The good old, bad old days

It seems there is a counter-attraction to the gathering of champions at St Andrews next Wednesday. Michael Neary of "Golfing Memories" in Bray, informs me he is competing in the captain's prize of the Golf Collectors' Society, which requires period attire of plus fours and collar and tie, hickory-shafted implements and a small ball, or a gutty, if available.

"We'll be playing at Crail, and my equipment will be a spoon, niblick, mashieniblick, rut iron and a putter," said the eight-handicap member of Old Conna. "And I'll have a brand-new, small Dunlop 65, all in a pencil bag over my shoulder."

And what of the scoring? "A net 80 would be good," he said. Indeed it would.