If you’ve played golf in Scotland before, then you know the unique joy of golf as a public good.

And by unique joy, we mostly mean one thing.

Dogs.

Because almost all of the courses of golf’s home country are open to the public for use, our furry friends are everywhere — meandering through the fairways, trotting out through the rough, and, on rare occasion, entering the fray of play.

That last bit proved particularly relevant on this Saturday morning in Scotland, where the annual Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is entering its third day of play after a brief … and furry … interruption.

The situation started on Saturday morning on Carnoustie, where former Welsh soccer superstar Gareth Bale was playing in a morning foursome. Bale had just made a terrific chip from a greenside dune, watching as his ball trundled down the slope and stopped just a short distance from the hole.

Things stayed that way for a few seconds, until chaos broke out on the green. Streaking onto the scene from just behind Bale arrived a surprise visitor, a puppy, and there was only one item in his sights: Bale’s ball. The dog chased down the golf ball, plucked it from the earth, and ran away with the ball in his mouth, much to the delight of the few-dozen fans following the action from up close.

Thankfully, the ball was eventually retrieved, and per the rules of golf, Bale was allowed to replace his ball at the spot it was before the puppy arrived.

Still, those in the crowd at Carnoustie were presented with a keen reminder that the obstacles in the linksland are unlike anything else in the world.

Sometimes they even walk on four legs.

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.