Lessons to be learned from wartime English golfers

President Trump was accused of being slow to take action, but even he is now warning Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead, with 100,000 to 240,000 coronavirus deaths even if we faithfully maintain our social distancing guidelines.

An estimated 4,000 American have already died from the virus, surpassing the number killed on 9/11, and if the White House’s projections are correct, we will quickly pass the 53,000 American lives lost during World War I, and approach the 291,000 killed on the battlefield in World War II.

Still, we’re finding ways to carry on, from “Takeout Tuesday” to support local food establishments, to the Social Distancing Cruise Night planned for Friday night, to online learning for schools and colleges.

It’s more important than ever for our physical and mental health to get exercise, especially on sunny days like we were blessed with today.

There’s nothing keeping us from taking a stroll in the park, going fishing or hunting, as long as we observe social distancing constraints.

With golf courses are still open on a limited basis, we can find inspiration in an earlier generation of golfers who insisted on taking to the links in defiance of German bombs.

Here’s a list of special rules from the Richmond Golf Club in Surrey, England, put in place during the 1940 Battle of Britain:

-- Players are asked to collect Bomb and Shrapnel splinters to save these causing damage to the mowing machines.

-- In competitions, during gunfire, or while bombs are falling, players may take cover without penalty for ceasing play.

-- The positions of known delayed-action bombs are marked by red flags placed at reasonably, but not guaranteed safe distance therefrom.

-- Shrapnel/and/or bomb splinters on the Fairways, or in Bunkers within a club’s length of a ball may be moved without penalty, and no penalty shall be incurred if a ball is thereby caused to move accidentally.

-- A ball moved by enemy action may be replaced, or if lost or destroyed, a ball may be dropped not nearer the hole without penalty.

-- A ball lying in a crater may be lifted and dropped not nearer the hole, preserving the line to the hole without penalty.

-- A player whose stroke is affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb may play another ball from the same place. Penalty, one stroke.