The Second Links Traveler

First off, my apologies for slacking a bit over the past week. I’ve been sort of stymied for content ideas, but I believe I’ve brainstormed a few and will be back on track soon! Hopefully, I’m back to my 1-2 posts per week.

Second, this post is for me as much as it is for anyone. Just a lot of thoughts I needed to get down. I promise the next one will be much more upbeat and fun. It’ll have a contest, too!

I learned to play golf at the Barnyard, more formally known as Barnyard Country Club and Campground at Fawkes Landing. When I first heard from Robin Loxely that she was building a golf course at Fawkes, I did the SL equivalent of smiling and nodding while mentally wondering if she’d just gone mad. A golf course??? Why not a BDSM dungeon? Or race course? Or movie theater? I’m not the owner nor admin of Fawkes Landing, however, that’s Robin and Linda Banger, so I figured they had to know something I didn’t.

And they did.

Golfing has become one of my very favorite things to do in SL. Probably to the point where my partner is a little tired of me dragging her out to shop for golfy clothes or to try out new courses or of me going on and on about golf in Second Life. She’s a sweetheart, but we all have a finite amount of patience. 😉 I never would have discovered this had it not been for Barnyard, and I’m eternally grateful to Robin and Linda for (among numerous other things) giving me this gift.

Barnyard Country Club and Campground at Fawkes Landing, along with all of Fawkes Landing, is gone now. The platforms on which they lived a thing of the past, the Fawkes Landing sims completely unreachable. I’ve gone through five stages of grief (I spent a lot of time in depression) and I know that the course where I made this discovery is gone.

Since I started playing, I’ve played rounds at courses all over the grid. I’ve played newer courses, older courses, simple courses, and super elaborate courses. And I started a silly Second Life golf blog! And all because someone told me to ‘just try it’ back at Barnyard when the front nine were first opened.

I want to thank Poppy Williams who said something really kind about Barnyard on the TrueGolf Discord: “It makes me sad to have to announce that Barnyard, the golf course on Fawkes Landing, no longer exists. In my opinion it was the nicest Sky Course in SL.” Thanks, Poppy, that was really sweet and that meant a lot to everyone at Fawkes Landing.

I also want to say thanks to Robin Loxely, who built Fawkes Landing and the Barnyard. You continue to be an amazing force of creativity and awesomeness in Second Life. Thank you. (And thanks for telling me where you get all of your amazing clothes! I love your wardrobe!)

Finally, I want to say thank you to Linda Banger, to whom I owe a debt I can never repay. Not only did she give Barnyard and Fawkes Landing a home, but she’s brought a smile to my face every day with her…delightfully naughty sense of humor. I really admire her wit, her brains, her passion, and her creativity. I wanna be Linda when I grow up.

It’s worth mentioning that Robin has an idea for a par 3 course at our new home at Le Carbet. It’s not there yet, and I think it’s quite a ways off, but, damn, I really can’t wait.

Okay! Time for regular blog service to resume!!! I’m going to go play a round somewhere, my own way of pouring one out for my home course, even if that course has gone to that great country club in the sky.

Until next time, fairways and greens!

Keyli