I am indebted to the Norn Iron bloggee for drawing this report, see below, from BBC Norn Iron to Huttonian' s attention. The Fox is lucky to be at Ardglass-15 miles away at the Royal County Down(PBUI) its reception would be rather different. Rather than Honorary Membership it would be expected to pay the green fee appropriate to its status-a visitor not introduced by a member: £125. It would not be allowed on the course on Saturdays, Wednesday afternoons, any day before 10am and Sunday mornings. Exception would be taken to its dress-plus fours and a smart jacket sine qua non. Penalty for rustling chocolate wrappers are severe as being an inappropriate distraction to serious golfer: probably stroke and distance for any golfer who tried to entice the beast in that manner. And worst of all for its health and safety it would not last ten minutes with the highly trainedAlsatian and its stalker owner-the dog would much prefer a bit of tasty Fox to its usual diet of cracked golfballs-especially so if Foxy has just dined on a tasty chicken supper.

You can see a birdie on any golf course but Ardglass has something rather special - a fox that has become an honorary member.
Not only has he set up home beside the sixth fairway at the County Down course, the cunning animal has also
worked out that many players carry tasty snacks in their bags.

The fox knows golfers carry snacks with them
Its home is in the middle of the yellow-flowering gorse bushes that fringe the sea side of the sandy course.
And sure enough, breaking cover from a large bush on this flat landscape, it's a regular sight to see the fox running confidently down towards the green.
The golfers who use this course say that the fox has recently become bolder.
"He would come out, lift the ball and throw it up in the air and roll over and play with it - he really has become quite tame," says one.
Another player nods in agreement, laughingly adding that the fox has now become a member.
So popular has the fox become that some members of the club are even bringing it tasty chicken suppers Foxes are usually wary of people but this one has learned that many golfers carry chocolate and other goodies in their bags and often will share.
On the seventh tee, another member explains that the mere rustling of a chocolate bar wrapper is enough to make the fox break cover.
To the surprise of visiting golfers, the sly old fox can sometimes come within a few yards of them, looking wistfully at the golf bags.
So popular has the fox become that some members of the club are even bringing it tasty chicken suppers.
The only thing the cunning fox hasn't managed to wangle yet is its own parking space beside the historic club house.
Never mind, down at the sixth, life is still pretty sweet for the honorary member.

I realise that Mr F would much prefer the challenge of the RCD (PBUI) but my advice to him is to stay where he is. And indeed as I am on my way across the Irish Sea on Thursday please hang around. A golf playing fox I have to see and I will even contribute the tasty supper-or anyhow the wrappings to entice him within camera range. Watch this space