Golf courses' plea over ramblers

Golf clubs are calling for access to be limited

The operators of Scotland's golf courses have asked Holyrood to change the right-of-way legislation to stop people wandering across the fairways.

Since the 2003 Land Reform Act, ramblers have rights of access across Scotland's courses.

However, the Scottish Golf Union said it wanted the law changed to make people stick to recognised paths.

The Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on golf met club secretaries on Tuesday in Prestwick.

Walking groups

Ramblers have virtually unlimited access to courses as long as they do not interrupt games and stay off the greens.

However, Hamish Grey, chief executive of the SGU, said the act needed to be amended to ensure ramblers only access courses at specific points.

He said people needed to exercise their rights in a "responsible" way, without interrupting a golf game and dog walkers must clean up.

"The reality on both counts is not that and certainly dog walkers are not cleaning up," Mr Grey said.

"We're not trying to stop access, but manage that access in a way which would allow both golfers and ramblers to see each other with defined paths.

"A simple amendment to the act would do this."

We don't have any evidence of routine disturbance of golf play Helen Todd Ramblers Association

He said the matter was a health and safety issue and that ramblers faced serious injury if they were hit by a ball on the course.

Members of the newly-formed Scottish Parliament Cross Party Golf Group (SPCPGG) discussed the impact of the act on the game.

However, Helen Todd of the Ramblers Association said: "We don't have any evidence of routine disturbance of golf play, so we don't see any reason to change the legislation.

"What they're trying to do is make a blanket change to legislation because of these isolated incidents with individuals who are not acting responsibly.

"They should work with the local authorities. There have to be other changes they can put in place before they start doing this."