List of weirdest things found on a golf course compiled

An online retailer of golf equipment has compiled the top 10 strangest things to be found on a golf course.

The list, however, does not include the 2,000-year-old skull found on a Scottish course earlier this year but does include a UFO, which was not verified.

Golf Support says wrecked cars, a family having a camping holiday and piles of money have all been found on British and foreign golf courses, according to reports, in recent years.

“Perhaps it’s the fresh air and wide open spaces,” said Golf Support’s customer service manager, Gary Swift. “But there’s something about a golf course that means all kind of things turn up.

“Golfers are never short of a tale or two, and we’re always amazed at some of the stories that our customers have told us. It’s like they’ve come straight from the 18th hole and they’ve just got to tell somebody who’ll believe them.

“One golfer told us they arrived on a green to find an empty golf bag, and all 14 clubs methodically snapped over their former owner’s knee and dumped in a nearby bunker. That must have been one frustrating missed putt.”

The Top 10

10. A toilet and complete bathroom suite

9. £2,000 in cash

8. A sofa

Many bizarre finds have a more serious side, being the result of littering or fly-tipping in areas not usually covered by local councils or CCTV cameras, as unscrupulous tradesmen get rid of their refuse without paying landfill fees.

“That’s probably where the toilet and the sofa came from,” Gary suggested. “Fly-tipping is a real problem for golf clubs, especially where their fairways run next to quiet country roads.”

7. A UFO

“This may be more to do with long days out in the sun,” said Gary.

6. A fire engine

“The fire engine was spotted after putting out a nearby scrub fire,” said Gary.

5. A TV crew shooting a murder mystery

4. A family on a camping holiday

“One golfer tells of finding a family setting up a tent for a camping holiday on the fairway of a seaside course in Northern Ireland,” said Gary.

“He said he wasn’t sure where they thought they were, but they told him it seemed like a nice quiet spot and they weren’t planning on moving. The greenkeeper had other ideas.”

3. A suitcase full of lingerie

“This one shows there’s golfing etiquette to consider. You should consult your rule book when encountering any of these obstacles on a golf course,” said Gary.

“If a suitcase of lingerie is tackled incorrectly, you could incur a two-shot penalty, or – if you are in match play – forfeit the hole.”

2. Abandoned cars

1. A live shark

In October of last year, a live shark was found on the 12th tee of a golf course in California. The two-pound animal was found living in the grass by the 12th hole of San Juan Hills Golf Club. It had probably been taken out of the nearby ocean by a bird and then dropped. Incredibly, the shark survived the ordeal, and staff at the club put the creature in a bucket of water. It was later released back into the ocean.