Lyr Add: Green Fees - A golfer's lament

Subject: Lyr Add: Green Fees - A golfer's lament
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 25 Jul 14 - 08:14 AM

GREEN FEES
Nigel Parsons 25/7/14

Alas good folk I'm from far away
And my costs are greater each game I play
To club and captain I always say
You should not charge me VAT on my green fees.
   Members' fees are exempt from VAT
   And their charge for green fees depends on that.
   I just can't see how you can arrive at . . .
   Charging VAT on your visitors green fees.

I had to play with a constant frown.
The extra cost really got me down.
Until I played once in Bridport town,
And repeated my rant about green fees.
   "Members' fees are exempt from VAT
   And their charge for green fees depends on that.
   I just can't see how you can arrive at . . .
   Charging VAT on your visitors green fees."


A cheaper golf game was all I sought
And Bridport Golf took the case to court
With great relief I can now report:-
That there's no V.A.T. paid on green fees.
   Members' fees are exempt from VAT
   And their charge for green fees depends on that.
   To Bridport Golf Club I 'tip-my-hat'
   Now there's no VAT on visitors green fees.


This follows a change in VAT rulings about the charging of VAT to non-members for Green Fees at non-profit-making golf clubs. HMRC Brief 25/14
VAT pronounced throughout as 'vat' except when shown as V.A.T. where each letter is pronounced.
For the sake of scansion "Bridport Town" replaces "Bridport & West Dorset Golf Club"