Travel bug has sting in the tail for sports clubs

A few years ago a GAA club official was complaining to me about another sport, and its insidious hold on his players - its pernicious influence, its seductive siren song, tempting them away from righteousness.

That hold became all too obvious, he said, once they retired.

The subject of his ire was golf rather than any team sport. The official was unhappy that once players retired, they were more interested in working on their handicap at the weekend than in falling back in with the club to take a couple of teams or do some coaching.