Directional signs are becoming a lot more common on golf courses than they once were, no doubt as a response to the marked increase in green-fee traffic. But is enough being done? Does local knowledge prompt us to assume too much of the unwitting visitor?

Here at Lytham, I've been reading a fascinating tale of the two visiting Americans who set off from the first at Royal St. George's, only to stray, mid-round, onto the neighbouring Princess links. Remarkably, they finished 18 holes, had lunch in the clubhouse and eventually realises something was wrong only when they couldn't find their car in the car park.

Then there was the sad case of the newly-appointed apprentice game-keeper at Sunningdale Ladies GC. On being asked to rake the bunkers, he duly complied with instructions, launching into the task with some vigour. Indeed, so enthusiastic was he that, because of poor directions, he managed to end up on the Old Course at Sunningdale GC, which is entirely unrelated to the Ladies Club.

From there, the lad worked his way onto Sunningdale's New Course. By this stage, his tireless activity had come to the attention of Sunningdale Greenkeepers. Noting the quality of the work, however, they saw no point in dampening his ardour.

So, the moral of this little tale is that a club can never have too many signs, especially if it means keeping its own staff from falling victim to neighbourhood traps.