May21 friendsre-united

Bristol’s Filton Golf Club are already looking forward to their centenary year in 2009 when they sincerely hope that German superstar Bernhard Langer will be guest of honour.

The Bristol club believe that’s the least they can do after recently discovering a club rule nearly 90 years old – it was introduced in the wake of the Great War – barring both Germans and Austrians from treading the Filton fairways and greens.

The long-forgotten rule was accidentally discovered by a committee member carrying out research for a book marking the club’s 100th anniversary, but was kicked into touch at the club’s recent annual meeting.

Said committee member Alan Barclay: “The rule was lost in time – nobody really knew it ever existed. We will invite Mr Langer to our centenary celebrations and hopefully he will be able to accept our invitation…and apologies.

“It is not the kind of rule you want a modern club to have – we’re now good friends with the Germans other than when they beat us at football. Everybody is welcome to tee it up at Filton these days.”

However, despite the original rule some Germans have managed to slip through the net and break the ban, including current member Anna Fischer who joined two years’ ago. Alan Barclay also pointed out: “We’ve also had the entire James Last Orchestra from Germany playing here and they didn’t get thrown off the course.”

Now Filton aim to celebrate their 100th year in style…hopefully with Ryder Cup hero and former US Masters champion Bernhard Langer making a special guest appearance.