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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – Ballantrae’s first four-legged employee announced his retirement this week after four energetic years on patrol at Pelham’s Ballantrae Golf Club.

Driver, a German shorthaired pointer, first came to the Ballantrae Golf Club as an eight-week-old puppy in May 2020. Growing up quickly, Driver has patrolled the green for the past four years in pursuit of his sworn enemy, geese.

“Over the four years of service, Driver has saved the facility over $50,000 in staff labor and new sod from the damage that would have been caused by the geese,” said Ballantrae Golf Club General Manager Hal Brown.

According to Brown, Driver has performed well beyond expectations during his service and has succeeded in his mission where decoys, ropes, sirens and deterrent sprays all failed.

Prior to Driver’s introduction, Ballantrae’s maintenance teams were constantly burdened with the task of cleaning up unsightly feces and repairing areas of damaged sod imperiled by the birds, which amounted to an average of $10,000 in annual costs and damages.

Those costs quickly plummeted with Driver on the green and have remained at an all-time low during his service.

Up to the task both by genetics and natural demeanor, Driver also proved to be popular with the public, with the bird-dog making a number of public appearances and serving as the featured player of his own Instagram account with over 2,000 followers.

Although initial estimates at the time of his hiring believed that Driver would be active in his role for roughly a decade, the decision was recently made to allow Driver to retire and enjoy the easy life in the care of Hal Brown, who has served as his handler throughout Driver’s tenure at the golf club. This decision will allow Driver to not only depart his position in his prime, but also enjoy life after retirement.

“The facility just purchased a new dog, Commander, who will continue these duties,” Brown said. “Commander will also be able to spend more time on the course with his handler being Golf Course Superintendent Rodney Bryant.”

Publicly announced at a regularly scheduled Pelham City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 19, Driver’s retirement was also included in a list of resolutions that included the declaration of two utility carts and a pull-behind mower as surplus equipment no longer in use by the facility.

Having earned his retirement, Driver now approaches his fifth birthday with more spare time and a lot less geese invading his space.