Balls!: Confessions of a Rural Golf Course Owner

When the author tells her retired husband that she does not want him home for lunch, he buys a golf course! Thus begins this non golfer's true story of uprooted suburbanites adjusting to the rural north country as golf course owners and learn what really happens behind the scenes through humorous vignettes and anecdotes

Anyone young or old who has ever harbored dreams of changing lifestyles; suburbanites, urbanites or business executives who want to try country living; and those who have wondered what it might be like to own a golf course, will find this a humorous account of such an adventure.

As a keen observer of human nature, the outrageous behavior of people in general and golfers in particular will fascinate and embarrass at the same time. Dealing with the public in a service business is difficult in itself but gets compounded when husbands and wives work together. There is a delicate dance they do that can sorely test the bonds of love and loyalty.

Different styles emerge and can conflict with personal relationships. It is almost impossible to keep personal and business separate. Gender conflicts arise yet the husband and wife team must present a united front to the public. Although they were bombarded by so many issues on a daily basis, the mere stress of physically keeping up their grueling eighteen hour days was paramount to surviving this business.

What two people brought to this unlikely business was a conventional middle class background and what they were faced with was decisions about alligators, llamas, hunters and more! They certainly got more than they bargained for! Nor was there any preparation for this - except on the job training . In retrospect people can look for opportunities and never find them and others can create them and adapt accordingly. They were in the latter category and as a result were tested and stretched beyond measure; yet ultimately enriched by the experience.

Gail W. Braman, hacker and free lance writer, now lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two cats. They have one son.. She is the former owner of the White River Golf Club and White River Driving Range in Rochester, Vermont and now has the time to pursue other interests.

Life has its way of just happening but if anyone had told me years ago that I would be running a golf course in rural Vermont, I would have said ridiculous ...this experience was so far removed from my reality.

Despite growing up in affluent Westchester County, New York, I worked my way through undergraduate and graduate schools to become the first family member to attain a college degree and have a professional career as a teacher and high school guidance counselor.

However, when my husband retired, I told him that I did not want him home for lunch! Thus begins this unusual story. Our lifestyle changed dramatically. Although no stranger to hard work, nothing could have prepared us for the outrageous people in general and golfers in particular we met during our nine year adventure in the north country.