Bondi golf club sorry for telling Sikh to remove head covering
13 OCT 11: THE president of Bondi Golf and Diggers Club has apologised to a Sikh man who was asked to remove his patka, a religious head covering, by a club bartender.
British national Sukhbir Rihal was part of a group of 15 men who had planned a day of golf at the club on October 2.
Bad weather prevented the golf game so the group decided to drink inside the club, where Mr Rihal was asked to remove his patka.
“I told the bartender I couldn’t do that because I’m a Sikh, to which he replied, ‘I’m sorry it’s not my problem these are the club rules’,” Mr Rihal said. “He explained that it was a memorial club and there was a no head-covering policy. He should find out how many Sikhs died for the British empire during the wars.”
Mr Rihal said the bartender told him to contact club management during the week. The group moved on to North Bondi RSL after Mr Rihal refused to remove the patka.
Mr Rihal said he had never been asked to remove the patka during his two years in Australia or while growing up in London.
Club president Bruce Dominish described the bartender’s actions as a gross error of judgment and apologised to Mr Rihal.
“We accept and tolerate all religious denominations and religious head coverings, whether it be a Sikh turban or a Jewish yarmulke,” he said. Mr Dominish said he would be clarifying the head covering issue with the club’s staff.
A spokesman from Clubs NSW said that every club has the right to determine their own dress policy but staff should be flexible when enforcing club rules.
“Typically, clubs will have a no head-covering policy but staff have the flexibility to provide exemptions on the basis of religious grounds,” the spokesman said.
Have you had difficulty getting served because of an item of religious clothing?