RTE's Joe Duffy hears of luxury golf club slammed for 'snobby' rule against working class customers

A luxurious golf club in Meath has come under fire for allegedly asking customers who drive commercial vehicles to park them out of sight.

The latest rule at the Knightsbrook Golf Club in Trim, Co Meath, has been dubbed “inverse snobbery” by one anonymous golf club member.

A furious anonymous tipper made contact with RTÉ’s Joe Duffy and told him of the new rule that if golfers drive a “white van” you cannot park at the front of the clubhouse, and instead insists you must park at the back.

Liveline received an email of a statement from the golf club saying: “The attention of the men’s club committee has been drawn to the instruction by the plc for members not to park any vans or commercial vehicles in the vicinity of the golf club.

The hotel has allegedly told customers who drive a 'white van' that they will need to park away from the golf club, out of sight (Photo: Getty)

“They must be parked to the left on entering hotel grounds. The plc has informed us that members who continue to park any such vehicles near the club house may be suspended… until such time as they comply."

Joe continued: “All commercial vehicles, not some, must be parked to the left.”

He added that golf course members with vans were being asked to “essentially hide it.”

Peter Whelan called in to say he was “fuming” and “absolutely livid” over the rule.

Pulled over on the M50 in his brand new white van which he uses for work, he branded the rule “discriminatory.”

While not a member of the club, his late stepfather was, and Peter said his stepfather would be “turning in his grave” to hear of this new rule.

The hotel's latest rule had been dubbed "inverse snobbery" by one golf club member (Google Streetview)

Joe went on to ask whether workers should be allowed to use their commercial vehicles “for leisure."

Peter said that his van is his only mode of transport and that people in a similar situation would have no other option other than to use their only vehicle for leisure.

“I know the point you’re making, Joe. There is something in it that commercial vehicles should only be used for X, Y and Z,

“But you and I know what’s really being said in that statement from the Knightsbrook Golf Club,” he said.

“I thought we were gone beyond the days of class discrimination,” he added.

The Irish Mirror reached out to the Knightsbrook Golf Club for comment.