When I was little my dad always had a golf umbrella. I remember one he had, which had an antique wood handle and panels in white, green, red and yellow. Whenever we went out in the rain I always felt cosy and protected under the umbrella's sturdy, colourful canopy. Whenever I use an umbrella now I usually have a neat little compact one that I can fit into my bag when I'm out and about. However, I did invest in a Dunlop umbrella several years ago to tide me over when I was going out strolling from time to time.

I am not a golf player. The closest I have ever got to the game has been crazy gold courses in the likes of Southport. As much as I enjoy crazy golf however, I can think of few things more tedious than trawling around a large course with a bag of clubs and having to don a diamond-patterned jumper. The Dunlop umbrella is so large and sturdy however, that it would be ideal for those who enjoy the game and are not afraid to continue in the rain.

When I purchased my Dunlop there were several designs available. There was a blue and white combination, and a black and white combination. I selected the black and white combination, as I felt the neutral colour scheme was slightly more appealing than the blue and white of the alternative. The umbrella has a 62 inch single canopy, and has a long, relatively thick stem, with a spike above the canopy. I am always mindful of the spike whenever I am carrying the umbrella along and it is not raining, as you could easily do some damage to someone with it. The umbrella does require a bit of space to open up, so should be done away from others just in case they get struck by one of the protrusive edges. It opens with a satisfying 'flump' sound however, and you can feel the quality of craftsmanship in the tautness of the panels and the pleasing dome-shape of the canopy. This prevents the umbrella from turning inside out, even during strong winds.

The umbrella seemed smaller to me than golf umbrellas from my childhood, although I was, of course, a bit smaller then. I love the feel of the Dunlop umbrella and even though I don't use it as much as my compact one, I do feel it protects me more. I paid £4.99 for the umbrella, although you can purchase it from Argos for £3.99, I discovered recently. This is an umbrella that will last for many years, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.