On seeing the lead article and
accompanying headline (crazy golf) in the 20.2.14 addition of local news The
Hamilton Advertiser, I was disappointed but not surprised to see Labour council
leader Eddie Macavoy blatantly paving the way for future attacks on South
Lanarkshire’s municipal golf courses. In his own words Labour council leader
Macavoy poises the rhetorical question “you must think to yourself ‘is this one
of our priorities?”
Golf itself evolved from its humble
origins in the sand dunes of the Scottish coastline as a game for everyone.
This later developed into a game almost exclusively for the rich with the rise
of purpose build private golf courses and there expensive membership fees. This
is where the municipal golf courses come in by giving an affordable opportunity
to participate in an important part of our nation’s cultural heritage.
The reason for my disappointment is
the widely held belief that a good indicator for judging society is by the
number of cultural opportunities available to all its citizens. To those of us
who believe this then any reduction in these opportunities would be a step
backwards not only for those less financially privileged but for society as a whole.
The reason I express my lack of
surprise at this story is that to mask the vicious cuts in council budgets
Labour councils and there puppet councillors, who have put up no real
resistance to budget cuts, are touting out the same “were in a recession”
rhetoric the length and breadth of the country in an attempt to pacify
opposition to Labour councils. All the while the bankers, multinational
companies and there lackeys in government, rake in the doe on the back of our
misery.
This is why in my opinion any attempt
to undermine our municipal courses should be met with stern resistance.
Singed,
Concerned citizen
