Dog helps golfers out of 'ruff'

Mr Phillis and Deuce live close to the club. Photo: Pontypool Free Press

A dog has been given life membership of a golf club for his special talent of finding lost balls.

Deuce, a six-year-old mongrel terrier, has collected 3,000 balls for Pontnewydd Golf Club in five years.

Dog and owner, who live near the Monmouthshire club, usually hunt for stray balls on evening walks.

Jim Phillis said: "He enjoys it once he gets going and he really comes into his own in this weather when the grass is longer and the ferns have grown."

Mr Phillis discovered Deuce's talent at home in the garden.

"It just started as a bit of fun, throwing a tennis ball for him to retrieve it," he explained. "Then the thought came to me, would he pick up golf balls?"

Deuce retrieves the balls from the rough areas and fields at the side of the course.

Mr Phillis explained Deuce never chases moving balls.

"He just doesn't bother, he isn't trained to do that," he said.

Favourite treats

Club secretary Carl Phillips put down the number of stray balls to the "difficulty of the course" for the 500 members.

He said: "Jim always has a tray of balls when the vets meet on Wednesday mornings and he saves the better ones up for some of our youngsters."

As a reward, Deuce receives supplies of his favourite treats from members, and every year at the annual general meeting, the members make a collection.

But Deuce's membership does not extended to full use of the club's facilities.

"He's not allowed into the club house unfortunately," said Mr Phillis. "He's the only member that's not allowed in.

"I very rarely take him to the club house, anyway, I tend to use him mainly in the evenings for the last hour before sunset."