Yourcaddy #1 | Page 8

YOUR LETTERS... ET, take your phone home! I love the game of golf, I really do but I often find myself frustrated by the attitude of the older golf club member. The majority of my friends do not live local to me so most of our get togethers are on the golf course, usually a good hour’s drive away. We are all at different levels of the game (8-17 handicappers) but we know and respect the rules and the courses we play at. We were stood on the tee box of the 5th hole where I decided to get a group picture of us all whilst we had plenty of time from the group behind, as I took my phone out of my pocket I heard a “gentleman” shout across from the opposite fairway telling me to “to put that phone away and to act like an adult on the golf course!” Why can’t the older generations understand that the game of golf has opened its doors to a younger audience and with that audience comes technology, in a world of social media golf courses should be embracing things such as Instagram and using those social channels to promote the game, increase the courses popularity and therefore gain more memberships? The decline of many golf club member numbers can be attributed to clubs being managed (club and captain) by a generation that is out of touch with the modern golfer! Please publish this letter as I doubt the “gentleman” will see it if I post it on that modern thing they call social media! David Chambers, Southampton If you can give me a good reason I’ll pay! Golf is an expensive sport and golf is a game where golf club member numbers are in decline. Can anyone else see the issue? I would really like to join my local club and become part of the community, play in competitions and meet new people. Unfortunately the “joining fee” is three times the yearly membership meaning I would have to pay out over £3500 before I have even hit a ball! It seems that the only reason why golf clubs to this is to maintain the air of exclusivity as I’m yet to find out why the golf should be thrice as expensive in the first year, I don’t create that many divots! If clubs stopped doing this and just charged the memberships they would see their member numbers increase! FACT! Lee Baker, Winchester 8 YOURCADDY | ISSUE 01