Yer Man from the Pru

is the problem said the greenkeeper manicuring the already perfect 5th green. Caution gone mad. Have you seen the notices on the third and fourth tees on the Annesley Course (MPBUI)?'

I had. 'Do not drive until all the adjacent fairways are clear' or at the 18th 'Make sure the First fairway and the 1st Green are totally free of other golfers' In other words: if anyone is in sight keep your hands in your pockets and your driver in the bag. And while you are at it make sure that no one is moving on the Mournes. In practical terms, if you were to obey this instruction to the letter you could never hit a golf ball of the 4th tee which has the third fairway of the Annesley Course to your right and the 17th of the Championship course PBUI) to the right for most of a summers day when both courses are busy.

All this springs from the incident of a caravan being struck or nearly struck by a wandering Titleist two years ago sliced from the 11th tee on the Annesley Course (MPBUI)resulting in much threatened litigation and a decision to move most of the hole out of range-no suggestion to move the bloody caravan whose idiot owner parked it near a golf course and then took the wheels off thus becoming a permanent structure. The whole sorry saga is related here

The saddest sign of all is the one on the former back tee at the Third. 'Men are not permitted to use this tee' The men's tee is now 100 yards further on and at a safe distance from the newish posh houses set back from the course to the left. Thus ruining the toughest hole on the course. And it is all a bit silly and indeed sexist, implying that frail women golfers (a) don't hook their drives and (b) if they do they haven't the strength to do any damage to 'Dunbanking' 'Mon Allowed Expense' or other desirable residences cowering to their left.

Judging from the massive club wielding Amazons which haunt the course on Ladies Competition days this a very dangerous assumption and I doubt would meet the approval of

Yer Wimmin from the Pru

(The image is of the 5th Green on the RCDGC Championship Course PBUI)

'Er No' as that irritating Insurance Watch Dog, Churchill might say

Labels: Caravans, Golf and Insurance, Man from the Pru, Royal County Down

  ¶ 9:20 AM