Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - March 26/09

Citing child safety on the golf course as one of their reasons Essex Ladies County Golf Association in merry old England recently voted to exclude girls under the age of 16 from competing in women's inter-club competitions beginning in 2010. The Ladies also claim the ban is intended to stop youngsters missing school and becoming "over-golfed".

This amazing ban is reminiscent of a time in Scotland in 1457 when an act of Parliament was passed prohibiting "Fute-ball and Goff" because these new activities were interfering with archery practice, which was deemed so essential to the defense of the country against "Ingland".
(History of Golf In Canada, L.V. Kavanagh)

Perhaps the Ladies are fearful of developing another Michele Wei, but what ever their reasons golf officials, players and coaches across the pond have labeled this ban as "crazy", "unfair" and bad for the future of the game.

Under current club rules girls under 16 can play in adult competitions if their handicap is 24 or below.

"It shouldn't be about age," says one club director. "If you want to field your best team and you have a 14-year-old girl playing off a six handicap then you want to be able to pick her.

"Playing with adults is a good learning curve for youngsters," says another "It's about life skills as well as golf skills."

June Deans, 55, a ladies club captain, says the members at her course voted unanimously against the ban, adding "The girls who play with us are well supervised and it's up to their parents to make the decision about when and how much they play."

"We want to help our junior girls by giving them experience playing against ladies of all ages, it adds to the enrichment of the game."

Another ladies captain, Shirley Rawson, 63, says her club voted against the ban, and points out: "Sometimes young girls can be immature to play with, but then again, they are only going to get over that if they do get to play with adults."

A spokesman for the Essex Ladies County Golf Association says: "We cannot be seen to encourage absence from school during term time for pupils under the age of 16 in order for them to participate in these competitions. Other issues taken into consideration were duty of care, child protection, concerns regarding health and youngsters being over-golfed."

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Friday the 13th was a lucky day for two British Columbians down in Palm Springs this month. While Trish White of North Vancouver, wife of former Seymore Golf & Country Club head professional Mel White, was acing the 100-yard sixth hole with a 26-degree hybrid at Eagle Falls Golf Club in Indio, Klaus Vogel, from up 100 Mile House way used an 8-iron for his hole-in-one at the 120-yard fourth hole at Sands RV Golf Resort in Desert Hot Springs.