JUST before Christmas I was driving on the road between Aldwark village and Aldwark Bridge which goes between two sections of the Aldwark Manor Hotel and Golf Club.

My car was hit by a golf ball from the river side of the course. Other traffic meant I could not stop to try and identify the wayward golfer. So I reported the incident to the managers of the hotel and the golf club.

Their response, while courteous, was under-whelming. The matter would be referred to their insurers and the golf club manager would ask returning players if they were the "wayward" player.

Needless to say, no one owned up.

The hotel and its owners, Marston Hotels, hid behind their insurers, who said "To be successful in a claim of this nature, you need to establish that the damage to your vehicle was as a result of negligence of our insured. We must advise a one-off wayward shot from an unknown golfer does not constitute negligence".

I am pursuing the matter.

If any of your readers have had a similar experience, I should like them to contact me with details at rghvaughan@hotmail.com

Richard Vaughan,

Thornlands, Easingwold.

Updated: 09:01 Monday, January 17, 2005