I returned about half an hour later to find a small group berating (teasing?) Bill Robson for only having 10 holes open (I was quite happy with that: they are the holes I find easiest and I suspect resting the course does it good). But despite that 7 of us went out (preceded by a couple of family groups). It was really cold and a bit windy: the winner for the day was (again) Dick Little, but with only 38 points this time. I've often wondered if it's his cap which gives him the power to play so well in these conditions. Mark Dawson lent me his woolly hat but it didn't seem to change my game, so perhaps it's talent more than headgear that counts. Update:
Having said that, on the next day Mark, with his hat back, got a hole in one at the (short) 15th and Dick Little won again. Talent? Headgear? You decide.
One noticeable point was the number of walkers; I've never understood why people walk when they could drive, although when they stick to the paths they're relatively harmless. But there was a large group walking through the bracken at the side of the 6th and the 5th who then casually wandered across the 4th fairway holding up the group behind us. Despite the screams of "fore" and worse. This lack of awareness by walkers of golfers seems to be growing, perhaps because of a lack of understanding about "rights to roam". In fact, Bamburgh (and most of the coastal around us) is not one of the new areas of open access; even if it were, golf courses are specifically excluded from open access areas because of the need to balance the rights of all users. Legally, walkers are therefore restricted to the existing rights of way. The Scottish section of the Ramblers society endorses the Scottish Outdoor Access Code which amongst other things says:
"Allow players to play their shot before crossing a fairway"; and "Be still when close to a player about to play".
The English section is quiet on the subject but hopefully common sense will prevail as the number of walkers grows.
.JPG)
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