YOU might expect to find a birdie or a buzzard at the golf club – but not a goat.

But that is exactly what happened yesterday lunchtime in Rogerstone, January 22, when players found a goat patrolling the car park at Newport Golf Club.

Just after midday, Newport resident Steve Hopkins posted a picture of the animal on Facebook, saying: “Anyone lost a goat? Currently wandering the car park at Newport Golf Club.”

The goat appears to have been standing in a section of the car park marked for pedestrians, with its head turned towards the camera as if curious about where it had ended up.

The golf club contacted a local farmer who, believing he knew where the goat had come from, promptly agreed to pick it up.

The club told the Argus it believed the animal was back with its “rightful owner”.

Government data from January 2022 put the goat population in Wales at 8,334 – down a quarter from the previous winter.

The goat population density in Newport was estimated at no more than 0.5 per square kilometre.

It is not the first time the adventurous animals have been known to take a little wander outside their home in Gwent, with one community taking ten hours to find – and save – four escapees from Rhiwderin.

According to the RSPCA, goats cannot tolerate wet conditions and will always seek dry shelter if the weather is bad.

They can be destructive and noisy, and uncastrated male goats can be aggressive and difficult to handle.

No issues were reported involving the goat at the club.