A GOLF club has been branded sexist for making a joke about older players’ young girlfriends blowing on their balls.
It said a rule update for the over-65s allowed human wind-power to be used to sink balls that stopped near the hole.
Members of King’s Lynn Golf Club at Castle Rising, Norfolk, have taken offence to a ‘sexist’ joke in the club newsletter
It added the ball could be moved up to 12in away if the player had a young girlfriend able to propel it that far.
The club newsletter went on: “If she can blow it more than 12 inches, I would like to meet her — friends share!”
Members of £1,000 King’s Lynn Golf Club at Castle Rising, Norfolk, took offence.
One wrote: “It’s utterly disgusting and the excuse is ‘It’s just a bit of light-hearted relief’.”
Another added: “It’s sexist, a crude joke. If you’re going to make jokes, why not say players can bring their girlfriends and boyfriends?”
Norfolk Ladies County Golf Association, which was formed in 1912 to look after the interests of women and girls in the sport, said it had not been made aware of the bawdy newsletter.
But ladies’ captain Sharon Winterbottom said: “It’s being blown up out of all proportion.”
“Most of the players are married anyway. I’m not sure they’d have the energy for girlfriends or boyfriends.”
The suggested rule appeared in a section titled ‘Suggested changes to the rules of golf for golfers aged over 65+.