REGARDING the story about transforming Andover Golf Club into a new play park.

I had to check the date, as I thought it was April the first, it made absolutely no sense to me.

I believe Test Valley Borough Council is an excellent council, and has developed some excellent parks, etc. We are so fortunate to have the beautiful river Anton, Recreation Road Park, Anton & Charlton Lakes, Rooksbury Mill Park, I could go on. The council’s maintenance of these facilities is in my opinion excellent.

It would be wrong to develop the golf club into another park. The golf club provides a wonderful facility to its members, as a members club, it is due to the members hard working skills that the course is kept in excellent condition.

I have indeed seen volunteers on the course at 6.30am preparing for 250 members and guests to play the game they love.

You suggest they go to the Hampshire Golf Club, a proprietary club (not managed by its members) and in my opinion, as a golf course, not near the quality of Andover’s course.

As a nation we are concerned with obesity and fitness levels, So it is a joy to see children being coached (facilities for juniors are excellent) and play this lovely game. There is little obesity in golfers in general, getting plenty of exercise.

It has also been a joy over the years to see Andover citizens enjoy themselves during a snow fall. With the course being closed, Andover citizens enjoy themselves as they use the slopes of the course for sledging/snowboarding, etc.

So please Test Valley, continue your good work, on behalf of us all, and leave Andover Golf Club to continue their unbelievably hard work, providing such wonderful facilities for their members, after all they have been doing this for excess of 100 years.

George McLaughlin, of Winchester Road, Andover