Britain’s biggest golf society

Members of Merseyside-based Bunkers Golf Society stood straight and proud. They were steeling themselves for some serious on-course action, poised to go into battle on the splendid links of North Wales GC against old foes The Grimshaw from Skelmersdale. But the three-day Ryder Cup-style early season tournament ended in disappointment for the Bunkers boys, who could not repeat their ‘Miracle of Maesdu’ (another Llandudno course) victory of the previous year. Not that it was through lack of trying – more a lack of sleep. 

This is what society golf is all about: winning is good, but it’s more about the banter off the course as much as the birdies on it. There is just one thing that all the Bunkers members are ultra-keen to avoid – being awarded the ‘Golden Turd’, which is handed to the lowest overall points scorer. 

“We have little mickey-taking comps like ‘The Wall of Shame’ at every event,” says Bunkers GS chairman Andy Roper, “and we put them on our website so everyone can see them! We all enjoy a good crack and some of the lads involved have known each other for 40 years. They enjoy the golf, but don’t take it too seriously.”

It’s an ethos that’s echoed in golf societies up and down the country. Most clubs have one. It might contain six or 600 people, but the purpose is the same – to bring like-minded golfers together. 

The first known golf society was Scotland’s Royal Burgess Golf Society in 1735. Now there are a whopping 15,000 societies dotted across the UK and Ireland. Memberships range from a couple of fourballs to the 800 members of the Society of Great Britain and the 1,000-plus members of the National Farmers Union Golf Society. The army has one. So does the RAF. 

A spokesperson for England Golf was unable to provide any hard numbers in terms of the growing popularity of societies, but told us: “It’s an area of the game we aim to look at more as part of our strategy – we are looking to work with societies more and to offer them more. You can join a golf club in various ways and societies is one of them. Anything that encourages people to take up the game and  play more has to be good news. If somebody joins a society, there’s a good chance they will be bitten by the golfing bug which could well ultimately lead to him joining a golf club.”

“We have a lot of reds and blues members from across Liverpool,” adds Roper, “so you can imagine the banter. We’ve got members from all walks of life… accountants to coppers, firefighters to military personnel, different ages and backgrounds, a good mix of people.” It’s typical of every golf society. 

Bunkers formed about three years ago, mainly because Andy and his pals were fed up of “paying through the nose” to play courses. “So we decided to get round this by getting people together for group golf. 

“I know societies are not always appreciated and are sometimes regarded as
a necessary evil, but they provide clubs with important income often at the expense of giving away key tee-times, so it’s a difficult balancing act for clubs.”

It’s no stroll in the park for organiser Andy, either. “It’s like having a second job in a way. In the close-season I’m trying to set everything up for the year, I work shifts and playing golf is awkward – the missus doesn’t see a lot of me at the start of the year! 

“It’s not easy and you do need help from experienced people and you do need people to guide you along the way. When you start off, it’s likely you’re going to make loads of mistakes. You have to accept a bit of feedback and criticism from members.”

So why should golfers join a society? “If you’re not going to play 30-40 rounds a season then paying a club membership doesn’t make sound financial sense,” he adds. “Last year I paid £1,000 to become a member of my local club and played 29 rounds. I thought that was good, but deep down I was thinking ‘is it really’? 

“Society golf is different. Societies are growing whereas club memberships are falling. My club alone has lost 60 people this year. A lot of it comes down to money but, more than anything else, it’s about getting value for that money and feeling part of something. That’s obviously where the golf club has a big advantage, especially if it’s got a bustling social element and atmosphere to it. And this is what we’re trying to do with the society, though I’ve put a ceiling on 35 members – it makes it more manageable, you can give people a bit more time plus they get a better quality day out. 

“For me, a society works when the golfers get to taste and replicate certain elements of what they’ve seen watching the top players on TV. In other words, their dreams are realised: the more you base it on the stuff they watch, the more they get attracted to it.”

Though he was on the losing side, Andy was in buoyant mood – and not just because he holed out on the par-3 16th for his first ever ace. No, he was happy because he avoided the Golden Turd, which is not the only strange prize up for grabs. Four of the 17 Bunkers events are based around the major championships and the week after the Masters, players were battling it out for an embroidered blue jacket. 

He told us: “The prime reason I do this is to see the smiling happy faces at the end of the day; that makes it all worthwhile. I’ve known the majority of the lads since I was a toddler, we’ve played football and other sports and activities together only to drift apart in later life. Golf has brought us all together again. I wouldn’t see my old pals if it wasn’t for golf.”

Every society has one of these…

THE DRINKER | Tony King	THE BIG HITTER | Chris Berry
Production manager for shipping company	Accountant
“I’m really proud of my unbeaten record. Not so proud of once falling in a pond – I hadn’t fully recovered from the previous night’s revelry. I lost my balance and fell in along with my trolley, clubs, the lot.”	“I average about 280 yards off the tee, but I don’t get the driver out that often because it doesn’t always go straight and in the right direction, leaving me to scramble around. But I’ve always avoided the Golden Turd…”
THE ORGANISER | Andy Roper	THE BANDIT | Tom Davies
Police officer	Property developer
“I’m a bit OCD – I like things done in a certain way, done properly. I do all the website, all the bookings, all the money and accounts, pretty much do everything. But I do get a lot of satisfaction when the days run well.”	“My Bunkers handicap is 24, but I don’t play that often… just a few times in the past couple of years. Shooting two-over gross on the front nine at Abergele GC was a shock and I’ve never won the Golden Turd.”
THE ENTERTAINER | Dave Ashley
Retired head teacher
“I do a Frank Sinatra tribute act and have been all over the world, including Madrid and Paris, with shows. I say a few words at the start of the days to raise spirits. I love being involved in society golf – it’s so much fun.”