The power of a rumour has become ever more potent in the digital – and specifically social media – age. One wrong word, one slip, one misinterpretation… and your world can turn upside down. Facts are misconstrued, quotes are taken out of context, spite bares its soul.
Take a President starting his own idiotic rumour that Covid-19 can be tackled by injecting disinfectant and many of us are waiting for the first deaths by bleach ingestion to be announced. His fixation with hydroxychloroquine has already caused the death of an engineer in Arizona who consumed a fish-tank cleaning chemical believing it contained the Trump-touted cure. OK, so the word ‘rumour’ should probably be replaced by ignorance… but the two often go hand-in-hand.
On the golf front we’ve all heard rumours about this and that and it’s not always easy to separate fact from fiction. I read an article some eight years ago that suggested Co. Sligo had been selected to host the Irish Open, and foolishly tweeted about it. Someone was having a laugh, started the rumour and I compounded it.
At the moment the most dangerous rumours circling Irish golf are the ones claiming that courses are closing. Such rumours are like sharks scenting blood and no sooner does the rumour start than more predators emerge to get their teeth into the story.
What we do know is that Killorglin GC has gone and so too Castleisland GC**. They were near neighbours (30 km apart) and they closed within a week of each other. I know of one other course that is supposed to have closed… although I won’t fall into that trap again… and there are undoubtedly rumours swirling around others.
Interestingly, a club that is located between these two Co. Kerry courses, Beaufort Golf Club, is another venue rumoured to be closing. Last Saturday was the first time I heard about this one… and the only reason it came to my attention was because the golf club contacted me to make it clear the rumour was false.
“There are rumours being spread that we are closing,” said Fiona Dunne, Marketing Manager at the club.
“This is far from the truth. I want to put to bed that we are not closing and we are looking forward to a successful second half of the year, welcoming members old and new, and visitors too once we are allowed to reopen. Maintenance work is being carried out on a continuous basis, alongside the implementation of our BRS booking system and a refurbishment of the Pro Shop.”
The club is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special membership offer as all anniversary celebrations have been put on hold. No doubt there will be some celebrations in the future, especially when the rumours of closure have ceased.
**Killorglin and Castleisland members are in the process of forming a new club to be based on the Killorglin course.
*Rumour Has It was a hit for Adele in 2011.
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