Madam, - The report by Fiona Gartland (August 17th) regarding Ryder Cup tickets makes disturbing reading. Like most golfers, I applauded the decision to restrict the allocation of tickets to keep them away from the ticket touts. However, the insistence that the tickets are completely non-transferable and must be accompanied by photo ID on the day seems to be taking the concept to extremes.
Here I must declare a personal interest. I was lucky to be allotted Sunday tickets in the draw. But circumstances have now changed and I cannot attend on the Sunday. My son got tickets for Thursday and Friday in the draw, but is now required to work those days. Apparently I cannot use his tickets for Thursday and Friday, which would have suited me very well. Neither can I pass my Sunday tickets to a fellow golf club member, who was not lucky in the draw. Effectively we will have spent €600 on tickets we cannot use, and for which we cannot get a refund. Is this Ryder Cup bringing a new standard to Rip-Off Ireland?
On the other hand I shudder to think of the chaos that seems likely as the security team checks each ticket against photo ID. How many are unaware of the restrictions on the tickets and likely to turn up on the day with a ticket they got from a friend or through a local club raffle - and how will they react to being told they can't get in as it is not their name on the ticket?
The whole process seems totally disproportionate to the ticket tout problem and leaves one tempted to question whether we are seeing the first signs of US Homeland Security in operation in Ireland. I wonder when this will be extended to all-Ireland finals and rugby internationals. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL THOMAS, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.