Fair weather golfers & the clueless.

Sadly it is becoming the preserve of the private club if you want a quiet and relaxing round in high summer. If I go to the range at our local pay and play there is always at least three fourballs waiting to go off. YOu see the 10th and it is rammed (I'm sure some of those are people who can't be asked to queue at the 1st).

The range will be full of snotty teenagers trying to hit over the net onto the road or p****d up chavs trying to hit a bucket in record time and as far as possible with a battered Donnay driver. They infrequently hit the side wall and their best drive will be about 100 yards.

Meanwhile back on the course you will get Mr Summer Hacker and his mate zig zagging down the fairway like the red arrows as tehir mates stand on the tee, Stella in one hand, fag in mouth and shouting down to their mates now playing six to the green.

A group of decent and normal golfers will turn up and even though it is painfully obvious they are holding everyone up they summer golfer will blankly refuse to let the good guys through. Point out that it is good ettiquette and in the rules and you may be threatened with serious consequences. Ah the five hour round on a summer day. Don't you love them

This is quite obviously a huge generalisation and many pay and plays do offer a good service in summer with course wardens keeping an eye on play and players or attracting those purely there for the golf. However these problem courses do exist.

I am fortunate that I can afford to play at a private club. I know many on here enjoy the nomadic existence of not being tied to one course and that is their right and privilege but it isn't something I enjoy