It was great to see the R&A supporting another Golf Memories group which assembled this week at Royal Portrush GC, where the Open Championship will be played in July. Golf Memories is a support group for people living with dementia which started with a group meeting just before last years Open in Carnoustie. In Scotland it is a project which is part of Sports Heritage Scotland and led to a further meeting at St Andrews and another at TPC Sawgrass in America. Lets hope that this spreads to other sports facilities. The purpose is to trigger memories and reconnecting individuals living with the condition to their interest in the sport.

I undertook some training a year or so ago with the Dementia Friends organisation and our trainer illustrated how resourceful people living with the condition can be. One lady who did not speak very often insisted on tapping her fingers when in the company of other people. Eventually it was discovered that during World War II this lady had worked for the Government at Bletchley Park and what she was doing with her finger tapping was communicating to them in morse code. Remarkable.