Golf, Cecil County Style

North Eastern Maryland has a reputation as an extremely...how best to put this...redneck area. If you thought Confederate flags were a faux pas these days, you haven't been to this part of the country, just beneath the Mason-Dixon line.

I crossed into this area over the weekend to play a round of golf. A few holes in, I crushed a fairway wood on one hole about 250 yards. In front of me was a steep hill, the hole tucked somewhere to the left a couple hundred yards over the rise. My playing partner advised that the group ahead of us was far enough away that it was safe to hit. He pointed to a set of three trees and told me to hit the ball to the left of the left-most tree. I walloped the ball on the line he advised and the ball drew back from right to left slightly.

Unfortunately, as we came over the crest, we noticed four men standing on the green staring us down. My ball somehow had made it all the way to the green and rolled right through it while the now angry foursome was putting.

I then received advice you can only receive on a golf course in Northeast Maryland. One of my playing partners surveyed the situation and told me I should apologize. Beyond common courtesy (because there was no intent to hit anyone), I was advised to make amends because: "People out here are tough. Remember, you're in Cecil County. This is Klan country."

Not your typical advice on a golf course.