If war comes, can golf continue? The answer given by die-hard fans is yes – even during the Second World War, when the war was shrouded in clouds, there were still people who were having fun with clubs, and even adhering to the principles of golf justice and humanistic spirit, formulate Temporary wartime rules for golf.

In the 1840s, when the war spread in Europe and the United States, professional golfers with clubs put on guns and joined the battlefield, including the founder of the Augusta National Club, Bobby Jones, “the king of the swing”. “Ben Hogan; professional events have been interrupted into endless periods of hiatus; many golf courses have been turned into military defenses, and many more have been devastated by the fire of war.

The brutal war shut down professional events and closed many courses, but the cloud of war did not make people give up golf life.

In Surrey, England, the Richmond Club, which was bombed by the German army in the “Battle of Britain”, has a group of die-hard fans. In order to deal with the emergencies of wartime, a “Temporary Wartime Rules” was drafted——

1. To prevent bombs and shell casings from damaging the lawnmower, players are obliged to pick them up.

2. During the game, if there is a gun attack, no penalty will be incurred for the player to terminate the game for covering himself.

3. Put a red flag warning at the position of the delay bomb.

4. Cases in greens or bunkers may be moved with impunity.

5. Balls that are moved or damaged due to enemy interference may be reset or replaced with impunity, provided the ball is more than one stroke length from the hole.

6.If a player hits a ball that is affected by a bomb explosion, he can change the ball and hit the ball again, but he will be penalized for one stroke…

This regulation, which seems to guarantee the safety of players, is quite dark and humorous in today’s peaceful age, but Richmond Club insists that the formulation of the temporary regulations is serious (the club even considers the penalty in this regulation). Explained – the rationale for this rule is to prevent players from abusing the effects of the explosion and blaming their own mistakes on irrelevant noise).

These temporary rules sparked a worldwide sense of humor at the time. Journalists from major magazines, newspapers and wire services, including The Saturday Evening Post, the New York Herald Tribune and the Associated Press, have written to the club to request copies of the interim rules for publication.

Legendary British golf writer Bernard Darwin said of the rule: “It’s an almost perfect blend of Spartan grit and modern spirit…it acknowledges that explosions are generally unusual events, and is therefore somewhat inappropriate. Such an accident is condoned, and at the same time, the player is punished for another shot, which increases the anger of the golfer. The German behavior can be said to make golf both comical and realistic.”

In the war-torn era, this provisional rule is very “golf”. He has witnessed the determination, humor and sacrifice of hardcore golf fans in the war years, and also reflects the thorough golf attitude of British gentlemen: KEEP CALM AND PLAY GOLF!

After the end of World War II in 1945, golf returned to people’s lives. Those who were lucky enough to return picked up golf clubs again after the smoke cleared, and professional events regained their former glory. Millions of golfers Influx into the golf course…

This provisional rule became a testimony to that special period of wartime. Its first draft was solemnly framed and hung on the wall of the club members’ bar. A terrifying story of the war.

Although war is inevitable, life goes on; although life is full of surprises, faith and spirit remain the same…