Collared greens

Bishops and archbishops have a chance to prove that God is on their side at the Canterbury Golf Club today. An auctioneering company have offered £10,000 for a hole in one for a cleric/celebrity outing which will endeavour to raise funds for the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Taking to the course in episcopal purple, bleeding heart red and perhaps even a little papal white, the bigname cleric in the field is the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey (right).

Powerful bouts of silent prayer will force God to make some interesting choices. For many mortals 18 holes is akin to wearing a hair shirt for five or so hours. Twenty-seven aces in one outing and a plague of locusts thrown in for colour is unlikely, but it would start people believing in miracles again if more than one cleric carried off the £10,000 hole in one prize.