WITH the US Masters about to tee off next week, golfing fans will be trying to curb their growing excitement while those not so keen on the sport may be yawning at the prospect.

But is the world of golf merely 18 holes followed by a whiskey and cigar in the clubhouse?

The Worcester News unearths some of the naughtiness going on behind closed doors and reveals how some members are behaving badly - you may be shocked to discover it involves pornography.

MOST of us think of golf and picture retired men dressed smartly in slacks and a Pringle pullovers knocking a small ball around.

But with the likes of young talent such as Tiger Woods bringing the sport into the 21st Century, golf is suddenly becoming, dare I say it, sexy.

With its new image and younger players chomping at the bit to splash out their hard-earned cash on expensive club memberships, new licensing laws and potential smoking bans, golf houses are facing fresh problems.

And the problems seem endless, according to the National Golf Clubs Advisory Association (NGCAA), based in Hanley Swan, near Malvern.

Pornography, buggy bans, where to put barbed wire fences, the treatment of part-time bar staff and the consequences of naughty members are just some of the legal queries the association faces on a daily basis.

The NGCAA provides a round-the-clock legal hotline for its 1,200 members and secretary Michael Shaw is the man who provides the answers.

"Our members range from the most prestigious of golf clubs to the smallest," he said.

"Regardless of size they all face the same legal issues and we are simply here to help.

"On an average day, I'll get 30 calls and almost as many e-mail queries from club secretaries or committee members who need a legal point clarifying before pursuing with a project.

"It could be a boundary dispute, a membership or an employment law issue.

"One young employee at a golf club was caught playing with pornographic playing cards, which outraged the members.

"Clubs need to know where they stand with regards to disciplining people.

"Could he be fired? Could we suspend him? That kind of thing.

"Clubs face similar problems from time to time with their membership. Can a member be suspended or perhaps expelled?

"Other issues include the treatment of transsexual members, how to legally introduce buggy bans and trespassers being hit by golf balls.

"All these have legal implications and, if not handled properly, can involve the clubs in expensive litigation."

But more commonly it's impromptu visits from health and safety officers, trading standards officers and all manner of bureaucrats who want to know the ins and outs of the golf clubs that's ruffling the most feathers.

And now Shaw is offering fierce vocal criticisms of new licensing regulations that have hiked up costs for golf clubs.

"I receive calls every day from clubs who are struggling with their understanding of the new licensing laws," he said.

"It's hardly surprising. The powers that be haven't made it easy for law-abiding golf clubs."

The much-debated ban on smoking in public places is also causing a bit of a stir - with veteran golfers getting somewhat hot under the collar at the mere thought of having to stub out their traditional celebratory cigars.

But it's not just golfers getting miffed - Worcester News readers were, this week, less than impressed by the sport.

Diane Stilgoe, of Worcester, was so enraged by one impatient golfer that she felt compelled to write into the Worcester News to vent her anger.

"My friend and I were walking our dogs around Perdiswell when we were "told off" by an elderly male golfer," she wrote. "What were we doing?

"No, our dogs were not fouling, running amok, barking and so on.

"We were not yelling, screaming, or walking on the golf course. The crime was walking along the footpath and talking!

"The golfer said: 'Ladies be quiet, I want to tee off.'

"We thought that he was joking. My friends replied jovially: 'You don't expect two women to walk along in silence do you?'

"He replied gruffly: 'I am not joking. I expect silence when I tee off, now be quiet.

"We probably would have answered back at this point but we were both totally gob-smacked."

So, if the US Masters spurs you on to pick up a nine iron next week, be warned - there could be more pitfalls than imagined.