Golfer Steve Walshe reckons he has saved £500 by not losing any balls since lockdown.

While upset that he is not allowed to play at his local club since social distancing rules put a stop to golf, Steve is looking on the bright side.

“I haven’t lost any balls since Lockdown 3 began at the start of January. That’s about £500 saved in lost balls, to go with the hundreds of pounds I saved in Lockdowns 1 and 2.

“With all the spare cash, I intend to get a lesson or two so I don’t need so many balls in the bag.”

Steve, 43, from Ipswich, reckons he gets through 18 balls a round – losing on average one on each hole.

“Sometimes I can play a hole without losing a ball, but then I will always lose a couple on the water hole – so it all adds up.”

He usually plays four rounds a week, losing around 72 balls in the process. At an average cost of £1.50 a ball, he is hitting and losing about £108 a week into the water and rough.

Asked why he did not buy cheaper or second hand balls to save on the cost, Steve said: “They don’t go as straight.”

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