The closer we get to the month of October, when Autumn hints of things of the macabre, don’t think that the game of golf is immune to the haunts of the season. From disappearing golf balls to eerie changes in the atmosphere, the strange, mysterious and even the spooky can make an appearance on the links.

The Ordinary

If you happen to play in a Fall golf league, then you have likely experienced the increased risk of getting hit. While getting hit by another player’s golf ball isn’t common, it does happen and as the time change impacts daylight hours, so comes that slightly enhanced risk. For the golf-junkie, it is just too hard to resist that extra hour of playing time, right?

This is an example of the typical experience during the change of seasons, the other “occurrences” may or may not be so easily explained…

The Un-Ordinary

You have heard the stories, heck, maybe it has even happened to you. That nice shot off the tee that felt clean and as you play into the last of the setting sun you catch a glimpse of it, right down the middle of the fairway. From the trajectory and feel of the shot, before it disappeared into that dusk sky, you had a pretty fair idea where the shot would be when it finally stopped.

There are theories but no real explanation for what happened to that shot. It’s just – gone. If you’ve heard enough of these tales of the perfect shot that vanished, then you might have recognized some common themes, right? The players were the only people left on the course as the day was ending. It is also a common thread that these disappearances happen at dusk. Gophers, squirrels, gators or even birds have been accused or used to reason this away.

It just seems like an awful lot of critters and winged monsters for some to buy along with these accounts often occurring around that time of the year where the unusual may seem a little more, usual?

The Strange

Many who dabble in, study or have some level of expertise in the spiritual will tell you that there are good spirits and bad spirits. Perhaps these spirits play a role in some of those strange shots that see to defy explanation, especially during the season of the strange. Who hasn’t seen that putt that was nailed hard enough to break through a wall but instead finds the flagstick and either stops cold or drops? We all know at best, this shot should have careened of the stick and clean off the green if not worse. Good spirits?

Still not sure? How about that perfect par three tee shot that inexplicably takes that weird bounce of the fringe and then shoots down hill into the water hazard, bad spirits? Fair enough, for those who don’t buy into any of it, let’s simply call it lucky or unlucky. Being lucky or unlucky and those other answers, however, may not be able to explain this…

The Spooky

The PGA.com site a few years ago posted an article about haunted golf courses. In fact, a quick search and it becomes evident that these aren’t isolated events. In that aforementioned story, Scott Kolb, of Victoria Golf Club said this regarding the courses’ famed haunting:

“Our security camera sometimes have a glow that floats around and odd things will happen that our staff will just say, ‘Must be Doris playing tricks on us again.’ I’m not a big ghost guy but I must admit that something is out there that has fun with us.”

Disappearing golf balls, golf balls that defy physics and good old fashioned ghosts, well it is getting to be that time of year, real or perceived this season invites something a little mysterious onto courses everywhere.

One Less Mystery

Although tricks and treats aren’t necessarily ideal bedmates for golfers. If nothing else, golfers can be prepared with the best equipment, gear and attire to tackle any surprises this season and all year long. One less mystery on the golf course isn’t a bad thing, especially if you believe in ghosts.