I have been reluctant to comment on Paul Grondahl's column concerning his recent experience golfing at Capital Hills Golf Course ("Golf course rage leaves a good walk spoiled," July 3).
I have always been a fan of Mr. Grondahl's. He writes good stuff, strong on human interest and socially conscious, but I found the column with the unfortunate incident of being unintentionally hit by a golf club thrown by a fellow golfer to be tasteless and unwarranted.
He may think that his daily experiences are worthy of writing about, but when they are written from a personal point of view and seek to denigrate another, a line should be drawn. It was wrong for someone to throw a club and even worse that it hit someone, but who hasn't had a split second of rage on the golf course, which they immediately wish they could take back?
What right does Mr. Grondahl have to use his "bully pulpit" to throw stones and cast aspersions? Wasn't the apology from the "fellow golfer" enough? Things happen; we get over it and move on.
Perhaps Mr. Grondahl's story was a form of retribution, like when we were little boys. That's how I read the story. I heard the "fellow golfer" has been banned from Capital Hills. I wonder if the victim hadn't been a reporter with a grudge to bear whether there would have been any penalty.
To Mr. Grondahl, go back to writing the good stuff. Your golf column was unbecoming of both you and your talent. To the city of Albany and management at Capital Hills, it's time to consider alternative policies that at least include a system of "warnings" rather than a "one-and-done" policy.
Paul G. FitzPatrick
Albany