![\"Deep](\"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/middling-through-1024x576.jpg\")
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Last year Jonathan Coe published his 13th<\/sup> novel. Luckily, it\u2019s good \u2013 well worth a read. It\u2019s called Middle England<\/em> and at its heart is how a bunch of people, in their different ways and with their different opinions, deal with the outcome of the EU Referendum.<\/a> On its publication it was described as \u201cperhaps Britain\u2019s first Brexit novel\u201d, and if you have been keeping up with the news you will know that the subject of Brexit is all around us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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But it is part of golf\u2019s\nimage. Unlike with Ian and Sophie\u2019s marriage, there\u2019s no for better or worse.\nIt\u2019s only the latter. To cite just one example (I could find hundreds), in a\npolitical sketch about Brexit in The\nGuardian<\/em> last November, John Crace wrote about an event staged by the\npro-Brexit European Research Group of Conservative MPs under the banner of\n\u2018Global Britain\u2019. Crace wrote: \u201cGlobal Britain turned out to be a bunch of\nwhite men waiting for the golf club bar to open. Only the presence of [Jacob]\nRees-Mogg brought the average age down below 65.\u201d Rees-Mogg was then 49.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To many people, and not just\njournalists on The Guardian<\/em>, this is\nwhat golf represents. Ageing and stuffiness. Middle class and white. Those of\nus who love the game know that it means other things, too. Integrity and respect.\nFresh air and gentle exercise. The enjoyment of the countryside. Oh, well – a\nbit like J.B. Holmes, perhaps John Crace & Co will get there in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
And Middle England? As\nSophie fictionally found out that summer\u2019s morning, when you\u2019re playing golf what\nyou\u2019re thinking about is middle of the fairway, middle of the green, middle of\nthe hole \u2013 although in via the side door would also do nicely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can follow Robert Green on Twitter @robrtgreen and enjoy his other blog f-factors.com<\/a> plus you can read more by him on golf at robertgreengolf.com<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"