypress tree has been removed on the 18th to improve the driving line from the Ladies 18th. The tree was to the left of the men's tees.
Several golf balls were buried in the bark of the tree. The balls had been there for so long they were incorporated into the body of the tree (Photo 1 & 2). The bark had grown around the golf balls. In the 3rd image, three golf balls are visible.
Three photos (Photo 3, 4 and 5) show something remarkable - a ball in the centre of a tree!
During the felling the chainsaw cut a ball in half which was in the centre of a tree. The tree grew around the ball (Photo 3 and 4) and once removed, left a perfect ball mould (Photo 5).
How long has the ball been there and how did it get to be in the centre of a tree? Well, the dark line in the wood gives us the answer. This ball landed in the V of two branches growing directly from the trunk and as the tree grew the trunk got bigger and the branches fused together. How long did this take? The ball is a Titleist Tour Balata 90 which were around in the 80's, so I reckon 30 years or so!
Graham Molloy
The John Byrne Lost Golf Ball Competition
John Byrne has sponsored a competion for the wittiest caption for one of the photographs. Leave your ideas for captions in the letter box outside the bar, marked for the attention of Graham Molloy. You can submitt as many entries as you like. Closing date is 15 April. Graham is the scrutineer and his decision is final. John Byrne will present the winner with a bottle of wine the next time he or she has dinner in the club.
Photo 1: Three golf balls which were buried in the bark of the tree are visible (circled in green)
Photo 2: A ball buried in the bark.
Photo 3: Golf ball located in the centre of a tree. The ball has been cut in half by a chain saw.
Photo 4: The reassembled golf ball. A Titleist Tour Balata 90.
Photo 5: A perfect mould for a golf ball.
