The women, who wear tight-fitting pink uniforms, are provided by Eye Candy Caddies, which describes itself as the "gorgeous new solution for unforgettable golf days". Leaderboard has banned the service from its golf courses in Biddenden, Kent; Wadhurst, East Sussex; Kingsclere, Hants; and Oxford".

A spokesman said: "Anyone who seriously cares about the development of the game should work to ensure that it is as professional, inclusive, and culturally inoffensive as any other major sport. Exploiting outmoded notions of golf as a male bastion is not 'just a bit of fun', it damages the reputation of the sport as a whole as well as its appeal to members of the younger generation of either sex."

The Eye Candy website says the service is primarily for the corporate market. Caddies can be hired out at £230 for a day's golf. The agency claims that with "an Eye Candy caddie by your side, other golfers will be green with envy".  Katy Glyn, one of the models, describes herself as having "bombshell" looks, and says her favourite food is chocolate and almonds.

Another, Abbie Burrows, 27, a professional flautist, who has played private concerts for the Queen and the Prince of Wales, said: "We have learnt the rules of golf and that we shouldn't speak as a player takes a shot, or not to stand in the line of a putt."

The company's managing director, Sarah Stacey, said: "We add that extra sparkle and difference to any golf day and put a smile on people's faces. All the girls are trained in the etiquette of golf and uniformed in appropriate golf attire. They all sign a code of conduct so everyone is clear about the boundaries."

Quite right! I wouldn't want them distracting me when I'm trying to get it in the clown's mouth!

God forbid that golfers should be made to look silly.

The original was here