From the moment that I step onto the ninth tee, I am immediately considering what food and drink indulgences I am going to allow myself at the halfway hut. This habit is sometimes as a reward for my stellar performance on the front nine, or sometimes as a consolation prize after a particularly turbulent run, but either way it's always a highlight.
The only problem is that sometimes it comes a little early in the round, and by the midway point of the back nine I am already thinking about what I will choose as my next snack or beverage in the clubhouse... but what if you had another option?
After coming across a very interesting video on Instagram, posted by Zire Golf, it would appear that playing a round at Kennett Country Club in Missouri provides that welcome alternative. While it's not technically an offering by the club, golfers do have access to an incredible selection of fast-food goodies... at the McDonald's restaurant next to the 15th tee.
Worst Score On The 14th Buys The Burgers
I can picture the scene. A four-ball stands on the 14th tee and agrees jovially to a wager of the sustenance-variety. Whoever makes the worst score, either nett or gross depending on your preference, buys the burgers at the 15th tee.
An app order is made before the final player tees off, and battle commences. By the time the loser is identified, the order is ready to be gleefully distributed and one more moment of gratification is enjoyed before tackling the final four holes.
I suppose my only concern with what appears to be a high-upside stroke of luck in terms of location would be the impact of this process on the pace of play. Many of us will have experienced the frustration and fury of backlogs on the golf course, and cursed one of the many factors that contribute to slow play, and surely this would only exacerbate the issue further.
After all, by the time you have nipped, hurried over the short walk to the restaurant counter, picked up the food and eaten it, you might have another four-ball gaining on you. They might not be fast food lovers, and as a result one of two scenarios unfolds.
Either you attempt the awkward series of tasks to move your trolley, with your food bag balanced on top and try to think about hitting your next shot without allowing tripping up or dropping your treasures, or you allow the next group to play through and pray the next party are keen for a cheeseburger.
The proximity of the McDonald's restaurant to the course at Kennett Country Club also got me thinking about which fast food outlet I would choose to place near a tee box at my golf club.
A Krispy Kreme would certainly be up there, mainly for the efficiency and speed in which I can eat a doughnut, but perhaps the sugar-overload would make my scoring too erratic on the closing stretch.
I finally landed on a Greggs, which for our friends in the US is a great-value bakery with incredible hot pastry items. The main reason being that biting into a steak slice too early is like filling your mouth with molten lava, so it becomes a necessity to pop it into your golf bag until you have played your tee shot and walked up the fairway. Tasty treat - tick. Doesn't impact too much on pace of play - tick. Guaranteed to power me through to four closing birdies - to be confirmed.
