Greatgolfholidays - we love golf.

Last Saturday, I was looking forward to my second round of golf in a few days and was invited by a friend to play at Letchworth. 2 members with 2 trolleys and 2 guests with 2 carry bags assembled on the 1st tee in a queue. When it was our turn to tee off, we patiently waited for the 1st fairway to clear when a 3-ball virtually ran up the 18th hole in a vain attempt to tee off before us. We stood our ground as was our right in this particular instance with staggered tee times.

However, one of the 3-ball walked up to us as we were about to tee–off and informed us, rather vociferously, that trolleys were not allowed on the tee box and that ‘you should know better’!! Fact: the trolleys weren’t on the tee box and the condescending arrogance of the man dumbfounded us all!! I have to say that after my first 2 shots travelled a total distance of 20 yards I was tempted to go back to the tee and use his head for the rest of the round. We later found out that this ‘gentleman’ was on the finance committee – which I guess puts him one below God!

Let’s get this straight; the attitude of this individual was disrespectful to the members and downright embarrassing for their guests. We are all good golfers who understand the rules and respect the game of golf. Letchworth is an ‘OK’ course. It has OK holes, OK fairways and OK greens. And paying £20 green fees as a guest on the weekend is OK! But, it certainly isn’t a course where one should feel privileged to be walking its hallowed turf! So why do certain committee members think otherwise?

Perhaps it is because this particular ‘jobs worth‘ had waited 10 years for his membership that he felt it his god given right to be an asshole! Or, perhaps he is naturally, just an asshole! Whatever the reason he represented a snob value that is unnecessary and out dated - and his behaviour left a sour taste in the mouth.

Letchworth GC web site states - ‘The Club welcomes all who visit this web site be they members, visitors or societies‘. It’s a pity that this welcome is not extended to visitors when they actually turn up to play the course. It only takes one person with the wrong attitude to make one feel distinctly ‘unwelcome’.

A final point; it is well documented that visiting golfers are made to feel very welcome at golf courses throughout Wales, Scotland and Ireland - it is now time for their England counterparts to follow suit!