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For those of you who live in Hamilton Parish, you'll understand when I say I've spent many hours of late staring into the darkness. However, since BELCO usually does a great job keeping us fed with electricity, I'm going to give them a push for these latest down times. After all, it hasn't really been good kite-flying weather lately.

I spend a fair bit of my time in the dark anyway, even when the lights are on, but the other night, as I sat staring into the darkness, I began thinking about some of the golfing characters that I've known over the years.

I miss yesterday's characters and it seems clear to me that what Bermuda golf lacks is characters. There used to be so many of them and now I don't think we even have enough to need all the fingers on one hand to count them.

Here's a partial list of players from yesteryear that toured the Bermuda golf scene and who put character into the word golf. Louis Moniz, David Ferreira, George Sousa, Joe Sousa, Terry Sousa, Dolly Smatt, Ernest Lindo, Eddie Lindo, Al Capone, Walter King, Noel van Putten, Frankie Rabain, Lloyd James, Bill Pitt Sr, Wilfred Fray, Max Atherden, Kim Swan, Peter Tucker, Keith Pearman, Eardley Jones, Rogers Outerbridge, Clyde 'Tango' Burgess, Earl 'Tiro' Wilkinson, Wilfred 'Rock' Hodgson, Noel 'Red' Smith, Stan 'Big Daddy' Bradshaw, DeVent Smith, Keith Smith, Dave Purcell, Ron Wallace, Fraser Memmott, Butch Lindo, Jeffrey Lindo, Joe Morgan, Michael Albouy, Alex Crofton, Tommy Smack, Bees Ingham, Ian Crowe.

What these players had in common was they all loved to compete. Competing was in their blood and, for them, there had to be something on the line when the whistle blew to start the game. Whether it was a few dollars, several dollars or a trophy, they all played to win, they all played hard and they all had fun doing it.

They all usually turned up whenever and wherever there was a tournament. They loved to put their skills to the test against the others to see who the best was for that moment. When the day's work was over, they all went into the 19th hole to shoot the stuff around the room. What if's and but only's were the common theme, together with laughter, needle and a whole lot of camaraderie. These players had character and they were not afraid to show it.

What's happened over the past generation or so, and why haven't we been able to produce very many new characters? Joe Sousa used to dress like Doug Sanders, Noel "Red" Smith had the oldest looking set of clubs and both will be remembered. Sadly, no matter how many lights are on, I cannot think of one golfer today that stands out from the rest.

There is more to playing amateur golf than just swinging golf clubs. Laughter, needle, and camaraderie are integral parts of the game.

Come on Bermuda, characters welcome. In fact, characters needed.

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