Artwork of Larry Vienneau Jr: Ravens and Crows Love to Steal Golf Balls

THE THIEF AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

Raven is a "trickster" in Native American stories and myths, especially in the Northwest region of North America. He's sometimes a hero, a troublemaker, a glutton, a buffoon, a destroyer, or a creator. The Trickster loves to humiliate humans.

I am not much of a golfer but my Dad was. My parents came to Alaska to visit me during the 1990s. I arranged for us to play 18 holes. When we got the score card my Dad burst out laughing when he saw the "Raven Fox Rule" It is hard to believe but if you play a round of golf at the North Star Golf Club in Fairbanks, Alaska you will notice a unique local rule:
“When a raven or fox steals a golf ball, a replacement may be dropped without penalty at the scene of the crime.”

Similar rules are found elsewhere in Alaska:

The Raven Rule - Muskeg Meadows Golf Course, Wrangell, Alaska
If a raven steals your ball, you may replace it with no penalty, if you have a witness to the theft.

There are plenty of examples of wildlife stealing golf balls. Often the thieves are reptiles. In Florida lizards and gators often mistake golf balls for food.

Other birds and mammals often mistake the foods as well. In Alaska Foxes often grab golf balls thinking them eggs.

Photo from North Star Golf Club in Fairbanks, Alaska

Often golf balls are found in bird nests near a golf course. The balls may be deposited by birds or accidentally by golfers.

Raven takes a particular pleasure in tormenting golfers. In 1968 ravens repeatedly swooped down and stole golf balls during the Yellowknife Golf Course “Round the Clock” tournament. "The big golf hazard here are ravens that can and sometimes do take your golf ball." In the late 1990’s ravens took turns stealing golf balls at the final hole at a northern Minnesota golf course. The ravens watched with apparent glee as the frustrated golfers tried to find their lost balls.

This past year in Ireland, Northern England, and Wales ravens have been busy stealing so many balls that they are considered a natural hazard, resulting in a free ball drop!
"You have bunkers, and you have rough and now Greencastle have got the extra hazard of a bird," Billy McCaul, Northern Ireland Greencastle Golf Club, One British Golf official said, “I’m going to start using Ravens as an excuse for any lost balls.” True to form, Brits take it all with a great sense of humor. To embrace the Corvid Ball Thieves UK golfers are buying egg-shaped golf balls.

http://www.gokart.co.uk/blog/gokart-news/this-is-eggactly-what-you-need-this-weekend/attachment/egg-shaped-golf-ball-1/

Unlike other creatures, it is obvious that many ravens are doing this for fun. In Australia, "... I do know that Ravens love golf balls. I once watched one from my office window grab a golf ball, fly up onto a neighbor's roof then experiment with it. It would take the ball up the roof, drop it, and let it roll down to the gutter. Each time it took the ball a little higher and let it roll to see what the ball would do. The last time, the Raven took the ball to the highest pitch of the roof and let it roll. The ball hit the gutter, bounced off it, onto the neighbor's car, set off the car alarm and the next minute the neighbor came running out. They had a hard time believing my story, but they did confess to hearing some strange noises on the roof before this happened. It was such an inquisitive bird, but then that's Ravens all over." Inger Vandyke Professional Wildlife Photographer and Writer

http://www.tjmcdermott.com/gallery/gallery88.php

In Maine, there is a talented woodcarver, Thomas McDermott. He created a wonderful sculpture of a Golf Ball Thief:
"Raven With Golf Ball"
"A friend was telling me about this raven that kept dropping golf balls in his yard and I couldn't resist. Carved pine on jet (petrified coal) base."

This print has a lot of meaning for me, it reminds me of my father. I used to caddy for him every weekend through my adolescence. I actually did this print for my father; he was an avid golfer and he really enjoyed being part of its creation. I have been contemplating doing a new version of this print. I think the new version will have a little more playfulness.