William Rouse 
July 13, 1996 
William Raymond Rouse, 54, Of Mesa Oaks Circle, Austin, Texas, Died Saturday 
In Austin.

A Giant Inclination 
Big Brothers-big Sisters Stands To Benefit From Annual Hill Climb

Sunday, July 14, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





A relaxing sport, if you take a hike &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Life's finest moments are those rare times of peace of mind and I've found
a bunch of them on the golf course. My fondest memories of golf are not low
rounds or tournament wins, but cool summer evenings alone as a kid with a bag
slung over my shoulder. There is harmony in walking a round of golfThe
spiritual revolution of the 1990s, in which Americans are trying to find peace
of mind in an increasingly complex and demanding world, should not
underestimate the value of a nine hole hike on a mid-summer evening. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With a plethora of self-help books and television gurus touting the virtues
of meditation and self-realization, you never hear anyone recommending golf as
a calming activity. But it can be. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Deepak Chopra, one of the spiritual speakers who mixes science with Eastern
philosophies to help American business people feel better about themselves,
says the first step toward realizing your full potential is to "experience
silence"; to turn off the tube, the radio, the kids and the job for a while
and know some quiet, experience nature and thereby improve your own "internal
dialogue." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They've know how to do that in Scotland for years. Just take a nine hole
walk with the sticks. It's cleansing. The golf shot becomes unimportant which,
oddly enough, makes it easier to hit. Stress is diminished and the soul gets
the dose of peace it needs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Walking is the true way to play golf and the calming exercise and
relaxation are the practical benefits of the game. Only in America would we
want to place stress in the practice of peace; only here would we motorize
what was meant to be natural and place pavement among the trees. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Not everywhere, however, has the motor won the war. At Merion Country Club
in Philadelphia you still need a doctor's note to use a cart. And Scranton
Country Club has somehow managed to keep a great caddie program intact.
Glenmaura and Huntsville, thanks to hoofers like Frank Bevevino and Bill
Smulowitz, also offer caddies. God bless them all. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ironically, but not surprisingly, most country clubs have fallen victim to
the unholy revenue they make on cart rentals. Because cart revenue keeps dues
down, most clubs have discouraged walking and have dismantled their caddie
programs, which used to be a great way for youngsters to learn golf, to meet
business people and to make some summer cash. Many an American boy began his
climb out of poverty by carrying a golf bag. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, for example, started playing golf together as
caddies at the same club in Fort Worth, Texas. Some of our best players here
started as caddies, one of them being Ed Hennigan, who led a strike at Fox
Hill in the early 1960s. There are over 20 professional golfers from Exeter
(no kidding) because they learned golf as caddies at Fox Hill. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 * * * &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Outside of America, walking is still the way to play. The most enjoyable
aspect of our trip to Ireland was the joy of having no golf carts. I didn't
see one on the whole trip. We walked the oceanside links, talking to each
other, enjoying the scenery and the company of the caddies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Do you think I can get there with a five iron," I said to one witty Irish
caddie. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Eventually," he said. Wisenheimer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While caddies are as rare as blacksmiths today, there are still many public
courses around here for those who want to strap a bag over their shoulder and
walk, such as Twin Oaks in Orange, Mill Race in Benton, Hollenback in Parsons,
Four Seasons in Exeter, Emanon in Falls, Edgewood in the Pines in Hazelton,
Shadowbrook and Stone Hedge in Tunkhannock, Applewood in Harding and Pine
Hills in Taylor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But there is one that stands out over the rest for the purity of walking
pleasure. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It is an unknown gem tucked away in the Endless Mountains. Lakeland Golf
Course, located on Route 107 right outside of Tunkhannock in Fleetville, is an
immaculately maintained nine-hole executive course near beautiful Lake
Sheridan and the people are as friendly as the surroundings. Its clubhouse is
tastefully done and its pro shop is unique, catering mainly to women, a
perfect spot to get a Christmas gifts for the golfing gals in our lives. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's worth the ride for the walk. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 (NEXT WEEK: The notebook will be unloaded next week. If you have any
tidbits for this column, either call the Sunday Dispatch at 655-1418, send
them to the sports desk at The Times Leader, leave a message at my shack in
the backwoods at 378-3121, or find me in cyberspace at Johnnypa@AOL.com.) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Watson &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Relaxing Sport, If You Take A Hike 
Life's Finest Moments Are Those Rare Times Of Peace Of Mind And I've Found A 
Bunch Of Them On The Golf Course. My Fondest Memories Of Golf Are Not Low 
Rounds Or Tournament Wins, But Cool Summer Evenings Alone As A Kid With A Bag 
Slung Over My Shoulder. There Is Harmony In Walking A Round Of Golf.