PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

The other evening my wife and I were sitting on our deck above the golf course where I play – Illahe Hills Golf and Country – as we observed the spirit, if not the letter, of Oregon’s “stay at home and social distancing protocols” during the coronavirus pandemic.

As we sat in the clear, night our, we had the privilege of watching our maintenance staff work on the course to keep it in playable condition. Our sight-line included one of the stalwarts of the crew, the dog Boone.

His job is to chase geese away and, let me tell you, he is great at what he does!

As we watched, he ran around and around one of the ponds on the course making sure geese would not land or pollute the ground if they did.

The pleasure of watching Boone work prompted me to reflect on a blog I wrote a year or so ago, entitled “Boone the Majestic.” It was meant at the time to welcome Boone – not to mention his master, our golf course superintendent Steve Beyer, to Illahe.

It seems right to reprint that blog now to honor “Boone the Majestic.”

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“BOONE THE MAJESTIC”

Beyond what’s noted in the introduction to this blog, I also write, on occasion, about dogs. This is one of those times — a blog written by a dog lover, me.

My wife and I have had two great dogs. The first was Hogan, a miniature poodle who was named after the great golfer, Ben Hogan.

After Hogan went to heaven, we got a second miniature poodle, Callaway, who has the same name as my golf clubs. Hogan and Callaway came from the same breeder and, in fact, were related to each other.

So, in this blog, why the title, “Boone the Majestic?”

Well, Boone is the new dog on our golf course. He is owned by our new, very capable golf course superintendent, Steve Beyer, who came to my club, Illahe Hills, after seven years at Waverly and a few years elsewhere before that.

We are lucky to have Steve at Illahe.

And, guess what? With Steve, we get a “two for one deal” because Boone comes with Steve.

Also, here are a couple excerpts from an Illahe newsletter article written by Steve:

“Meet Boone. Named after the famous Daniel Boone who has been been known in history as the American hunter.

“Boone entered my life as a young ‘Bennie’ from the animal shelter in Sand Point, Idaho. That was what the shelter named him. Our family decided on the name Boone due to the fact that he is a German Short-Haired Pointer and has been bred to hunt upland bird and game.”

That is important because Boone, literally “an employee” on Illahe’s maintenance crew, will take on a key assignment, one for which he is well-suited and which no other employee could do with such dedication and abandon.

It is to rid the course of pesky geese – and, in regard to those birds, let me just say that they are better when flying than staying on the ground.

You know what happens when they are on the ground. Often.

Also, if you see geese flying in formation, another reminder — don’t look up too long or too often. Something bad could happen if you do.

At his new home, Boone is intent on learning, not just how to chase geese away, but also “to know where the best rodent areas are.” He’ll chase those, too, away from our golf greens.

There is no question but that Boone will earn his keep by keeping geese – and their leavings — away.

Welcome Boone the Majestic!