Unfortunately, it happens all too often at golf clubs and just last month at Delgany where, within a week of reopening their newly-renovated building, the structure was ravaged by flames.

At the other side of the country the golfers of Strandhill are preparing to go into their new clubhouse in midDecember just in time to celebrate the club's 75th birthday.

The old clubhouse was razed by fire in May 2005.

The history of the game is littered with poignant tales of golfers under stress in this way. At Royal Dublin in the early 1950s, when the historic clubhouse was destroyed by flames, much of the club's history, pictures and trophies went with it and it has only been through decades of diligent work by the irrepressible Larry Gunning that today's clubhouse boasts such a fine display of memorabilia dating back to the 1890s.

Of much more immediate concern to Phillip Flood, though, was the fate of his clubs which he had left in his locker. He had been putting very well, which helped him to play nicely to 7-handicap, and as soon as the embers were cool enough he scrambled right in to where the lockerroom used to be and searched.

When he found the head of his Leyland Wee-Mac putter he had it restored by Fred Smyth and resumed normal service!

Ten years later it was the turn of the legendary Rosapenna Hotel to fall to flames.

This historic north Donegal golfing mecca had attracted aristocrats and champions from all over Britain since Lord Leitrim had the great Tom Morris over to layout the links in the 1890s. Some of them had developed a fierce loyalty to the place.

So fierce, indeed, that the Duke of St Albans refused to leave the burning building until he had been served one more portion of his favourite soup. The service was faster than usual and nobody got to wash-up.

Fire has also visited the Castle and Howth golf clubs in Dublin but it is quite impossible to match the Royal Ottawa Golf Club when it comes to matters incendiary as it has lost not one but two clubhouses to the flames.

The first was in 1909 in the very last week of the golfing season. The volunteer firemen manned the pumps willingly until they noticed that the members, who had come by horse carriages from their homes to see what was afoot, were all standing about. So the firemen downed tools and enjoyed the blaze. All that was saved were bits and pieces of furniture and, without a scratch, the much-loved club piano. Ottawa's majestic new clubhouse went on fire on Thanksgiving Day in 1930.

Magically, like a phoenix, the club piano was again amongst the few items rescued from yet another inferno.

On which note we return to Delgany where they are operating nicely out of temporary buildings and manager Peter Ribeiro asserts that it is very much business as usual.

Indeed, Delgany has entered a pact with neighbours Bray, Charlesland, Glen of the Downs and Greystones offering a game on any three for just 99 or five rounds for just 165. This excellent value can be found on www. wicklowgolf. com.