Several UK golf clubs temporarily ban smoking

Several British golf clubs have banned smoking on the course due to the risk that discarded cigarettes can cause fires on dry grassland.

At the end of June most of the UK experienced a heat wave, and this coincided with a number of grassland fires, including on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill, both in Lancashire, Glenshane Pass in Northern Ireland and Laughton Woods in Lincolnshire.

As a result, many golf clubs took to Twitter to announce they were temporarily banning smoking on the course.

‘DUE TO THE RECENT HEATWAVE AND THE THREAT OF SCRUB FIRES, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SMOKING IS NOT PERMITTED ANYWHERE ON THE LINKS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE’ tweeted Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

‘Dear Members, Due to the extreme dry ground conditions, caused by the recent weather. We have imposed a temporary ban on ALL smoking on the golf course, reducing the risk of fires and subsequent damage. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this,’ added Forest Pines Golf Club.

‘Dry Weather & Smoking: The Courses are tinder dry at the moment……please help reduce the risk of fire,’ added St Enodoc Golf Club.

‘Friday 29th June NO SMOKING ON THE GOLF COURSE. This is due to the dry conditions. Course open with both buggies and trolleys allowed today,’ stated Knighton Heath Golf Club.

‘Due to current dry conditions there is now a ‘Smoking Ban’ on the golf course,’ added a tweet by John Hart, course manager at Blankney Golf Club.

Last summer a cigarette was blamed for a fire next to Selkirk GC in Scotland.

Chairman of the local community council, Alistair Pattullo, explained: “Fire officers reckoned the fire was started by a discarded cigarette.

“It is worth reminding golfers that if they are smoking they must dispense of their cigarettes safely.

“It was a fairly large area that was burning and, with the wind, it was spreading quickly.

“If it had gotten over the fence and onto the grass it would have caused a lot of damage to the golf course.

“The ground was tinder dry at the time and it would have spread along the golf course pretty quickly.”

Local councillor Gordon Edgar added: “Everyone should be reminded about the dangers of discarding cigarettes, especially at this time of year.”